We’ve stopped short too many times. Breathed a sigh of relief when we think “the crisis has ended.” Retreated to our privilege. Not this time.
To My White Friends,
We can be horrified. And we should be.
We can be appalled.
Sad.
Angry.
Frightened.
We can feel all the emotions.
We can confess and pray.
None of that by itself will lead to change. We have to persevere. See transformation all the way through—as long as it takes—until justice and freedom are real for every person.
We’ve stopped short too many times. Breathed a sigh of relief when we think “the crisis has ended.” Retreated to our privilege.
Not this time.
The crisis has never ended. We have to stay the course. Now is the time.
How? Listen to our black friends, neighbors, and colleagues. See and hear their pain.
Protest. Speak out. Stand up and with black neighbors.
Educate ourselves. It is MY responsibility to become knowledgeable and self aware about racism and white privilege. It is not the job of a weary black community to teach me what I should already have seen and heard and learned and known. Read. Start a reading group. And if you do? Buy the books from black-owned bookstores.
Vote. Do everything you can to ensure that others can and do vote.
Be willing to risk something of ourselves for the humanity and rights of others.
Lament—radically. By joining hands with black and brown siblings against injustice.
This is what it means to pray in Spirit and Truth.
#blacklivesmatter
Note: The photo is from my church, Trinity Presbyterian.
Salt 