I don't often feel compelled to speak on issues where I feel my voice would just be an unnecessary addition to people who have already made their opinions heard who are much better connected and smarter than I am. While I am sure there are well rounded opinions on the Baltimore protests, I am going to make an exception to the dismay of many.
I came across a facebook post asking what the church's role is, if any, in situations like the one in Baltimore. That is a good question, and the problems going on in Baltimore are a good reflection of the many dissenting viewpoints in America on race, the role of the police/authority, systematic racism, etc. What is not in doubt is that injustice reigns in our communities, neighborhoods, cities, countries and world, both visible and invisible, and it manifests itself in many ways. In addition to this ongoing injustice, our way of dialogue through various forms of media only adds fuel to the fire and when a community feels like they are not being heard or represented well it can lead to disastrous situations like Baltimore, Ferguson and the many examples before and after.
Visible Injustice
There are two obvious forms of injustice going on in Baltimore, and depending on your leanings it is easy to fall into the trap of justifying one form while going the extra mile to condemn the other. The first is the abuse of police power. Unless you've been hiding under a rock for weeks on end, there have been numerous incidents that have left minorities dead at the hands of police officers. While there is varying justification depending on the incident, it is statistically confirmed that minorities, especially blacks, are more threatened by the use of deadly force than whites, and the difference is exponential. While it would be great if we could wave a wand and solve this disparity, the problem is only made worse by the fact that this reality isn't even often confirmed by police departments. It's hard to solve issues when many people refuse that there are issues or worse, blame the victims.
The second form of injustice is the response to these abusive situations, which commonly do more to widen the divide than close it. I'm all for peaceful protest and these situations call for it, but trying to improve relations with police or just to be heard is undermined when you demonize the police or people in your group engage in looting among other things. On top of the actual wrong doing by protesters, there are people who will justify those actions. As people inevitably support one group/viewpoint over the other, the trenches only deepen, the wounds continue to bleed and injustice continues to reign even after windows are repaired and bodies are put to rest.
So, how can the church address visible injustice?
The question remains and the solution, while easily thought of and written is as difficult in action. Police officers live in our communities with their families. One of my best friends is an officer of the law. The first step in healing is to admit wrongs where they exist. The church can encourage this by facilitating peaceful communication, so that people can be heard. The more officers that understand the places they serve, the more reasonable the solutions (ideally). The harder part is for citizens to begin to trust the police again, and for some it may never happen, but if they are able to hear and have productive conversations with officers, it would at the least help to solve underlying issues that affect the community and help no one.
Invisible Injustice
It is difficult enough for people to acknowledge obvious wrongs without justifying one wrong over another. To try to communicate the complex realities of systematic racism with these same people is often like speaking an alien language. The sad fact is that many of us either participate in systematic racism, either actively or indifferently, or are affected by it, or both. This invisible force is the life blood that subtly bubbles over into more aggressive actions.
While it is hard to digest, if you are a white citizen of the United States you have benefited directly or indirectly from a form of government that held minorities back by law. Capitalism operates under the myth of hard work and creativity leading into financial success, often uncapped (admittedly a generally unsophisticated explanation). Unfortunately, even if we embrace capitalism's ideals we are confronted by the problem of slavery, followed by the problem of Jim Crow and currently there is the issue of very little progress being made since civil rights along with the reality that our economy benefits from underpaying undocumented migrants to do some of the harshest work this country has to offer.
On top of the racial aspect, the idea that the hardest working make the most isn't even mostly true. You have the beneficiaries of the rich, you have people whose ideas are stolen, you have people who work their way up the ladder, only to find out that they will never reach the top, etc., etc., etc.
So, how does the church address invisible injustice?
This ones the "doozy." Many churches don't believe in systematic racism, or that it isn't a big issue. I think there are more forms of invisible powers working than we are aware of and likewise there are multiple solutions. Quite simply praying for others and doing whatever you can to love others and doing so with others is a start. Admitting we are unaware of where we fall short everyday, individually and as a community, and asking for forgiveness is another good start. We seem to do a good job of being right in this country, but I think the key is often to think of the people we'd most like to condemn, and instead go to "those people" and serve them. Jesus ate with prostitutes and tax collectors, and was betrayed by one of his own. I don't know the answers to all the questions I've posed, but I do know that when we befriend the monster, the monster ceases to be. When we invite the demonized to dinner, they become human. So who do you/we need to make peace with? White, black or brown? Jewish or Catholic or Protestant? Terrorists? Fundamentalists? Muslims, Sikhs or Christians? We often forget the humanity of others, so let's find it now before we lose it.
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