I hesitated for a long time to write this post. Lately, social media has been inundated with so much political "back and forth" over a host of issues, and I asked myself if I really wanted to enter into that kind of charged conversation, where, honestly, it seems most people are more interested in standing on a soap box than really listening to one another.
And then again, the world, the real world, is so much bigger than social media. And it seems like for many of us, myself included, reposting or retweeting a well articulated thought is easier than really doing something different in our real lives to further any kind of tangible change in our communities.
But the more I read the "back and forth" on a number of pages the more I feel like there are some things that need to be said.
I haven't posted anything, ever, on either the Black Lives Matter movement, or on the recent police shootings. There are a couple of reasons for that. First, I've been doing a lot of listening. Listening to both sides, trying to make sense of an issue that, frankly, feels so big and so wide and so deep that I cannot begin to really and truly understand the many layers and years of hurt, distrust, and mistreatment that has brought us to where we are today.
But, the other reason, is that it makes me uncomfortable to put my opinion out there in such a charged environment. It is a sure way of getting into heated debates, and little makes me as uncomfortable as a heated debate. Some people thrive on it, but I just end up sweating and wishing there was a giant rock to hide under. I think hidden under that is a fear of being wrong. Of others seeing flaws in my logic and honestly feeling afraid to change my own way of thinking.
I think we are seeing a lot of that lately. People who are afraid to listen, and to enter into this conversation in a meaningful way because of a fear of being wrong. Perhaps a fear of a history of wrongs. And if we just don't talk about those wrongs they don't really exist.
But they do exist.
And as I have sat in silence, listening, straining my ear to try and understand, there are a few things I think we, meaning white Christians, need to acknowledge.
1. Ignorance does not confer innocence.
I am a white woman in a white world of privilege. I live, mostly in ignorance, of what the real struggles are that blacks, and other minorities face on daily basis. I do not know what it is like to live in a community that fears police, rather than trust them. I do not know what it is like to live in a community where a disproportionate number of sons and fathers are incarcerated. I have never, as far as I know consciously, seen racial profiling occur. I do not live in a neighborhood that is stuck in a cycle of poverty. Overall, I live in ignorance of these truths. But they are truths for millions of people. And my ignorance does not absolve me from doing nothing about it. My ignorance does not mean I have not in some way, even unconsciously, participated in it. My ignorance needs to change. I need to do more to understand these truths that others face every single day.
2. Agreeing that Black Lives Matter, does not mean that white lives don't matter.
This is something I have heard more often than makes me comfortable, that somehow getting behind the idea that black lives matter is marginalizing whites. I read something written by one of my favorite authors, Glennon Doyle Melton, and I honestly cannot think of a way to say it better than she does:
In Florida, panthers are endangered. So every so often I'll see a sign on the road that says: SAVE THE PANTHERS.
We also have dolphins in Florida. We love our dolphins as much as we
love our panthers. But we don’t have SAVE THE DOLPHINS signs on the
streets. Because in this moment in time: FEWER PEOPLE ARE SHOOTING OUR
DOLPHINS.
So nobody stands next to the Save the Panthers signs
yelling: WAIT! IF YOU WANT TO SAVE THE PANTHERS THAT MUST MEAN YOU DON’T
CARE ABOUT DOLPHINS! WHAT ABOUT THE DOLPHINS???? ALL ANIMAL LIVES MATTER!
We don’t do that in Florida. Because we understand that since every
life is equally precious- we must hold up endangered lives and demand
that we FOCUS UP until they are safe and free. We understand and honor
this simple concept when it comes to animals.
Then why don’t we understand Black Lives Matter?
Because we don't truly understand that black lives matter.
Now, we could get into a debate about statistics here. About how many people of each race are being shot and so on, and whether more whites are shot than blacks. But here's the thing, statistics are tricky and can be easily manipulated. What numerous studies, across the country, have shown, is that blacks are far more likely than whites to be the victims of force by police. And we need to pay attention to that. We need to do the hard work to change that.
3. All lives matter to Jesus, but even he called out specific groups for us to love and protect in a special way.
Jesus talked a lot about orphans and widows in his time on Earth. He talked about loving and protecting them as a way to show obedience to God. Why? Because in his culture they were the most marginalized and vulnerable people in society. They bore the brunt of poverty, abuse, and a system constructed against them. We still have those groups of people today. We can say as Christians that black lives matter without taking away from "all lives matter." As a matter of fact, by truly believing that black lives matter, we acknowledge that God is close to those who face oppression, and that to really bring His kingdom to earth we must do our part to end a system that is stacked against certain groups of people.
4. There is no perfect "movement." The actions of some members do not always imply the underlying beliefs of all members.
Claiming that we, as Christians, should not support Black Lives Matter because some people who have affiliated themselves with that movement have engaged in violence, in my opinion, comes across as looking for an easy excuse to disregard the real issues at hand. I've heard people say that they are hesitant to show any support for BLM because of the recent violent events, and that they don't want to affiliate with an organization that might have a hint of evil. However, that argument ignores the fact that by and large, there is no organization on the planet that has not been tainted by sin. Even Christian organizations. Sometimes especially Christian organizations, where we operate under a false sense of security that because we are with other Christians everyone must have the best of intentions. I've been reading posts by those who are not believers, and they are pointing out the hypocrisy. The instances of abuse within the Church, the history of oppression furthered by the Church itself. There is no perfect movement. There is no perfect way to deliver a message. People are hurting, and they are doing their best to make their voices heard in a society that is having a hard time listening.
There are thousands and thousands of people who are part of the Black Lives Matter movement. What this says to me is that there is something they are saying that is worth listening to. There is something they are saying that we, in white privilege, have not wanted to listen to, and so their cries grow louder. And yes, there have been actions by some who affiliate with that group that are unjust and without excuse. The killing of police officers is inexcusable and needs to be addressed within the movement. But the actions of those few do not excuse us from turning a deaf ear to the cries of those thousands of people.
5. We must be wary of rank and file Christianity.
A friend of mine posted about her disappointment over how some visible Christian leaders have been mainly silent over the deaths of people like Treyvon Martin and Philando Castile, but were quick to vocalize support for the fallen police officers. She had some responses from Christians that were quick to defend the actions and words of those highly visible church leaders. Some even chastised her for calling them out. But there is something to what she is saying. We, as a church, cannot be silent about the deaths of those black men and yet cry from the rooftops about the deaths of the police officers. If our gut response to a critique of Christian leaders is to defend their actions without thinking through what their silence might look like to millions of people, we need to check ourselves. None of us is above reproach.
BOTH instances of killing are tragic. They highlight a deep divide, a loss of trust, and an issue that will not go away until we start to make real changes.
We should not be first and foremost loyal to our Christian leaders. We first and foremost should be seeking truth and justice. And sometimes that will mean pointing out errors in our own Christian community. We should not be afraid of this kind of critique. It does not show our weakness, but rather our authenticity, to acknowledge that our silence in response to the cries of the Black community are inexcusable.
6. We can support Black Lives Matter AND the police
Stating support for Black Lives Matter does NOT mean I condone the killings of those police officers. My heart breaks for those fallen officers and their families. I have seen many posts of people bringing cards, food, and personal thanks to their local precincts to show their support. I think this is a wonderful way to support our local officers. I even thought about doing this myself.
There are lots and lots of police officers and precincts that are doing things the right way. They are upholding honor and justice and seeking to build the trust in communities where trust has been broken. Those people deserve to have their efforts recognized.
However, I also wondered what I could do to show my support for the Black community, and that was a harder question to answer. In my world of white privilege, how can I reach out to the black communities grieving for their sons and brothers? How can I show my love for them? I honestly don't know the answer to that question, and it bothers me deeply that I do not.
7. We could all do a better job of listening.
We've all be doing a lot of talking lately. A lot of fighting and finger pointing. But what has come of it? Have we changed anyone's mind? Or have we simply stayed inside our safe and comfortable boxes? Have we really listened to the hurt that exists in the black community? What I am writing comes after weeks of quiet thought. But that doesn't mean I have articulated everything perfectly or that I have come to all the right conclusions. But I am willing to keep listening. I am willing to look in the mirror and ask myself how I can do better. If I really want to be part of the solution, I need to be willing to change some things about my real life. I need to do more than post on social media. What does that look like? I honestly don't know. I live in a world of white privilege, and until I can step outside of that in some way, I don't know how to do my part to bring healing and justice to those who are hurting. I do know this, however: my answer cannot be silence.
I am sure I have not articulated everything perfectly. I am sure there are parts of this post that could be said better. I have a lot to learn. I know, for certain, that I need to listen more than speak. However, there is also a time for speaking out. There is so much work to be done, we must not turn a blind eye, or remain in our safe bubbles. We must be willing to admit culpability, racial bias, and the reality of white privilege.
I don't know if this post will just end up as part of the cacophony of social media. I'm not sure it matters. But it is a step. A step towards changing my way of thinking and way of living. In many ways, this post is far less important than what I will do after this post. The real proof of what I believe will be in how I live my life AFTER I share this post. I feel a bit blind, uncertain, and nervous. I have so much to learn. But it's time to step out of the safety of silence.
