Let Justice Roll Down Paperback – April 27, 2012

Being born and raised in the South I am not surprised what Dr. Perkins and his Brothers and Sisters in Christ went through. Unfortunately I was raised in a home full of blind prejudice and ignorance toward anyone who was not a (W.A.S.P.) White Anglo Saxon Protestant. For some unknown reason, neither my sister nor I were like the rest of the family. We were accepting of all races, religions and creeds. I believe that had to do with our sense of fairness, treating everyone with dignity respect, and taking people for who their are in their hearts and for their personal beliefs. I thank My God in Heaven that I am not like the rest of my family. Now we all have some prejudice, but it comes down to how each of us handles situations we are in with others different from ourselves. You always get back what you give out. I definitely believe in reciprocity. My feelings of fairness and equality were strengthened as a young man in the bush in South Vietnam. A bullet knows no difference and we all bleed red. During my career, I reached a level of management responsibility in the service industry and had to make decisions that affected many peoples employment and livelihood. This is the part of the service industry where most employees are minorities. This is really where the rubber meets the road. Almost daily I was challenged to treat everyone with the dignity and respect they earned. Dignity and respect must be earned, it's not something that is given freely regardless of who someone is or where they come from. Many people, when confronted with something they have done wrong will play that sad old "race card". My stock answer was always, "I'm sorry you feel that way. I will pray for you". Then again, I do not believe today with all the skewed political correctness in the world, I probably could not tell someone I was going to pray for them without getting into more hot water. What strength and fortitude Dr. Perkins showed when confronted with the evil of old southern mentality. I applaud him for taking what was probably the worst time in his life and turning it into something positive and productive. Like Jesus said, "It's not the well that need a physician, it's the sick that need help"! Truthfully, I shed many tears when reading his book and though I will never be able to relate to what young black man felt I do have compassion for him and his tenacity to make something good out of something truly evil. I have already recommended this book to several friends. I hope the read it and get Dr. Perkins deeply moving and personal message.MHR

This book gives a picture of one man's experience growing up in the Deep South, Mississippi, in the 40's, 50's and beyond and the part he has played and the impact he has made and is still making today in the fight for racial equality and social justice. Being born in the south, myself, in the 50's, and growing up in the 60's, I can very much relate to all that he describes: 'coloreds' living 'across the tracks', 'white's only' water fountains and a separate fountain for 'coloreds', integration of the schools and all of the inequalities and injustice that was a part of this era and much of which still continues today. As a Man of God, John Perkins takes the approach that there is only one way to really achieve the equality and justice being sought, and that is walking with God. It is also an indictment of the 'Christian Church' in America and how the church has been largely MIA in this fight. And he is not wrong. I so admire him and his work and the work of so many that have given all, up to and including their actual 'lives'. If you are at all interested in true equality for all men regardless of skin color, this is a must read as a background piece. He has other books that pick up where this leaves off. Very timely and pertinent to where we are as a nation today.

I am a white conservative Christian, who was searching for a book that could help me better understand the terrible racial divide in America. Dr Perkins book, " Let Justice Roll Down", is that book. At its root, racism is not just a hate problem, but a spiritual problem, that needs a spiritual answer, Jesus Christ, and our willingness to love Him first, then love those around us with His love. God used Dr Perkins life, his own personal sufferings at the hands of white men to teach him and us about the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, His love, and the power and freedom of forgiveness. I highly recommend this book to all.

This book should be required reading for every white person in North America. The author describes horrific incidences of physical harm and injustices he experienced during his upbringing and later life in Mississippi. Being a man a piece and religion it is amazing how he suffers yet finds within himself the ability to forgive. This is a very timely book given the current divisive political situation in the U.S. I highly recommend it.

This is a book that describes how a man who believed in the gospel and applied it in the most practical way, loved so much as to bring on change in his black vs white community. He truly lived the life of justice and fairness as described in the book of Amos - something that we all need to think about

Wonderful book and very poignant, I met John Perkins 40 years ago, so it was so good to read his story again and still feel angry and the injustice

As one investing in understanding North American society from a cultural standpoint; this is a powerful anthropology that exposes the deep wounds that have shaped today's society especially with regards to race relations.

This is a compelling record of a community's battle against racism in 60's America. As so much of our view of this battle is focussed unsuprisingly on Martin Luther King, we may fail to recognise the many leaders in the black communities who fought for the same cause. This account is told through the eyes of John Perkins who, fueled by his faith, helped to lead a protest against injustice and racism, and along with his friends, was then imprisoned and beaten up by the police. What made it more compelling for me was that it is focussed on a community and not a national picture. It opens your eyes to what happened to individuals and families - it makes it a human story as opposed to 'history'. I thoroughly recommend it. Shane Claiborne writes a few pages at the beginning introducing the book.