“Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far away; for truth has stumbled in the public squares, and uprightness cannot enter. Truth is lacking, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey.
The LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice.”
Isaiah 59:14–15 (ESV)
The latest event of four police officers killing a black man in the public’s eye is about as inhumane as it is in this nation, right amid a pandemic. Our response is outraged! Especially during a time where mental health is fragile from being socially distanced. How long are we to do nothing about these type of cases on people of color. George Floyd’s death is symbolic of a modern-day lynching, and Ahmaud Arbery’s death was no different from the acts of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1970s. Amy Cooper’s behavior of paranoia demonstrates the stigma that is inflicted on people with color. Why are people surprised that the response turned out the way it did with looting and destruction. At a minimum, they will never forget this time in history just as they remember Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s murder, which caused the same national destruction. The pride of gentrification has just been crumbled, and it may take them another 50 years to rebuild. It seems to me that the people did not want gentrification in the first place for the exact reason of what we are experiencing right now. Our justice system has ignored this type of hate from those who took an oath to protect and to serve us long enough. Some of the white police force is promoting hate crime instead of dismantling it and giving civilian white men a slap on the wrist for following their lead. Racists have badges and office of power to kill and destroy people of color, yet they are more concerned about buildings.
Yes, black people have overcome as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. sacrificed his life for us to do. Black people have raised the bar in almost every area of education, wealth, and profession, yet the racial persecution still remains without paying off others to let them ride. Moreover, equality has never happened for people of color, and if we do not stand up and expose it, we will never be treated equally. Malcolm X urged black people to protect themselves by any means necessary. Later after seeing corruption amongst his own brethren and spiritual transformation, he recognized that “anger can blind human vision” then “identified racism, and not the white race, as the enemy of justice.” It makes me wonder; how can we separate the man from his actions? It is a hard pill to swallow to see man as God sees us despite what we do. Therefore, exposing racism for what it is will take a village or a nation for being a different color to not matter. I am not speaking of pulling the race card when it is beneficial for a scheme to get out of self-wronged. More specifically, expose racial acts that blatantly and systematically affect a particular race. Racism does not stop if only one knows about it, nor does it stop if there is no consequence for it.
Many people want answers, and many people want a solution. However, this nation does not have enough leaders that are willing to step up and organize a strategy that will put an end to the hate that permeates America. What is disappointing is that we do not have a significant amount of Christian leaders that will stand on the frontline instead of behind the line. Most Christian leaders would like to define their call from God as being stabilized in the pulpit or the mission field of the impoverished while white evangelicals are praising the Leader. My response is that God is just as concerned about the civil rights and social justice of all creation. If you can lead a congregation, you should be able to lead the people into properly demolishing the injustice of this world against a targeted population.
I am a mother of a black adult son and to hear George Floyd call for his mother make me raise my voice to be heard. This outright racist behavior has not been a “norm” for decades, and it is a shame that racism is peeking its’ ugly head out again for a new generation. No, I do not believe this type of inhumane treatment ever went away; however, I do think it has become a lot bolder and disconcerting again. Another thought is this may be an eye-opener for our young generation that never had first-hand experience or effects of racism. This generation did not have a full understanding of the suffering all black people endured collectively in the past. The sacrifices black people made so that they could live a better life. Nor have this generation experienced the senseless killing of people because of the color of their skin—until now. So, I would say, all those that have died by the hands of a racist did not die in vain if it would open the minds and eyes of this generation to change. Racism has to stop! Our government officials, law-makers, the judicial system, and our nation as a whole need a reformation that will benefit not only those that put the most money in their pockets but for all Americans. We have to begin somewhere. People of color and those who support people of color do not stand by and allow racism to rule our world. Speak up and speak out! Most of all, do what is in your power to make a change in our broken nation.
Every representative of government officials that is not afraid to ban against racial corruption and organize a strategy together to restore this nation.
Police officers around the world stand up and ban together to expose racial disparities within their company of uniforms. company of uniforms.
Shut down businesses for all until law-makers can come together, listen to the people, and take action to enforce hate crimes on their side of the fence.
The people of our nation that have had enough of the hate stop hating each other and find solidarity to put an end to racial profiling.
Godly leaders to unite in the wisdom of our Lord to organize and strategically inaugurate a plan of action viable for your congregation to follow.