February 20, 2019
Unlikely
Brotherhood
Page 5
Retired cop
addresses racial
divide in new book
by m iChael l eighton
t he p ortlanD o bserver
A retired black cop and a white
criminal defense attorney, both from
Portland, recount how their combus-
tible relationship was transformed
into a lasting friendship in ‘Unlike-
ly Brotherhood,’ a new book that
address the cultural divide between
white and black America.
The book is the story of Larry An-
derson, a former police officer for the
Portland Police Bureau and Wendell
Birkland, a Portland lawyer and for-
mer Multnomah County prosecutor,
and is written with Ken Koopman of
Portland, his third book.
Coming from extreme opposite
backgrounds, defined by their skin
color and economic upbringings, the
story tells how two men collided in
bigotry and hatred in their first en-
counter. But years later, an improb-
able friendship binds them together.
Hearts are changed as the men of
faith declare their intent to love one
another as brothers, and move past
deadly and racially-charged incidents
that impacted their lives on the streets
of Portland.
Anderson told the Portland Ob-
server the book resonates with to-
day’s issues of race and the growing
social divisions that define America.
He hopes the book inspires others
on how to build authentic and loving
relationships no matter the color of
their skin.
The differences are stark. In “Un-
likely Brotherhood” Anderson’s re-
counts the first time he heard the
n-word. He was a young child visiting
the home a white neighbor friend and
the boy’s white grandfather yelled
out wanting to know who brought the
n----- to the house.
From a completely opposite up-
bringing, Birkland writes how he
never met a black person growing
up and had a carefree childhood of
delights, like riding ponies on his
grandfather’s farm, Alpenrose Dairy.
The book shows how these two
men from different worlds came to a
deep friendship over a 25 year history
Retired Portland police officer Larry Anderson addresses the racial divide in ‘Unlikely Brotherhood” a story about
two men who collided in bigotry and hatred. But years later, an improbable friendship binds them together.
of being involved in the so-called ra-
cial reconciliation movement in Port-
land, forming regular weekly meet-
ups with others to forge friendships
across chasms that divide people by
race.
Drawing on his religious beliefs,
Anderson points a way forward. He
says he doesn’t look for reconcili-
ation between races when there has
never been conciliation. He said be-
cause there’s only one human race
and God doesn’t identify man as
black or white, there can only be rec-
onciliation to God.
“As long as I see myself as a black
man and you see yourself as a white
man, by the very nature of our defini-
tion we’re meant to oppose each oth-
er,” he writes. “We’ve got to get men
of God talking about first needing to
reconcile to our Creator; then you go
about figuring out how to love your
neighbor.”
Anderson said the key to forging
brotherhood between the races is get-
ting to know each other with authen-
tic relationships.
Unlikely Brotherhood is now
available in paperback, hardback and
eBook from the most popular online
book retailers, including Amazon and
Barnes & Noble.