It's difficult for me to put into words how I feel and what I think about the "race relations", grand jury decisions, protesting, and rioting going on around the nation right now. I don't believe that my footing here in a suburb of Portland, Oregon has a very sturdy foundation to stand on that will help shed much light on anything going on. I don't think many people will be able to hear me nor do I expect my words to bear a lot of weight in light of so much turbulence and pain and assumptions and anger and arrogance and varying perspectives/worldviews. But I have to try, because it seems like I'm right in the middle of everything, even though I'm far removed from most of the action.
You see... I'm white. (Duh.) But I love, LOVE black people. I love people in general, folks of all races and from all countries, but since most of America is intent on making this whole thing a black vs. white (hate writing that) argument, I'll just stick with talking about that percentage of America.
I doubt that it's only because I listen to hip hop and gospel music and play basketball that I tend to truly connect with black folks. That's just silly stereotypical stuff. (And yes, I'm going to write, 'black' just like I write, 'white'. I don't call myself a European American, and I'm not going to call the black community African Americans. We're all Americans-- I've just gotta differentiate between the two when writing.) Maybe, just maybe I connect with them so well because while it'd be less-than-genuine of me to claim that I do not see skin color at all, I can honestly say that whatever epidermis pigmentation I observe does not in any way affect the way that I interact with or think about them and their value. It's probably due to the way I was raised-- by two godly, gracious parents who didn't teach me to not associate with someone simply because of their appearance or national origin, but rather to see everybody as human, each with their own story, family, dreams, talents, and personality. And by God's grace, it stuck. Maybe that's why my trips to Compton to work with the youth down there went so well and developed so easily for me. And maybe that's why I smile at the thought of going downtown to the homeless community to talk with and pray for whomever I encounter there, whether black, white, or green. (No, not the Hulk.)
I've seen and read SO MANY videos and articles/posts about the injustice of it all: the racism, the ineptitude or malevolence of the "system", the extreme prejudiced mentality and actions of law enforcement, the biased judicial system, and so on..... my thought is this: How does any of this help?? Who "wins" in all of this? And how are we moving TOWARD peace?
We the outsiders (as 99.9% of us are in these big cases) need to understand: the mainstream media HAS AN AGENDA. DON'T lose sight of that fact. There is a very specific reason that only these 2 cases (Michael Brown's & Eric Garner's deaths) have blown up around this country in the past several months-- because the media knew that these 2 stories would get the biggest reactions around the nation. They knew that if they wrote up yet another piece about a black man found slain at the hands of another black man, that it wouldn't generate much traffic on their sites; that if they conducted an interview with a famous person about a case of a white man who was shot by a white cop in the heat of an altercation, that most viewers would watch and then click on to the next video; that even if it was flipped and they featured an article about a white citizen shooting a black cop, that the majority of the public would read, be saddened then just scroll on by to the next story. Those might gain a little attention, but nowhere near the number of eyes laid on and comments made about the Ferguson & Staten Island stories.
I say all of that to back up this: We don't know everything. We don't. Try as you might to find all of the clips and news reports that cite sources and name meticulous details, but without reading the official Grand Jury report or time-traveling to those exact moments before and during each incident or speaking directly with the accused officers, we simply do not know everything. And I sure as heck don't understand it all, including the decisions. We have to stop assuming we know the intentions behind every person's actions. And we also have to stop assuming the offense or hurt of others as our very own when an action does not directly affect us in our respective circumstances.
While I completely defend the protesters' right to do such things, I firmly believe that large, chanting groups holding signs will not ultimately accomplish very much. Demonstrations are not on a human level and usually only grab's someone's artificial attention. It doesn't hold it or result in a changed or deepened mindset. Many of them will find much more success when they engage their audience with meaningful, respectful dialogue.
And that's where my questions/thoughts come back into play: How does it help? Who wins? Are we moving toward peace?
I'm not playing Miss America here and saying that my greatest dream is world peace. I don't think that's actually attainable. However, I do strongly believe in peace. Peace of a different variety, peace that not only brings vying factions into better, mutual understanding but also calms, comforts, and touches us spiritually. A serene knowing that God's got it, that I am loved, and that I don't have to go to crazy extremes to try and convey my heart in order to be accepted-- but that I am already in the arms of Love.
I wish I could hug Michael Brown's family and friends. I wish I could cry with and console Eric Garner's family and friends. And I also wish I could talk with and show compassion to Darren Wilson and Daniel Pantaleo and their families, friends, and co-workers. Because, you see, those former people need love and support while dealing with the death of their loved ones; and those latter gentlemen, whether or not you believe what they did was borne out of a racist mindset, were trying to do their job well. Even if what they did was an enormous, disheartening mistake, they now have to live with not only the fact that they took a life, but also with the unbelievable, national backlash they're receiving. And stepping further, if what they did was indeed a result of racist, hateful, prejudiced thoughts, what good does it do to disarm and dislike all of the valiant, healthy-minded individuals of the law enforcement who risk their lives to serve and protect our cities each and every day? The number of bad or dirty cops is microscopic. They do not represent the rest of the police force. And by all known accounts, Wilson and Pantaleo were not dirty. They should not be condemned by millions of strangers nationwide. The 2 men who were killed did not 'have it [death] coming' to them. They should not be posthumously judged by ANYbody.
I know I've said this before, but I do. not. mind. disagreement... as long as the conversation/debate is upheld by respect, compassion, listening ears, and proper responses (i.e.-- no character bashing or random, off-base rabbit trails). You don't hear anyone when you shout. And it's hard to register what you're actually saying if it's coming completely from anger. 'Be angry and do not sin,' Paul writes in the letter to the Ephesians. If you're angry, it's fine! Just don't let it go on too long and morph into bitterness, unforgiveness, and uncontrollable rage. Your sea must still to calm waters enough for me to know where the boat is heading and why. Progress happens with communication.
I believe that's possible, folks. I believe in hope, in faith, and in love. There is no divide in the Kingdom of God. If you're in it, you're not a 'black son' or a 'white daughter'-- you're a child of the living God. And if you want a national truth, you're not a 'white American' or 'black American'-- you're a citizen of America. Period. Labels are limitations, so why propagate the separation by continually using them in our interactions and posts? The sooner we can get out of that categorization mindset, the sooner the "race relations" topic becomes a laughably antiquated notion of insecure people who stand on a false platform and swing away for the faux cause they feel empowered to fight for.
So can we do this? I don't know. I sure hope so. I'll try my best to do my part. I have to... Because I believe that this WILL help, and it WILL bring victories for people of different races and backgrounds, and it WILL promote and draw us nearer to that ever-elusive peace.
You see... I'm white. (Duh.) But I love, LOVE black people. I love people in general, folks of all races and from all countries, but since most of America is intent on making this whole thing a black vs. white (hate writing that) argument, I'll just stick with talking about that percentage of America.
I doubt that it's only because I listen to hip hop and gospel music and play basketball that I tend to truly connect with black folks. That's just silly stereotypical stuff. (And yes, I'm going to write, 'black' just like I write, 'white'. I don't call myself a European American, and I'm not going to call the black community African Americans. We're all Americans-- I've just gotta differentiate between the two when writing.) Maybe, just maybe I connect with them so well because while it'd be less-than-genuine of me to claim that I do not see skin color at all, I can honestly say that whatever epidermis pigmentation I observe does not in any way affect the way that I interact with or think about them and their value. It's probably due to the way I was raised-- by two godly, gracious parents who didn't teach me to not associate with someone simply because of their appearance or national origin, but rather to see everybody as human, each with their own story, family, dreams, talents, and personality. And by God's grace, it stuck. Maybe that's why my trips to Compton to work with the youth down there went so well and developed so easily for me. And maybe that's why I smile at the thought of going downtown to the homeless community to talk with and pray for whomever I encounter there, whether black, white, or green. (No, not the Hulk.)
I've seen and read SO MANY videos and articles/posts about the injustice of it all: the racism, the ineptitude or malevolence of the "system", the extreme prejudiced mentality and actions of law enforcement, the biased judicial system, and so on..... my thought is this: How does any of this help?? Who "wins" in all of this? And how are we moving TOWARD peace?
We the outsiders (as 99.9% of us are in these big cases) need to understand: the mainstream media HAS AN AGENDA. DON'T lose sight of that fact. There is a very specific reason that only these 2 cases (Michael Brown's & Eric Garner's deaths) have blown up around this country in the past several months-- because the media knew that these 2 stories would get the biggest reactions around the nation. They knew that if they wrote up yet another piece about a black man found slain at the hands of another black man, that it wouldn't generate much traffic on their sites; that if they conducted an interview with a famous person about a case of a white man who was shot by a white cop in the heat of an altercation, that most viewers would watch and then click on to the next video; that even if it was flipped and they featured an article about a white citizen shooting a black cop, that the majority of the public would read, be saddened then just scroll on by to the next story. Those might gain a little attention, but nowhere near the number of eyes laid on and comments made about the Ferguson & Staten Island stories.
I say all of that to back up this: We don't know everything. We don't. Try as you might to find all of the clips and news reports that cite sources and name meticulous details, but without reading the official Grand Jury report or time-traveling to those exact moments before and during each incident or speaking directly with the accused officers, we simply do not know everything. And I sure as heck don't understand it all, including the decisions. We have to stop assuming we know the intentions behind every person's actions. And we also have to stop assuming the offense or hurt of others as our very own when an action does not directly affect us in our respective circumstances.
While I completely defend the protesters' right to do such things, I firmly believe that large, chanting groups holding signs will not ultimately accomplish very much. Demonstrations are not on a human level and usually only grab's someone's artificial attention. It doesn't hold it or result in a changed or deepened mindset. Many of them will find much more success when they engage their audience with meaningful, respectful dialogue.
And that's where my questions/thoughts come back into play: How does it help? Who wins? Are we moving toward peace?
I'm not playing Miss America here and saying that my greatest dream is world peace. I don't think that's actually attainable. However, I do strongly believe in peace. Peace of a different variety, peace that not only brings vying factions into better, mutual understanding but also calms, comforts, and touches us spiritually. A serene knowing that God's got it, that I am loved, and that I don't have to go to crazy extremes to try and convey my heart in order to be accepted-- but that I am already in the arms of Love.
I wish I could hug Michael Brown's family and friends. I wish I could cry with and console Eric Garner's family and friends. And I also wish I could talk with and show compassion to Darren Wilson and Daniel Pantaleo and their families, friends, and co-workers. Because, you see, those former people need love and support while dealing with the death of their loved ones; and those latter gentlemen, whether or not you believe what they did was borne out of a racist mindset, were trying to do their job well. Even if what they did was an enormous, disheartening mistake, they now have to live with not only the fact that they took a life, but also with the unbelievable, national backlash they're receiving. And stepping further, if what they did was indeed a result of racist, hateful, prejudiced thoughts, what good does it do to disarm and dislike all of the valiant, healthy-minded individuals of the law enforcement who risk their lives to serve and protect our cities each and every day? The number of bad or dirty cops is microscopic. They do not represent the rest of the police force. And by all known accounts, Wilson and Pantaleo were not dirty. They should not be condemned by millions of strangers nationwide. The 2 men who were killed did not 'have it [death] coming' to them. They should not be posthumously judged by ANYbody.
I know I've said this before, but I do. not. mind. disagreement... as long as the conversation/debate is upheld by respect, compassion, listening ears, and proper responses (i.e.-- no character bashing or random, off-base rabbit trails). You don't hear anyone when you shout. And it's hard to register what you're actually saying if it's coming completely from anger. 'Be angry and do not sin,' Paul writes in the letter to the Ephesians. If you're angry, it's fine! Just don't let it go on too long and morph into bitterness, unforgiveness, and uncontrollable rage. Your sea must still to calm waters enough for me to know where the boat is heading and why. Progress happens with communication.
I believe that's possible, folks. I believe in hope, in faith, and in love. There is no divide in the Kingdom of God. If you're in it, you're not a 'black son' or a 'white daughter'-- you're a child of the living God. And if you want a national truth, you're not a 'white American' or 'black American'-- you're a citizen of America. Period. Labels are limitations, so why propagate the separation by continually using them in our interactions and posts? The sooner we can get out of that categorization mindset, the sooner the "race relations" topic becomes a laughably antiquated notion of insecure people who stand on a false platform and swing away for the faux cause they feel empowered to fight for.
So can we do this? I don't know. I sure hope so. I'll try my best to do my part. I have to... Because I believe that this WILL help, and it WILL bring victories for people of different races and backgrounds, and it WILL promote and draw us nearer to that ever-elusive peace.
I pray the grace and goodness of God on all of you who read this. Thank you for taking the time. I didn't say everything I wanted to nor did I say things perfectly, so please excuse my lack of proficiency and professionalism, and please know that I tried my darnedest to say everything in love, without the slightest intention of hurting anybody. I'm still a work in progress... May my heart bleed through the pages.
~J
#Grace #Love #Ferguson #MichaelBrown #StatenIsland #EricGarner #GrandJury #MeaningfulDiscussion #Compassion
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