Racism is a gritty, controversial and highly contentious topic right now in our country. In recent months and years, there has been nation wide racially fueled riots and protests especially with the reccurring incidents of police brutality against African Americans which has sparked the Black Lives Matter movement and All Lives Matter on twitter. So as Christians, which camp should we land in? Should we be declaring that Black Lives Matter in the face of the ongoing white supremacy in America? Or should we instead respond that All Lives Matter? Or is our faith entirely silent about issues of inequality and oppression in society?
About a year ago, I sat in a session that Bethel College hosts very frequently on racial relations dubbed "Shut Up and Listen." I sat and listened to a well respected member of our college community speak on his own personal experience with racism. He told his first encounter with the n--- word was at eight years old in childhood basketball game, and some kid from the opposite team had yelled that word at him when he had scored a point. This child also then referred to him as a monkey. He then said that he didn’t feel uplifted or endeared by that term; He felt worthless and shame filled. My own experience with racial relations has been quite different. Why is that? Well I am a educated young white woman in the upper middle class. It would be very easy for me to stand and say "AllLivesMatter", because the statistics for prosperity, wealth and privilege are on my side. I don't live in fear of police brutality or that I will be looked down on due to the color of my skin. It would be very easy for me to bury my head in the sand and ignore the crisis that others face simply because they are a different skin color. But as a Christian, I am compelled and called out of apathy and callous dismissal of injustice and racial inequality.
See the true problem with #AllLivesMatter is that it is a callous and apathetic denial of real societal injustices.Did you know Black children make up 18 percent of America’s preschool population, but represent nearly half of all out-of-school suspensions? Did you know black children are 18 times more likely to be tried as adults than their white peers? Did you also know that white college graduates are twice as likely to land a job as black college graduates. And finally did you know that black people are given 20 percent longer sentences than white people are for the same crimes?If you still aren't convinced that insituational racism is a very problem in the United States today, read Ta-Nehisi Coates’ "The Black Family in the Age of Mass Incarceration." or The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander.
The #BlackLivesMatter movement began in 2013 after a neighborhood watch coordinator George Zimmerman was acquitted of the fatal shooting of 17 year Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida. The movement began on twitter by three black community members: Alicia Graza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometti. The movement has seen further growth after recent events like the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson and Eric Garner in New York City. And since those deaths, the following African-Americans have died in police custody or by police actions: Jonathan Ferrell, John Crawford,Ezell Ford,Laquan McDonald, Akai Gurley, Tamir Rice, Eric Harris, Walter Scott, Freddie Gray, Sandra Bland, Samuel DuBose, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile.Black lives matter is an important statement and movement because it is acknowledging the context of slavery, civil rights, mass incarceration and brutality, It's a needed statement because in our country, we have historically ignored idea that black lives matter.
There is a distinct difference between something being true and something being helpful or relevant. The problem is found in the case of those who say that all lives matter. It's not that isn't true; it is. All lives do matter, but that's not the point that matters in this case. All lives aren't under assault and in question; black lives are. All Lives matter statement is entirely unhelpful , it's ignoring, silencing, and bypassing an actual crisis in our society.#AllLivesMatter is not the issue and when we use that moniker, we are ignoring the real problems that the movement is trying to address. It's destructive, useless and dangerous.
So how do we as Christians approach this subject #BlackLivesMatter vs. #AllLivesMatter? First off, we need to acknowledge that all lives aren't under fire here, black lives are. As Christians, we are called to be voices for the groups in society that are being oppressed and marginalized.Instead of saying #AllLivesMatter, we should say "Black lives matter,Hispanic lives matter,children's lives matter,Muslim lives matter and homosexual lives matter etc." Though Jesus loved everyone and died for the sins of all lives, He specifically went out and advocated for the groups in society who were abused, mistreated and alienated.Jesus proclaimed that women's lives matter, tax collector's lives matter, Samaritan's lives matter, gentile's matter, and lepers lives matter etc. It wasn't that the rest of society didn't matter; He was calling attention to real injustice and alienation in society.
As Christians, we are called to reject the status quo, to continually reject apathy and the callous dismissal of "other people's problems.". We are called to stand in the gap of injustice and proclaim the rights of those who have been demeaned because those people have been lovingly created in the image of God.We are called to sit and listen to those who are grieving and marginalized and not ignore or trivialize the reality of their circumstances, but with love campaign to change them and foster healing and reconciliation between the differing camps.
Racial reconciliation can only began after we acknowledge that there is a problem in our society. We have to then commit to on both sides to recovery, honesty, repentance, forgiveness and communication. It's a long hard road of building trust and breaking down barriers, but it starts with acknowledge where we have been, where we are and where we want to go in the future.
Okay, so when you hear the words Black Lives Matter, please don't assume that it's a condemnation of white lives, but remember it's a cry to change some unjust circumstances that prevent equality and racial reconciliation in our country. Where you stand on that issue is entirely up to you. You can join those who advocate for social justice and racial equality or you can sit on the sidelines and watch, but please don't dismiss the issue. Ultimately we all must ask ourselves this question on social justice posed by Michelle Higgins "What is your goal? Only doing activism that you are comfortable with?" As Christians, remember we are never called to be or promised comfortable, We are never called to be complacent or timid. We are to be active, proclaim the unarmed truth and unconditional agape love of Christ, set free the oppressed, to stand in the gap for the marginalized, and be the shining light in dark places.
So lets start right here with proclaiming that black lives do matter.
