A couple of evenings ago, I decided to zip over to Sam’s club about a half-hour before it was scheduled to close to pick up a couple of things we needed. They were closed and the parking lot was abandoned. I wasn’t sure what had happened until a couple of hours later when my wife told me about a Facebook post from a lady in our church who had been there when they suddenly made an announcement asking people to clear the building quickly. Walmart, a block away, also closed up.
Evidently, there are busloads of folks going from town to town in the Heartland, stirring things up, and the rumor was that they were coming to Sioux City (they did). There have been demonstrations that got (mildly) out of hand in downtown Sioux City the last couple of nights. Policemen have been hit with rocks and there have been a number of arrests.
Frankly, I have no respect for the traveling riot show that is going around the Heartland. One of my wife’s good friends (a reliable sort) saw a Craigslist ad enlisting demonstrators and offering to pay them for coming actions in Omaha and Lincoln. (For the geographically challenged, Sioux City is halfway between Omaha and Sioux Falls, SD, about 90 miles from each.)
It appears to me that Antifa and other radical organizations are seizing the moment and seeking to turn angry, but mostly peaceful protests of the Arbery and Floyd murders into violent riots. They are succeeding. I am hearing the same story – it was a peaceful protest for a long time, then some Antifa-types showed up and trouble started. I loved the video that I saw in which a group of Black protesters grabbed an Antifa troublemaker and turned him over to the cops. These protests have gotten out of hand, no doubt about it.
…On the Other Hand
I am discouraged at what I am seeing among many Christians.
- A (former) Facebook friend of mine posted a statement threatening to unfollow anyone who had the nerve to post anything that insinuated that either the murder of Ahmaud Arbery or George Floyd were in any way racially motivated. He just couldn’t handle that! Can you imagine that? If you dared to imagine that three white Georgia guys chasing down a black jogger and shooting him was racially motivated, or that a white cop kneeling on the neck of a compliant (and handcuffed) black man long after he stopped breathing were possibly racially connected, he wanted nothing to do with you.
- Another pastor friend posted a series of rants about the evil of these terrible protesters. He stated that the protests were not genuine, they were just an excuse to destroy this nation. I did not see anything from him about the horrors of the Arbery or Floyd murders (admittedly, I haven’t read every post of his), but he definitely trained his guns on those rioters. A friend of his called them a “bunch of animals.” No one seemed to see the problem with calling minority protesters animals. He didn’t get called out, but the pastor posted an angry missive asking why anyone would “defend the rioters.” (No one was doing that.)
- I was shown a Facebook post by a man who formerly commented here often. “How do we know this was about race?” he asked. What would it take? Three white men chased and gunned down a black jogger, but how can we know that race was behind that? A white officer knelt on an unconscious black man long after he stopped breathing and didn’t even bother to check his vitals, but surely there was no racial history there.
- Various responses from Baptist networks and other self-styled “Conservatives” offered variations on “killing anyone is bad – whether Floyd or the riots” in a way that seemed to downplay racial murders and magnify the problems with rioting.
- The crown jewel of bad takes was by an AJW (anti-Justice Warrior) pastor, who wrote an article so stunningly awful it is hard to respond. He noted that we are “all one race” and by doing so, pretty much blamed all the trouble on anyone who took note of racial oppression in America or demanded justice. If we simply ignore injustice and say, “We are all one race” the 400 years of slavery, oppression, and dehumanization will magically disappear because, well…Gospel. I believe in the power of the Gospel to change lives, in fact, the power of Jesus is the ONLY solution. But the Gospel never calls us to deny the reality of human suffering or the effects of human sin. Over and over again, the Bible enjoins us to battle sin.
- I grew increasingly disturbed by Facebook friends who were silent when Arbery was murdered and silent when Floyd was murdered, but suddenly vocal when demonstrations took place and especially when radicals turned some of them into riots.
The response of many seems more intent on defending the status quo than on seeking the heart of God, on confronting protesters than on confronting racist murderers.
My Response
1. Yes, we must preach Jesus Christ, who is actively gathering ONE Worshiping People from every tribe and language on earth.
2. White Christians need to develop empathy instead of being so defensive. Our responses, too often, are about protecting our place, our culture. We have an experience in America, and it’s been a pretty good one, so it is hard to hear that minorities may not see the past with the same nostalgic eyes that we do. When we speak of “restoring America” they may hear something different. We need to listen to minorities and their suffering. My attitude on racial issues shifted when I talked at length to that Black deacon in my church – his stories moved me deeply. Dwight McKissic also opened my eyes to some facts. My theology hasn’t changed, but my outlook has.
3. We must realize that sin has consequences. “How often do we have to apologize for racism?” If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard that one, I’d have a LARGE jar of nickels. It isn’t about continuing to apologize for racism and that is a dodge. The fact is that 400 years of slavery, discrimination, segregation, and systemic oppression has had consequences. “You reap what you sow.” We have sown the wind and are reaping the whirlwind. Racism is a sin woven deeply into the fabric of this nation’s history and a few apologies are not going to free us.
- Pretending race isn’t real isn’t going to fix things.
- Acting as if the problem is “black anger” isn’t going to fix things.
- Claiming we’ve fixed things and “Black people need to get over it and move on” isn’t going to work.
4. Making everything political isn’t a solution. My suspicion is that the motive of much of what we post and say is more about winning in November than about following God’s word. Many of us (on both sides of the spectrum) are more concerned with our citizenship here than our citizenship in heaven.
5. Frankly, I don’t have a simple solution to this – you don’t either. It is going to take years, even decades of persistent effort ON OUR PART to convince our minority brethren that we truly love them and care for them – 400 years of abuse isn’t going to be fixed overnight. We have to be in it for the long haul. Listening, loving, commitment, restoration when we fail – this is all necessary.
I have much more angst than I have answers. I wish I had all the answers, but on this one, I think the solutions will take time and a lot of effort.
They are having a protest up and down the main street of Kirksville MO this afternoon. Peaceful as far as I can see. Mostly young people holding signs. No violence or looting of any kind. This kind of thing is fine by me. I was asked in a coffee shop this morning if I planned to go. My response was no. I have nothing to protest. I am very pleased with the police force, the sheriff deputies and the highway patrol in my town and region. I have not heard of any police misconduct. So no I won’t protest. I understand the frustration of those who are in places where police have misbehaved and especially in Minneapolis. But the rogue officer and those who stood by and let him get away with it have been fired and the officer is being prosecuted (I hope he goes to prison). But me protest, no not really. I like the police in my town. I am not a racist. But no need for protest from my perspective. And if anyone tries to attack an officer or loots or burns a store or building in this town, that person will find himself staring down the barrels of a lot of guns. Behave everyone (I borrowed that one from Dave).
Can I respectfully push back? We DO have something to protest. Year after year of systemic racism, of the killing of black citizens by police officers – just because it hasn’t happened here in Sioux City doesn’t mean it isn’t an offense. I’m not really the protest type, but I think there’s a place for us to realize we are all in this together.
Dave, as the pastor of a church in an area very similar to the one where this all started, I’ll believe we’re all in this together when I see the church finally with self sacrifice and intent investing in these areas. When I see Christian’s leaving churches where they are comfortable and fit in to serve and plant themselves in areas like this. To be proactive in ministering to these people before something like this happens.
Where these things tend to happen, the situation is almost always the same: poor, high percentage of minorities, a total breakdown of the family, and overwhelming lostness. If the lostness isnt evident on our TV screens and computers, Lord help us!
These people more often than not are desperate and hopeless. They’re lost, why wouldn’t they be? The churches in these areas are mostly small, with few resources, little manpower, holding things together with bailing wire, duct tape and faith. Yet especially here in the south within a few miles these areas have Christian’s comfortable in their church surrounded by people, on the whole, just like them. I’m speaking of predominantly white or black churches, it may even be an integrated church, but socio-economically, they are more alike than different.
Time for some discomfort. Time to forsake the unbilical American church model of comfort and my needs being met and intentionally invest our lives in these areas where the harvest is so plentiful, and many times, within an easy drive from where we are. Where the least of these live in our own back yard. Not short term mission trips where we do back yard bible clubs and feel good about ourselves, but missionaries. Missionaries from our own communities. NAMB can’t do it as many of these areas can’t really support a church. Churches rarely plant churches in these areas. If anyone else has an answer, I’m open to it.
These areas are highly transient, so it’s difficult to see a stable core built. But whoever leaves or comes in to them, they are overwhelmingly lost. When we as His body finally get intentional about planting ourselves in these areas, denying ourselves and our comfort, and proactively engaging these areas, they’ll see we’re all in it together.
I will give you that Dave. Yes, there has been systemic racism and some of my brothers have been mistreated. I’ll do my best to make it better in the future.
Just a quick note: if what I am hearing going around our area is true, Antifa are not the only ones jumping on busses and trying to raise havoc. Apparently the Hawaiian shirt wearing boys are out there also dancing the boogaloo, or trying.
I would be happy to send both groups home for time out, and let peaceful citizens protest or not, their choice.
Looting, rioting, no. Clearing peaceful protestors for a photo op, no.
I am wondering what the response would be if our younger, less committed to social distancing church folks took the protesters bottled water, sandwiches, granola bars, etc.?
Or got official set up to help in registering to vote during the marches?
Well, I did not know that identity politics had moved in identity Christianity messaging. Is there a different preaching style for black Christians that do not apply to white Christians or vice versa. What strawman says that sin has no consequence, is that from the white Christians? What strawman is pretending race is not a problem with society. Christians go to places of worship to worship God. If a church wants to get involved with politics and support a candidate, a party, an issue that they feel is in alliance with their beliefs , let the leaders and members of that church decide with their feet. If the members of First Baptist Church of Dallas do not support the social and political direction of their church, they can vote with their feet and leave. Most (80 percent ) of SBC are going to vote for President Trump again, have they lost their Christian values. Most SBC are appalled and mad at the stupid, illegal act of murder committed by the Minn. policeman and want the legal book thrown at him. Most of the SBC members are upset and do not condone the rioting and looting that the protest have evolved quickly into. You have the answer, you are a Pastor that knows the Bible and that Christ is the answer every time. Preach the Gospel, if you are drawn by conscience into making a social or political stand that you feel moves the teachings of Christ and the foundations of faith than so state. Christians get it , they are sinners and not perfect in life but the answer for salvation is Christ. Our nation , the world has problems the only answer is to follow the teachings of the Bible and apply them as best we can. Of course I am a 72 year old white man, who cannot possibly understand any other world but the one I live in, can I? I trust God in all areas and will maintain this outlook, “work like everything is up to up and pray/trust and know that everything is up to God.” The best most tolerant , welcoming, least racist , Christian based nation in the history of the world is going though this because of id politics , the anti American progressives and apathy toward our foundational truths from the majority of American citizens. I would also suggest not to… Read more »
Mr. Newhouse you can understand the world of others, because of the gospel and the through the Holy Spirit. I Corinthians 9:19-22 is clear. If the end result is worth, brings glory to God and even brings healing and reconciliation, you can do this Sir. Praying for your efforts.
I don’t know about Facebook but Twitter is certainly a source of ignorance and lies.
Bill, remember what Abraham Lincoln used to say, “Don’t trust everything you read on the internet.”
I was thinking of one specific Twitter account.
Several news articles from different sources today indicate that the FBI and local police are tracking down and arresting some of the instigators by following their posts on social media. I’ve seen a couple of articles here and there. One guy traveled from a small town in Illinois to both Minneapolis and Chicago to stir up trouble, carried some explosive devices with him and then bragged on social media. His brother got charged too. They appear to be white supremacists. That’s an extremist element that has openly been bent on starting a race war.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/criminal-justice/ct-protester-federal-arrest-20200601-fiu7q34q6fbrnehzdgjc3hu73q-story.html
Then there’s this guy, who wore a mask but didn’t completely cover a clearly identifying tattoo on his neck.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-two-men-federal-charges-chicago-looting-20200602-qxycxmma3vau3pklcik32svpqe-story.html
In Minneapolis and St Paul, many of those arrested have been linked to white supremacist groups, and a few to organized crime.
http://www.milwaukeeindependent.com/syndicated/looting-in-some-cities-seen-as-acts-of-domestic-terrorism-linked-to-white-supremacist-groups/
https://www.courthousenews.com/minnesota-officials-link-arrested-looters-to-white-supremacist-groups/
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8378767/Twitter-shuts-Antifa-account-run-white-supremacist-group-urging-violence.html
Some of it is just opportunity. People see a way to grab some merchandise and make off with it. In Minneapolis, the tobacco and smoke shops got hit hard, so did the liquor stores and the drug stores that carry cigarettes and beer. Many of the news clips showed stores that sell athletic footwear getting looted. And cell phone and electronics dealers.
This isn’t an imagined problem. Inflammatory rhetoric isn’t going to solve it.
Jack,
You mention people being arrested. Everyone without exception who has thrown a rock, overturned a car, set a fire, looted so much as a stick of gum needs to be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Violence cannot be condoned nor justified.
What elected officials have allowed to take place is beyond words. Appeasement never works.
Woody
I don’t disagree with the need to arrest looters, arsonists and vandals. But it has nothing to do with what “elected officials have allowed.” No one has “allowed” anything, its a matter of not having enough police to handle it all. If the Minneapolis police chief (who is not elected, BTW) had decided defending the 3rd Precinct Headquarters was more important than the risk of life, he’d have lost several officers and several civilians, including non-violent protesters, in the process. And from what I’ve seen, most of the “elected officials” have acted swiftly and within the limits of their authority to call out National guard to support police so that arrests of the opportunists and terrorists can take place.
You might make note of the fact that in one incident, where a white terrorist from a small town in Illinois made trips to both Minneapolis and Chicago with explosive devices and arson-setting equipment in his possession, and got caught and arrested in Chicago. His brother, who was acting as his accomplice, was “released on his own recognizance.” Do you think that would have happened if he’d been black?
Jack,
You make a good point it will ultimately be the electorate, the tax payers, those who put out the fires and clean up the destruction ( and that is in states across the nation) to decide if surrender to mob violence was in their best interests. As for the white guy you say got away, how do you know for certainty it would have been different? That is an assumption.
It is my prayer that after the destruction has ended ( it is still happening) across the nation that law enforcement will reassess how to quell violence before life and property are harmed.
woody
I saw no “surrender to mob violence.” I saw small groups of opportunists taking advantage of peaceful protests to wreak havoc associated with whatever agenda under which they operate, in most cases just a chance to steal stuff they’d normally have to buy. Are there organized vandals and looters? Some, though the connections of those arrested don’t support the conspiracy theories.
Jack M, this is very confusing. It seems unlikely that the white supremacists and local residents would agree about much, except for their mutual desire to destroy the black neighborhoods.
Well said, Dave.
Agreed. The way up is down. We are seeing that a posture of humility – physical and spiritual Christ-like humility – can bridge divides. In some cases, police simply knelt. Churches kneeling, do we see that? Our old knees notwithstanding, the body of Christ should explore a posture of humility.
Words have meaning….use of the word systemic suggests the entire system is corrupted…noted civil rights veteran Bob Woodsen rejects claims of systemic racism and does not understand what that means. The overwhelming majority of law enforcement always do the right thing in a tough environment. We all agree what was seen regarding George Floyd was heinous and should never happen. If not truly systemic…..an open dialogue about the problem is long overdue. Thank you Bob Woodsen for your insights and courage to bring into focus the issues.
I was a police officer back in the 1970s. On calm afternoons, when we were bored, several of us would gather in a predominately African American housing project, and inch nearer and nearer to any group of blacks who congregated. Often one of them would break and run, and we would chase. We chased because they were running and they ran because we were chasing–no warrant, no suspect, no crime, just FEAR and boredom. That is systemic racism, Rudd.
Well, I imagine you found those racist actions you did 40+ years ago abhorrent. But that was 40+ years ago, obviously Rudd was talking about our current age.
Yes that was 40+ years ago, closer to 45. But just as I am still around, so are many others from then. They (we) learned from seniors who were around in the ’50s and ’60s, many on the front lines of the Civil Rights demonstrations–in Birmingham, in Selma, and in Montgomery. And certainly we were taught better in Rookie School, but the day-to-day interactions with fellow officers had as great or a greater influence. Guess who we taught? THOSE AROUND TODAY! And yes, I had an awakening or an Epiphany, but unless you are going to suggest that every officer then had that before he or she passed any attitude on to the next generations, it at the least suggests that systemic racism then still exists today. As a (now retired) pastor, I learned much about the transmission of attitudes across generational lines. Attitudes are transmitted even when the original reasons (whether valid or not) are not passed on. So please, don’t try to negate what I said by the passage of time. And by the way, I am from a small family, but my wife’s is large and from south Alabama, and I see the same attitudes in many of the younger ones of them–some of whom are in law enforcement–that I had back in the day.
The story falls apart when you discover police chief in Minneapolis (and many areas experiencing riots) are African American and many police shot and stabbed where also African American. Problem is much bigger.
By “the story,” do you mean systemic racism? If so, African American police chiefs or African American officer assaulted/murdered hardly makes it “fall apart.” African American friends who are currently police officers tell me that when they put on the uniform, the cease being black (in the eyes of most/many in the African American community) and become blue. But you are right: the problem is much bigger. That is why it is called systemic racism.
If your belief is correct then the problem is a police systemic problem and not race based. Most businesses destroyed in MN were minority owned……. under reported tragedy.
Dave, I was wondering if you think that there is a place for data in the conversation regarding the extent of systemic racism, police brutality and police killings?
Clearly Floyd’s death was a crime and a tragedy. It was perpetrated by the very ones who were charged to protect him and, accordingly, his killing has been universally condemned. But the response by many is that his death is concrete proof of systemic racism and rampant racism amongst police. The idea is that black people have to live in fear because they are in grave danger from being either brutalized or murdered by racist police). Are you saying that we should empathize with that sentiment even if the data tells a different story?
My fear is that this narrative is based more on feelings and perceptions than fact. And the more this narrative is repeated, the more difficult it becomes to actually achieve racial reconciliation and racial harmony. As I think and pray about the state of affairs regarding race relations, I wonder what if the very thing that we were trying to pursue was made harder to obtain by the way in which we were pursuing it?
It is unfortunate that we are not allowed to just grieve the loss of this man’s life. In this day and age, that is not enough. Instead, in order to prove that we are not racist, we have to accept the narrative that black people are being hunted down by racist police and drowning in a sea of systemic racism.
Again, do you believe that there’s a place for data in the conversation in regards to the extent of systemic racism, police brutality and police killings.
Some ugly data from Minneapolis. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/06/03/us/minneapolis-police-use-of-force.html
Thanks for sharing the article. It’s clear that there is a disparity in use of force but a disparity does not actually prove anything other than there is a disparity. If someone is going to attempt to prove rampant racism by pointing to the disparity between “use of force” then you still have to account for why “use of force” was used against white people. If “use of force” against blacks is the result of racism, even though the number is smaller, what is the cause of “use of force” against white people? Are we to assume that “use of force” against black people was the result of racism while the “use of force” against white people was justified?
“Use of force” is a unfortunate yet necessary reality in policing. Unless I missed it, I noticed that the article doesn’t say anything about how often that “use of force” is justified/unjustified. There were over 6,000 instances of “use of force” against black people. That is good information to have but what we really need to know is how many of those instances were unjustified.
I think that part of the problem today is that there are too many people who are too are too quick, absent of actual proof, to assume racism. This is causing fear, distrust and division where there need not be. This perception leads people to read certain things into the article that you cited. It is like those who are saying with certainty that Ahmaud Arbery was killed by racists while jogging even though there has not been any evidence from social media posts, prior incidents, etc. pointing to the fact that these men are in fact racists. That proof may be forthcoming but until it does, we can’t say for certainty that that tragic event was racially motivated without making certain assumptions. Like I said in my first comment, I think that much of the narrative is based on feelings and perceptions and that is having a negative effect on efforts to pursue racial reconciliation.
Will, I am assuming that Dave is referring to a post you made that contained links to articles/studies regarding police bias, brutality, etc. If that was the case then I am disappointed that you were not able to share them. I would enjoy looking at the information that you have come across. My point is that our conversations about policing issues need to be based more on data than feeling, perception and anecdotal evidence.
All for data. Of course, statistics can be manipulated. However, you posted a comment with something on the order of 10 links. We generally do not post such. Better just to summarize. A link now and again can be helpful. A comment with a dozen links – not so much.
The fact that Mark has to say “do you believe that there’s a place for data in the conversation in regards to the extent of systemic racism, police brutality and police killings.” is very discouraging.
I agree that a person can be correct but do it in a off-putting way that makes them a jerk. During this awful time in our country where many black people feel aggrieved, it is not good or helpful to say “but the statistics say your wrong.” But that changes when the narrative has gone to far out of the reality on the ground.
I abhor racism. But statically speaking it is not true that black males are being murdered by cops at a high rate. It does happen occasionally and when it does its awful and the officer should be punishment. It is socially dangerous to claim otherwise, especially when the evidence is so easily found online.
I already imagine someone on here will say I am racist, or I’m not taking racism seriously.
Let me save you your breath, I do take racism seriously, and I think its disgusting.
Ethan, I agree with you that there is a way in which we discuss these issues. Simply pointing to data is not a sufficient response to the hurt that many are feeling. Having said that, I think that many of the people “feel aggrieved” because they are victims of bad information. Yes, we should feel grief over the death of Floyd but this has turned into something more. It is not enough to simply grieve over his death. We are supposed to grieve over the way that black men are being hunted down by police. In other words, we are supposed to grieve over ideas that are verifiably false. It seems like many are saying that the most compassionate thing that we can do is empathize, accept and agree with ideas that happen to be verifiably false? To me, that is more patronizing than compassionate.
I am discouraged that so many of us have to add the disclaimer that “we are not racist” any time we say something that contradicts the narrative of rampant racism. It doesn’t matter in what ways we are loving, serving or working with minorities, if we disagree with the rampant racism narrative then that is proof enough that we are racists ourselves.
Thank you, Pastor Dave for this post. I have loved ones who are ongoing victims of racially based abuse. My brother in law was arrested literally for being black and falling asleep in a hotel lobby. A hotel in which he had registered for a room. He was given no opportunity to explain, prove his innocence before being dragged to jail.
I have loved ones battling the mobile outrage fraudsters who are exploiting genuine grief from city to city. They have been punched, kicked, spit on, had bricks and various projectiles – even fire bombs hurled at them. One of my children in the faith works for ICE and has been threatened by Antifa via e mail first and then they actually showed up at her office and it was hours before she and her colleagues could get to safety.
I am in touch with all of these people and letting them know they’re loved and showered in prayers for their well being. One of my friends – an African American in his 60s – and I talked by phone and we shared a heartfelt moment where he said his desire is just for people to listen to him and he hurts the most when its fellow Christians who won’t.
God help me change who I am and become what my community, state, nation, and world need.
I’m with Jonathan Merritt in that I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I agree with Pat Robertson. https://twitter.com/JonathanMerritt/status/1267986064293138432
The way I see it no one should die in police custody, the police are not the judge and jury no matter what someone has done. There are some wonderful police men and women out there. There are some bad police out there too. I feel the court system has become too political and justice is wavering. Let’s face it the same laws do not apply to everyone and this needs to change.
I don’t know how to say this, other than to just say it. There are only two men who keep me from leaving the SBC: Russell Moore and Dave Miller. They seem to be the only public men who are willing to speak love. What is happening now is because of the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Armaud Arbery. These deaths, coming in such a short time, caused a certain critical mass that gave rise to what is happening in our streets and cities. However, instead of looking at why there are protests, and why it has affected our African-American brothers and sisters, we seem to pay lip service to grief and console ourselves that it is only bad apples who are responsible. We want to assure ourselves that all lives matter, the police are here to protect us, looting is criminal, and, as it has been stated here, we must meet criminality with force. What we are seeing is a long-suffering community whose lives are infused and altered by the past and its apparent continuation into the present. We don’t like to call it “systemic racism” and we don’t want to see why, in fact, black lives matter. We wouldn’t be having this discussion if, in fact, our brothers and sisters whose ancestors were slaves actually believed it. There is something to see here, and it goes beyond humility; it touches the very essence of love. I do not care what the world or culture or our political leadership may call it. What I care about is how it all looks to God. And, for some reason we cannot seem to want to know how God sees it. Humility is a good start, but there comes a point where it is nice just to shut up and listen to the hurt behind the words, the protests, and, yes, in some instances the looting. My frustration right now is that we always seem to come back to things that simply do not matter. We argue about things that ought not to concern us as Christians. I see here what would be spoken in my church and Sunday School class if I listened. It is what I find pushing myself away from the SBC, especially given our history. How we see our brothers and sisters in Christ ought to be true, authentic, and a rock on which to build… Read more »
Thank you Jim Lockhart. Yes it goes beyond humility; yes it touches the very essence of love; yes we keep arguing about things that don’t matter; to all of what you said, yes! The struggle of my lifetime is to remain focused on spiritual things, and to push through to love that never fails. It’s hard to find a church to help lead/push us that direction, in a truthful, obedient, authentic, dependent-on-God way.
The situation is complicated. The right to peacefully protest is a Constitutionally protected freedom; there is no right to riot, destroy, or loot. But the line between a peaceful protest and a protest that becomes violent is sometimes blurred. At a more extreme point, it becomes obvious, but not so much when some protesters are peaceful and some are less so, especially if both are in the same larger group. And Martin Luther King said something to the effect that a non-violent protest is a dangerous thing–from one side of it or the other, as happened in the South in the 1960s. Racism is part and parcel of American culture, sometimes overt and sometimes subtle. It took me many years to recognize that some of the subtle things I used to think and do were racist. And while my conversion played a significant part of that, it did not happen automatically upon my conversion. Maybe for some it does, but I will guarantee, not for all. There is a danger to policing, and most officers know there may come a time when they may inadvertently go too far. Even the best of officers undergo stress both at work and at home, and stress can cloud one’s judgment. Unfortunately, some persons are attracted to police work who should never be officers, and it is difficult to tell in advance who falls into that category. This whole situation is complicated by a phrase you have no doubt heard: the militarization of police. Some use that to refer to the use of military-style uniforms, vehicles, and weapons, and that may be part of it. But another part, not usually recognized, is an attitude. My father was police chief in an Alabama town of 16,000, and he tried to avoid hiring ex-MP’s, because as he put it, “they have too much to unlearn to be effective civilian officers.” And it was not just him, but many departments back then. When I served as an officer in an Alabama city of 160,000 a few years later and was involved in the hiring process, the same thing applied. But in the last 20 -40 years, departments have hired many, many ex-MP’s; many I expect are fine officers, but there is an attitude that often accompanies some of them. And tactics have changed too. Now officers are taught techniques like choke-holds and the knee on the neck… Read more »
John Fariss,
I think now that all branches of US military law enforcement train at the same place, they are far better equipped to deal with becoming good LEOs when they leave military service. Of course, that is just my opinion and I admit I am biased. One of my sons was with Marine One during President Obama’s active presidency. He made the transition well.
I hope you are right.
Well, I hope I am too, Brother. Because we both know, having started our careers on different sides of the game in the same state, something has to change. I am just thankful God’s grace was sufficient for the both of us to get new hearts and freedom from the darkness that kept us in captivity as long as it did.
Sadly, in my experience in speaking with non-minority Christians, even if they don’t support what happened to the victim, they will be far more focused on the riots than on the murder. I hope my experience is atypical.