Category: Current Event

We ended Part I with the following: 

“As Dr. King repeatedly, boldly shared, we are all equally created by God.

That was the message from Dr. King. However — and this is key — some people miss the ‘created equal’ part — others people miss the ‘by God’ part. People too often omit one or the other. Therein lies one of the biggest challenges to the issue of racial reconciliation…”

If we want to follow the encouragement of Dr. King, we must seek the way of God; we must recognize that God is the Creator of the equal status.

Too many of us, too often, think we can resolve and reconcile absent any seeking of the way of God.

I get it. Huge topic. But my desire is healing and solution — what will actually work. So how can God help us? Where do we start?

The reality is that God’s wisdom and good news is available for any who seek him. With him is the only place where each of us is fully accepted and truly belong. We don’t have to be perfect; we just have to be us. But let’s face it; this is indeed a pretty huge topic; many of us have inactive relationships with God; some of us may not be sure how we even feel about him. And we’ve seen some who’ve gone before us behave in harsh, unattractive ways. So how can the Creator of the universe — the Creator of us — help us move forward in a positive way?

Let’s start by asking some relevant questions…

First, who do you spend time with? Do your friends all think/look/act/vote like you?

In fact, did you know that 75% of white Americans have no non-white friends — and 67% of black Americans have no non-black friends?

That seems way more divided than God ever intended or designed, especially when the historic scriptures speak of future huge crowds “from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages.” That kingdom diversity is beautiful.

Yet it makes me wonder how the way we view the world would change if we interacted more with those who were different than us. My sense is that each of us would see racism differently.

Secondly — and sincerely — when we see injustice, are we willing to speak up?

I’m not suggesting we scream and shout or hastily tweet, type some denigrating Facebook post. But one of the things I’ve poignantly learned from my friends of color is that silence is noticed. Could we each encourage one another to respectfully speak up? Be prudent — not rash — no slander, as targeted toward the young men standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial last week. But let’s ensure our voices are heard.

And thirdly, what specifically more can we do?

Allow me to humbly share the keen encouragement of a wise friend…

1. Stop with the binaries… this is not a choice between one or another — for or against — black or white. It’s ok to say “black lives matter” and “blue lives matter” both at the same time, as both are true.
2. Stop with the blindness… the color and historical. Realize what might offend the person who looks differently than you; be empathetic. Also, study history; history has not been consistently kind to persons of color. Let’s teach our kids that.
3. Stop with the blame… while it’s wise to recognize where persons of specific ethnicity have gained favor, that does not require they feel guilty. Be humbly aware. Interact. Converse. If we interacted more respectfully with one another instead of just shouting louder and pointing fingers, we could make progress. And…
4. Start seeking God’s wisdom… (there’s that huge topic again)…

Maybe seeking more about God is not a priority for you. Maybe it’s hard — hard to trust or recognize how good he is. I get it. Life’s a journey and not always easy; we can be pretty self-dependent, and it takes time to build a relationship. But here’s the thing… in order to bridge any gap in need of deep-rooted reconciliation, we need something bigger than we; we need copious love, grace, forgiveness, selflessness, humility, hospitality, respect, patience, and awareness that all are indeed created equal and belong. God’s gospel message is the only teaching that provides such wisdom, as no human way of thinking comes consistently close. It doesn’t last. It doesn’t work. Remember: we are seeking what actually works.

Seemingly over the last several decades, no less, we have lost our awe of God. We have forgotten how much we need him. We have forgotten his greatness and grandeur… and we have thus neglected to tap into his wisdom, especially places like here when we need it most.

With all due respect, isn’t it time to latch onto that which could actually heal us? … that which we need most?

That was the message of Dr. Martin Luther King.

Let us each humbly start there.

Respectfully… always…

AR

Several years ago, I walked into a slightly-populated, small hospital waiting room in need of a break and a bite. I was the only woman. I was also the only white person. Already gathered were five or six, African-American men.

The men were engaged in conversation. I sat by myself at the only table in the room, eating my dinner. On the wall most prominent in the room, hung a TV tuned in to ESPN. The men actively bantered about the sports news of the day… that is, until a particular story came on…

A white basketball coach made a racially-insensitive comment — a comment that could easily be construed as offensive to all others in the room. The men stopped talking; they became immediately sullen and silent. I realized in that moment that if I was silent, too, it would be noticed. And not only would it be noticed, but no one would know how I felt about the incident — that I found it foolish and insensitive, too. Hence, it was not them that needed to speak up; it was me.

Breaking the awkward silence, I spoke my first words to these then strangers. Pretty much out of nowhere, I strongly offered, “You know why a coach says something like that?”

Each man turned straight to me, gazing intently, no doubt waiting and wanting to hear how the only person present who was not a person of color would chime in.

I boldly asserted, “Because his team’s not winning. What an awful thing to say!”

The “amens” and high-fives were immediate… “Exactly!”… “No doubt!”… We all spent the next 30 minutes or so interacting, sharing our preferences and perspectives, talking about our mutual love for the Lakers, but mostly sharing true fellowship. Before my exit, we each shook hands and acknowledged a sweet time together.

I’ve thought of that moment many days… What if I had remained quiet? What would the men in the room have believed about me? What would they have projected on all persons of majority color? That I/we supported such an offense? That this was acceptable and ok? That racism is ok?

Let’s be clear. “Racism” and “race” are two different things. Race is a system society has long used to categorize people. “Racism” is a system that prioritizes and benefits only certain groups of people.

I had a fantastic conversation about this with my wise and witty friend, Collin, last week. While reminding me of the above definitions, he also inspired me in the week we honored Dr. King, challenging me as to what we can each do next.

Hence, allow me to ponder further in this, “Part I” on the Intramuralist — as no doubt racial reconciliation is one of the most challenging issues of our time.

We remember Martin Luther King Jr. with sincere reverence. It was he, no doubt, who dramatically changed the trajectory of our country’s conversation, exhorting the resolute truth that people should be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

Dr. King consistently and loudly proclaimed that all men are created equal. Remember the end of his iconic “I Have a Dream” address… 

“… when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, ‘Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!’”

Yes. We are all equal. As Dr. King repeatedly, boldly shared, we are all equally created by God.

That was the message from Dr. King. However — and this is key — some people miss the “created equal” part — other people miss the “by God” part. People too often omit one or the other. Therein lies one of the biggest challenges to the issue of racial reconciliation — and such leads to the primary point of Part I.

God created all men, women, children, black, white, Latino, etc. as equal. It is man who has divided them. But too often we omit God from the conversation, even though he is the Creator of the equal status.

We instead allow others to craft the conversation — other news outlets, media, etc. which have political and profit agendas that cloud the objectivity and accuracy of their reporting. They often intentionally omit God’s role and the need to seek his way and wisdom first — as Dr. King consistently encouraged. Precisely because of their agenda and omission — and because they then present opinion as news — they have become one of the biggest fuelers of division plaguing the planet today. 

If we are going to make progress in the area of racial reconciliation — and encourage each of us to take the next step — it’s time we stop letting political agendas, social media, and news outlets divide us.

Respectfully… but only Part I…

AR

If you’ve been a longtime reader of the Intramuralist, you’ll know that the question mark is my favorite punctuation piece. Why?

Because no other mark invites a response.

Let us thus discuss the events of the today via questions — 20, in fact. Some are mine, some are not… but all are respectfully — albeit some playfully — asked…

1. Who leads in a government shut down?
2. How long can this last?
3. Why do members of the Executive and Legislative Branches still get paid during a shut down?
4. How will Broadway star Carol Channing be remembered?
5. What is “toxic masculinity”?
6. Is there such a thing as “toxic femininity”?
7. Does not everyone know that the terms “white nationalist” and “white supremacy” are offensive?
8. Why do some choose to be anti-Semitic?
9. Can we please restore (and model) compromise and civility?
10. Is the “Notorious RBG” ok?
11. What could we all learn from the sweet friendship of Ruth Bader Ginsberg and the late Antonin Scalia?
12. Has anyone noticed Netflix is going to raise our rates?
13. Does Sen. Bernie Sanders own a comb?
14. What does yesterday’s vote rejecting the Prime Minister of England’s plan to exit the European Union actually mean?
15. Who will win between the Chiefs/Patriots and Saints/Rams this weekend?
16. How long can Tom Brady and Drew Brees actually play?
17. Exactly how many people will run for President?
18. How much economic experience is required?
19. Will the best people actually run?
20. And, what more questions should we be asking, which would spur on more dialogue, which is always better than shouting opinions at one another?

Yes, just asking questions, friends.

It is the only punctuation piece that invites a response.

Respectfully…

AR

Rarely do I post a piece straight from any clearly left or right leaning publication; they aren’t always helpful in encouraging respectful dialogue with those who think differently, as we learn to listen well and sharpen one another.

Today is different. The following is an excellent piece… thanks to an apology, forgiveness, and reconciliation. There are few things more beautiful than an apology, forgiveness, and reconciliation. 

Written by senior writer David French in National Review, with all emphasis mine…

“There’s a market for grace in American politics.

Given the spirit of our times, things could have gone so differently. On November 3, when Saturday Night Live comic Pete Davidson mocked Texas Republican Dan Crenshaw’s eye patch, saying he looked like a “hit man in a porno movie” — then adding, “I know he lost his eye in war or whatever” — it was a gift from the partisan gods.

A liberal comic had gone too far. He had mocked a man who was maimed in a horrific IED attack, an attack that had taken the life of his interpreter and nearly blinded him for life. He mocked a courageous man’s pain. And thus Crenshaw had attained the rarest position for a Republican politician: aggrieved-victim status. He was free to swing away.

Instead, he refused to be offended. He noted that the joke was bad, but his handling of the whole affair was — as the Washington Post described him — ‘cool as a cucumber.’ Then ‘Saturday Night Live’ called. The show wanted to apologize, and they wanted Crenshaw on-air. He said yes, and this happened…

[Davidson apologized. Crenshaw appeared and accepted his apology.]

It was the act of grace heard ’round the nation. Davidson came on the ‘Weekend Update’ set and offered his apology, and then Crenshaw joined. He took some good-natured shots at Davidson — Crenshaw’s phone had an Ariana Grande ringtone (Grande recently broke her engagement with Davidson), and he mocked Davidson’s appearance — but then things took a more serious turn.

Crenshaw briefly spoke of the meaning of the words ‘never forget’ to a veteran, saying that ‘when you say ‘never forget’ to a veteran, you are implying that, as an American, you are in it with them.’ Then he addressed his next words to Davidson: ‘And never forget those we lost on 9/11 — heroes like Pete’s father. So I’ll just say, Pete, never forget.’

Davidson’s father was a firefighter. He died trying to save others when Davidson was a young boy. In one moment, Crenshaw not only honored a true hero, but also softened American hearts towards Davidson, casting him in a new light. He’s a man who carries his own pain.

It turns out that there’s a market for grace in American politics. Within minutes, clips of the apology and Crenshaw’s tribute to Davidson’s dad rocketed across Twitter. As of this morning, the YouTube clip of the moment — not even 48 hours old — already had more than 5 million views. And it seems as if this is no act. This act of grace was an expression of who Crenshaw is…

There are those who argued before the election that, to punish the GOP for Trump, even conservatives should vote against Crenshaw. Vote against a good man for the sake of beating a bad man not on the ballot. That would ‘send a message,’ they said.

But it turns out that one of the messages we needed to hear came from Crenshaw himself… that grace isn’t weakness and that reconciliation can sometimes be more compelling than division…

[Crenshaw’s] future is not yet known. But when faced with a clear political temptation — to indulge in a period of partisan pugilism — he chose a different path. He (and Davidson) gave Americans a moment they needed. It turns out it was also a moment they wanted.”

Thanks to Dan Crenshaw, Pete Davidson, and SNL. There is a market for grace.

Did I mention there are few things more beautiful than an apology, forgiveness, and reconciliation?

Respectfully…

AR