By Snow
Before I begin today’s post, I want to point you to Wounded Butterflies. My collaborator, JC, is in progress over there on a brave series of posts, “Nobody Knew, Yet Everybody Knew,” chronicling her story as an abuse survivor. Check the first three posts out at the following links: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3.
I originally had a different topic in mind today, but Jesus has led me to write this one instead. It has been on my heart for some time, and today is the day.
To serve as the backbone of this post, I’m going to use a letter I wrote to a pastor back in June. However, I am going to both condense and expand it to better serve my purposes here. While I generally have tried to keep Beloved Walks free of politics, we are living in unusual times, and I feel burdened to speak. If not now, when?
Yes, I am compelled as a Christian to write this today, but I claim to speak for no one else other than myself.
“My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?”
James 2:1
Here in the United States, we are a country full of pain. In many ways, we are a country founded on pain. Wonderful ideals masked flaws right from the start because of sin’s infiltration. Harsh realities marred powerful words, like “All men are created equal,” in the Declaration of Independence. The Constitution went on to codify the disenfranchisement of entire groups of people. Yes, this document, touted as a beacon of democracy, is blemished in its very first article! The issue should have been resolved at the beginning, but instead, the founding fathers kicked it forward to a future generation.
The United States fought an entire war against itself decades later to free slaves, and, ostensibly, it did free them. Yet, African Americans still did not receive that promised equality. Oppression and disenfranchisement continued, but under other guises.
The losing side of the Civil War was later even able to erect statues of the traitors who chose the wrong side of morality. Why did losing generals in a failed secession get statues? “History” was the oft-repeated answer. No, those statues were meant to intimidate, plain and simple. They symbolize everything that is wrong with race relations in America. State and local governments have been slow to act to remove them, so the people have ultimately been compelled to do so on their own.
To be clear, I am definitely in favor of acknowledging and learning from history. What I strongly object to is the notion that this should be accomplished through maintaining statues of traitors portrayed falsely as heroes. No. Tear them down.
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.”
Proverb 31:8-9
A century after the Civil War, Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr., and so many other true heroes marched and shed their blood for civil rights, resulting in many advances. Because of their efforts, for example, I was blessed to have African American classmates and teachers – including my favorite teacher ever, who changed my life. As a white student, these gifts would have been impossible for me to receive before that movement. What a loss that would have been.
Yet, even after these civil rights victories, oppression and disenfranchisement continued, often in more subtle ways.
“‘Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.’ Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish.”
Joel 2:13
I am ashamed to admit, I was one of those naive enough to believe that this country’s racist history was finally behind us when the people elected President Barack Obama in 2008. Yet, he had barely taken the oath of office before I learned that racism was sadly alive. I remember the sinking feeling as I received multiple email forwards of supposed “humor” in the early days of his Presidency that was nothing more than racism.
Today, seemingly bereft of any leadership, this country is spiraling out of control at almost every level. Those we, the people, entrust with power are abusing that power to the point of murdering citizens. Only the prevalence of video cameras, thanks to smart phones, is finally making the rest of us see what some already knew far too well all along: There is still much work to do in the United States before we can truly be the “land of the free.”
Yes, I know many police officers are noble and put their lives on the line daily for just purposes. However, silence in the name of “brotherhood” only condones and emboldens those officers undeserving of our trust and the uniforms they wear.
Dr. Tony Evans, in a moving sermon on September 6, stated, “The only reason why we have a ‘white Church’ and a ‘black Church’ is because one group of the Church decided that another set of Christians didn’t belong. […] We would not have a racial divide in America if it weren’t for the Church. The Church is the cause. The good news is, it’s also the cure for the racial divide creating havoc in our society.”
White evangelicals elected a blatantly racist, sexist, choose just about any horrible adjective, President in 2016, and that support appears sadly to continue. The conservative political machine has become expert at manipulating that group through the use of hot button, dog whistle talking points. Much like the noble police officers, I am aware there are noble conservatives. However, silence in the era of Donald Trump – no matter if he supposedly identifies as your party or even your faith – only condones and emboldens a man undeserving of our trust and the office he holds. It really is the same as the officers who look the other way.
We are living in a time of change, yet this is barely reflected on the national ballot. It is one old, white man versus another old, white man for the Presidency. When it comes to racism and sexism, Joseph Biden has his own problems and only appears acceptable if contrasted to the mass chaos of an ignorant, power-hungry narcissist like Trump.
Should that really be our bar? Where are the real leaders?
No one is perfect, but surely we, as a nation, can do better than a choice between “Bad” and “Worse”? I used to think the United States was the greatest nation on Earth, but it’s hard to believe that anymore.
I, for one, am sad that for the second Presidential election in a row, I will be voting against someone, rather than for someone.
I can’t pretend to know what it is like to be an African American in this country. I don’t know what it’s like to have discrimination and hatred always lurking, always waiting to strike, always preparing to destroy. I don’t know what it’s like to be afraid for my life at a minor traffic stop or when jogging after dark. The small glimpses I have seen of these cruelties have been sickening, but I know I have experienced nothing compared to the reality.
What I do know is that black lives matter. What I do know is that white supremacy must end. What I do know is that police departments must make significant changes at a foundational level. What I do know is that we must seize this opportunity to correct the inherent flaws in American society.
What I do know, above anything else, is that we are all God’s children, created in His image.
Racism is not only a sin, but it is an attack against God Himself.
Father in Heaven,
May our hearts be torn. May our hearts be broken for what breaks Your heart.
In the blessed name of Jesus we pray.
Amen
“Anyone who loves a fellow believer is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble. But anyone who hates a fellow believer is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.”
1 John 2:10-11
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