Apparently, an awful lot of Americans slept through high school civics. If that applies to you, try to keep up. This is the United States of America. We have some papers which are sort of important, called the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution. These papers spell out in great detail what the government is allowed to do and what individuals are allowed to do. For instance, an individual (that's one person) can display any flag of his or her choice on his or her own property, up to and including having it tattooed on his or her forehead. In contrast, our government (that's all the people we pay a ridiculous amount of money to run the country on behalf of all us individuals) must preserve justice and freedom from oppression for everyone, equally. There is one flag that (theoretically, at least) represents everyone equally. Therefore, it is the flag we should observe on the buildings that house the government that has a duty to preserve equal rights for everyone, equally. A different flag--one that represents slavery, oppression, and legalized terrorism to anyone not white--maybe not that one.
For another example, an individual may hold any belief he or she finds reasonable. An individual may express said belief in any way which does not infringe upon the rights of any other individual. The government, however, may not favor certain systems of belief by denying the rights of some individuals, but not others in matters like, let's say marriage.
Finally, the government itself must not infringe upon the rights of any individual. An individual is entitled to freedom of religion, which means that neither the government, nor its leader may tell individuals what they may believe or how to express that belief. Or when it's time to change that belief. Sorry, Mr. President.
In addition to freedom OF religion, individuals are entitled to freedom FROM religion. This is why we don't chop off the heads of "infidels" here or burn people at the stake for witchcraft. Anymore, that is.
Sorry, Christians. We can't really have it both ways. If we expect to be protected, everyone else gets the same.
Any questions? I didn't think so. I'm glad we cleared that up. Good talk!
Monday, June 29, 2015
For Christians Only
June 19, 2015
Wondering where the Church is. Wondering why we spent so much time focusing on whether we could pitch a baseball or mow the lawn on Sunday, go to the Prom, have a beer, or go to a movie when we were turning a blind eye to hatred and murder. Wondering if things would have been different by now if we had stepped up a little sooner.
We have to wake up, Church. It is our job to bring justice to the oppressed. It is our job to stand in unity with ALL of our brothers and sisters. Instead, we have turned a blind eye for HUNDREDS of years and let our own be tortured and terrorized while we run around "defending" the rest of the world in the names of God and Democracy. We have tolerated, permitted, even enabled the rotting, stinking open wound of racism in the body of Christ.
And then we have the nerve to cry about the fact that we are picked on by the "liberal media." News flash: that's what happens when you give away all of your credibility. Notice I didn't say "lose" credibility. We didn't lose it, we handed it over. The American Church might as well burn our own Bibles if we can't do better than this.
I'm not praying for peace, my dear, mourning brothers and sisters in Charleston. I'm praying for such a righteous and holy uproar that we will finally, FINALLY drown out the clamor of hate and racism. I'm praying fervently, and expectantly for the brightness of God's light to shine into every hidden corner, pocket, and heart where racism festers.
Wondering where the Church is. Wondering why we spent so much time focusing on whether we could pitch a baseball or mow the lawn on Sunday, go to the Prom, have a beer, or go to a movie when we were turning a blind eye to hatred and murder. Wondering if things would have been different by now if we had stepped up a little sooner.
We have to wake up, Church. It is our job to bring justice to the oppressed. It is our job to stand in unity with ALL of our brothers and sisters. Instead, we have turned a blind eye for HUNDREDS of years and let our own be tortured and terrorized while we run around "defending" the rest of the world in the names of God and Democracy. We have tolerated, permitted, even enabled the rotting, stinking open wound of racism in the body of Christ.
And then we have the nerve to cry about the fact that we are picked on by the "liberal media." News flash: that's what happens when you give away all of your credibility. Notice I didn't say "lose" credibility. We didn't lose it, we handed it over. The American Church might as well burn our own Bibles if we can't do better than this.
I'm not praying for peace, my dear, mourning brothers and sisters in Charleston. I'm praying for such a righteous and holy uproar that we will finally, FINALLY drown out the clamor of hate and racism. I'm praying fervently, and expectantly for the brightness of God's light to shine into every hidden corner, pocket, and heart where racism festers.
For Whites Only
June 17, 2015
It seems there are things that only a white person can say to white people. It seems there are things only a black person can say to black people. Is that racist, in and of itself? I don’t really think so, since there are also things that a woman can say to another woman, for instance, that a man can not express without being offensive. There are things that a fat person could only “hear” from another person who struggles with weight. (I say this quite authoritatively!) So, I have some things to say to white people. I am by no means an authority in race relations or how to solve the racial unrest that won’t go away. I have just observed some stuff, from my “front row seat” to the lives of people I adore, people who happen to have brown skin. It is from a position of humility and heartbreak that I make these observations.
I want you, my fellow Caucasian Americans, to think about the fact that any one of you can go into a place of worship and pray. You can do this, quite probably, without giving one thought to whether you will be welcome there, or will fit in, because outwardly, you are the definition of “normal.” You won’t have to spare a single second thinking about your skin color. You won’t have to think about what other people are thinking about your skin color. It would never occur to you that anyone else even is thinking about your skin color. In all probability, you have never, ever had someone point out to you that you are white. You are “same” in almost any given situation. It would not occur to you, in church, or in just about any other place to worry about being targeted for being different. You are not “different” or “less than.” You are “same.” While you are going about your life, Facebooking about the Kardashians and obsessing about work, you know without wasting any time worrying about it that you belong, because you are “same.”
Sure, you have worries, but you would never think about someone walking up to you and—because of your skin color—blowing your brains out while you pray. You would never need to; such a thing has never happened to you, or anyone you know personally, or anyone they know personally. People don’t target others when they are “same.” Your parent’s don’t have to teach you never to wear a hoodie in public and to keep your hands in plain sight at all times so you don't get hurt or killed in some misunderstanding. Your parents don't have to prepare for the fact that people will be afraid of you. People don’t assume the worst about you when you are “same.” When you are “same,” when your world is for the most part designed to accommodate you, and when the laws are made to protect you, your parents do not have to teach you that you’re “same.” You just…are. You never even have to think about it.
It’s called “white privilege.”
If you have never been able to understand it, TRY. Read this as many times as you need to. If you think it’s all a bunch of bullshit, try anyway. We have all got to try. I know, I know! You didn’t create this problem. You didn’t own slaves. You have a black friend. You really don’t care about skin color. I understand, and I believe you. I really do believe you because I feel the same way. No one is blaming you. Is it fair that we can have “Black Girls Rock,” but can’t have “Dudes, White Girls Are Awesome?” Sure, but we don’t need fairness, we need JUSTICE. Is it irritating to bear the scorn and distrust of people we actually want to be reconciled to? Of course, but frankly, it’s less punishment than we deserve for hundreds of years of sin. Yup, I said it. The people of the good old USA sinned against any minority we came across.
The painful fact remains, together, we “Sames” systematically created, tolerated, or at the very least, still benefit from a culture that targets and condemns the “Differents.” We “Sames” have to stop panicking and defending. We “Sames” bear the responsibility to right the wrong on behalf of all the “Sames” before us that created it. It’s hard to hear. It’s hard, so hard to accept. It’s the truth. And it’s time.
It seems there are things that only a white person can say to white people. It seems there are things only a black person can say to black people. Is that racist, in and of itself? I don’t really think so, since there are also things that a woman can say to another woman, for instance, that a man can not express without being offensive. There are things that a fat person could only “hear” from another person who struggles with weight. (I say this quite authoritatively!) So, I have some things to say to white people. I am by no means an authority in race relations or how to solve the racial unrest that won’t go away. I have just observed some stuff, from my “front row seat” to the lives of people I adore, people who happen to have brown skin. It is from a position of humility and heartbreak that I make these observations.
I want you, my fellow Caucasian Americans, to think about the fact that any one of you can go into a place of worship and pray. You can do this, quite probably, without giving one thought to whether you will be welcome there, or will fit in, because outwardly, you are the definition of “normal.” You won’t have to spare a single second thinking about your skin color. You won’t have to think about what other people are thinking about your skin color. It would never occur to you that anyone else even is thinking about your skin color. In all probability, you have never, ever had someone point out to you that you are white. You are “same” in almost any given situation. It would not occur to you, in church, or in just about any other place to worry about being targeted for being different. You are not “different” or “less than.” You are “same.” While you are going about your life, Facebooking about the Kardashians and obsessing about work, you know without wasting any time worrying about it that you belong, because you are “same.”
Sure, you have worries, but you would never think about someone walking up to you and—because of your skin color—blowing your brains out while you pray. You would never need to; such a thing has never happened to you, or anyone you know personally, or anyone they know personally. People don’t target others when they are “same.” Your parent’s don’t have to teach you never to wear a hoodie in public and to keep your hands in plain sight at all times so you don't get hurt or killed in some misunderstanding. Your parents don't have to prepare for the fact that people will be afraid of you. People don’t assume the worst about you when you are “same.” When you are “same,” when your world is for the most part designed to accommodate you, and when the laws are made to protect you, your parents do not have to teach you that you’re “same.” You just…are. You never even have to think about it.
It’s called “white privilege.”
If you have never been able to understand it, TRY. Read this as many times as you need to. If you think it’s all a bunch of bullshit, try anyway. We have all got to try. I know, I know! You didn’t create this problem. You didn’t own slaves. You have a black friend. You really don’t care about skin color. I understand, and I believe you. I really do believe you because I feel the same way. No one is blaming you. Is it fair that we can have “Black Girls Rock,” but can’t have “Dudes, White Girls Are Awesome?” Sure, but we don’t need fairness, we need JUSTICE. Is it irritating to bear the scorn and distrust of people we actually want to be reconciled to? Of course, but frankly, it’s less punishment than we deserve for hundreds of years of sin. Yup, I said it. The people of the good old USA sinned against any minority we came across.
The painful fact remains, together, we “Sames” systematically created, tolerated, or at the very least, still benefit from a culture that targets and condemns the “Differents.” We “Sames” have to stop panicking and defending. We “Sames” bear the responsibility to right the wrong on behalf of all the “Sames” before us that created it. It’s hard to hear. It’s hard, so hard to accept. It’s the truth. And it’s time.
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