I can probably count on one hand specific national and international events that have grabbed my attention and stirred my heart in new and significant ways. The Los Angeles riots following the Rodney King verdict in 1992 was one such event. As a college student, I was glued to the TV and saw the smoke from the buildings on fire, all from my suburban neighborhood in Long Beach. The riots and the realities outside my life context and experience stirred something in me vocationally. I believe it played an early part in my desire and decisions to serve among those living in poverty in urban contexts.
I share this because this week I am experiencing similar feelings and stirrings following the Zimmerman/Martin trial and verdict. Thanks to cyberspace and social media, I have been able to follow the post-trial reactions pretty closely from Argentina. I find myself wanting to stand in solidarity with African Americans who lament in anger and grief for not only the verdict, but also their very real life experience it represents. But I feel inadequate to say much of anything. My life experience and context growing up white in the U.S. is very different. I really don’t have a clue. Anything I say could very easily seem trite and insensitive. In fact, I fear this post might even come across that way.
And, quite honestly, I am frustrated and angry with the defensive reaction from some. We can not ignore, blame and excuse away the real life experiences of others. In my opinion, it only distracts from listening and learning from the African American community and deepens the racial divisions that clearly exist. White Christians, especially, should strive to listen and learn from our black brothers and sisters who are genuinely hurting and lamenting this week. We should see this as an opportunity to move forward in better understanding, reconciliation and healing.
For now, I am going to take the advice of our Word Made Flesh Global Executive Director, Leroy Barber….”listen, learn and lament.” I am also taking Eugene Cho’s advice to heart, in addition to listening, seeking to understand and mourning…“to shut up.” Prayerfully, by being slow to speak, being quick to listen and learn, and lamenting with the African American community, I will someday be able to not only speak up from a more informed, compassionate and empathetic place, but also engage and act!
I invite you to join me in shutting up, listening, learning and lamenting. Here are several articles and links that have especially helped me get started these past few days. Surely, I have missed some good ones, but I will start with these. Just click on the article title.
Okay, time for me to shut up!
From Leroy Barber: “How Christians should respond to the Zimmerman verdict: An interview with Leroy Barber”
From Eugene Cho: “If our black brothers and sisters are hurting, can’t we at least listen, seek to understand, and mourn with them?”
From Leroy Barber: “Raising Black Boys in America: An Interview With Leroy Barber”
From Jim Wallis: “Lament from a White Father”
From Enuma Okoro: “When Your Church Is Silent”
From Margot Starbuck: “Responding to Trayvon Martin: Our Renewed Call to Suffer Together”
