Deafening Silence

“Silence in the face of evil is itself evil; God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.” – Rev. Dietrick Bonhoeffer

I am as guilty as the next person for remaining silent, in the face of bigotry and hatred that seems to be consuming our nation and the world. It has been easy to rest comfortably in my silent, white privilege. No more, I say. Events in Charlottesville, Virginia last weekend were the tipping point for me. I can no longer remain silent. To do so would make me as culpable as the murderous members of the KKK and NeoNazis. Silence is deadly.

 The Rev. Martin Niemöller wrote about silence during WWII:

“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
 
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
 
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
 
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”

 His words ring true today. To modernize them, we could say:

‘First they came for the Blacks and Hispanics and I did not speak out – because I was not Black or Hispanic.

Then they came for the lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendered and I did not speak out – because I was not LGBT.

Then they came for the Muslims, Jews and Sikhs and I did not speak out – because I was not Muslim, Jewish or Sikh.

Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for me.’

I never dreamed that I would ever see Nazi flags flying in modern times, let alone in the United States of America. Yet, last weekend that is precisely what I saw. And in the course of this past week, I have witnessed the President of the United States quickly denouncing the deadly violence of ISIS in Barcelona. Yet, he was slow and indecisive in any denouncement of the domestic terrorism by the KKK, NeoNazis and other white supremacists in Charlottesville last weekend. 

Let me be clear – terrorism by any other name is still terrorism! Terrorism kills. And it incites fear that serves to silence those that the terrorists want to oppress, control and eliminate. 

The domestic terrorists of Charlottesville claim that this is about a historical statue. What they fail to own is the misguided ideology of white supremacy. I freely admit that I have been on the fence about preservation or elimination of “historical” monuments from U.S. history. I am a history geek. My quandary over preservation or elimination of historical monuments, especially after visiting Auschwitz, has rested on preservation of the underbelly of human history to prevent such history ever from being repeated. But now I recognize that Confederate symbols serve only to fuel racism, bigotry and hate in our nation. In that case, I conclude that such symbols must go.

The domestic terrorists of Charlottesville also claim that this is about Christian values. I contend that they have NOT read the Gospel. Jesus of Nazareth advocated for the “least of these” – the poor and the oppressed. He sowed love not hate. I am sick and tired of self-proclaimed Christians using the Bible and Jesus as weapons against those who are different, those who have no voice, and those who are powerless. 

Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote over 70 years ago: “We must finally stop appealing to theology to justify our reserved silence about what the state is doing – for that is nothing but fear – ‘Open your mouth for the one who is voiceless’ – for who in the church today still remembers that that is the least of the Bible’s demands in times such as these?” He was executed by the collapsing Nazi regime in April of 1945. I cannot and will not permit history – bigoted, white supremacist history – to repeat itself.

As one called to Christian service and ministry, I stand with and for a God of Love. I stand with and for my Savior who to calls me to “love your neighbor as yourself”. I cry out for those who are powerless and voiceless, as Christ did in a time and a land of Roman occupation and oppression. And I stand and speak out against racism, bigotry and hate in the United States of America.

I can no longer be silent. Can you?

Huddled Masses Yearning to Breathe Free

What has become of our Nation? I have never been more disappointed in my life than this week, with the politicizing and distortion of the Syrian refugees and of Muslims. To take in refugees is the right thing to do. To target Muslims with profiling and limitations on liberty is wrong.

Our Nation is a nation that was founded and built by refugees … foreigners with hopes and dreams for a better life, most fleeing tyranny and injustice just like the Syrians who are currently fleeing a war-torn country. Let us remember the inscription at the base of the Statue of Liberty: 

“Send me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free; the wretched refuse of your teeming shore; send these the homeless, tempest tossed to me; I lift my lamp beside the golden door.” 

This is our nation’s heritage. Since her birth, people have flocked to America, all seeking the “American Dream” – life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Lady Liberty’s inscription echoes Jesus words from the Gospel of Matthew: 

“Come to me, all you that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Mt. 11:28)

We claim to be a Christian Nation. If that is true, how can we turn our backs on the “least of these” whose very lives depend on Good Samaritans acting on their behalf. The Syrian refugees are the victims here. They are victims of terrorism and war. America has throughout her history welcomed and given sanctuary to the “tempest tossed”. Certainly, for Christian Americans it is our duty, amid a world filled with violence and hate, to demonstrate compassion. But instead, this past week all we find is political rhetoric that only serves to foster unfounded fear and unjust hate. 

Presidential candidate, Ben Carson, in speaking about the Syrian refugees, compared them to a rabid dog. And then he used this vile comparison to justify denial of emigration for any Syrian refugees. This is appalling. Presidential candidate, Donald Trump, went a step further to not only flatly deny emigration of Syrian refugees, but to create a registry of all Muslims in the U.S. This mirrors precisely what Nazi Germany did with Jews prior to World War II. And we all know the outcome of that registry was the annihilation of over 6 million Jews.

Religion cannot be used to deny anyone’s rights in the U.S. Our Founding Fathers made it clear that Americans must be guaranteed Religious Freedom. This liberty is guaranteed by the U.S. constitution. Just because some radical terrorists use, yes USE the name of Islam for the basis of their violence and terror does NOT mean that Islam and all Muslims are evil. ISIS is killing Muslims, Jews, and Christians alike. Their violence and hatred is not representative of Muslims or the Islamic faith, just as the violence and terror of the Christian Crusades and Spanish Inquisition are not representative of Christians and Christianity.

Hate and violence begets hate and violence. For us to fall for fear-mongering political rhetoric designed to sway votes, would be foolish. Fear is nothing more than false evidence appearing real. Americans are wiser than that. Isolationist ideals did not protect us from the tragedy of Pearl Harbor, nearly 70 years ago. The very best homeland security and scrutinizing of immigrants cannot guarantee safety and protection from crazy radicals. And to live our lives in fear of what might happen, plays into their hands. Americans are bigger than that. Let us not fall victim to fear. And let us not sow hatred. 

Let us sow love and compassion, especially where these beleaguered refugees are concerned. Their very lives depend on our mercy. I pray that our political leaders will recognize the RIGHT thing to do and act accordingly. Closing our borders to the helpless, homeless, the "tempest tossed" is simply not an option.

Black and White Justice

Question: How does one achieve justice for any black male, gunned down by white police officers? The answer is “elementary, my dear Watson”: call for an outside review of the case by outside law enforcement and judicial agencies. Such a strategy seems quite logical, at first blush. But that logic quickly pales (pun intended) for the black victims, like Tamir Rice.

Twelve year old, Tamir Rice, was shot to death November 22, 2014 in a Cleveland, OH park by Officer Timothy Loehmann. The fatal shooting occurred shortly after police responded to a 911 call that cited “a man with a gun”. There was no man, only a boy who happened to have a toy pistol. Video surveillance video reveals that within seconds of arrival, rookie Officer Loehmann had gunned down the boy, shooting him not once but twice. Was this excessive use of force? – Not according to the retired FBI agent and Denver Prosecutor (the “outside”, “objective”) reviewers of the case. Ohio Prosecuter McGinty released their findings yesterday evening and stated that “The gathering of evidence continues, and the grand jury will evaluate it all.”[i] I wonder: can justice truly be served by what seems to be a very racially biased judicial system?

History has a nasty habit of repeating itself. Eric Garner lost his life in July, 2014 at the hands of NYPD officers. In spite of the NY city medical examiner ruling his death a “homicide by chokehold”, the grand jury issued no indictment of the white officers. Instead, NY City paid Eric’s family $5.9 million in an out of court settlement. Justice? After Michael Brown, an unarmed black teen, was gunned down by Ferguson, MO police in August of 2014, the grand jury did not indict the white officer. Justice? The “jury is still out” in the Freddie Gray case. Freddie died in April of this year from a spinal cord injury, resulting from the brutal transport by Baltimore police. Six officers have been indicted but I have to wonder whose justice will be served in the end. 

Too many young, black men are targeted by (white) police, many times without justification. All too often these targeted young men wind up imprisoned. Is it any wonder that Freddie Gray (per police reports) “fled unprovoked upon noticing a police presence”? I would advocate that the provocation to flee for any black man lay in the history of racial targeting, police brutality, and a corrupt judicial system that are all stacked against them. The writing is on the wall for “black and white justice” and it does not favor the African American population. We live in a racist society.

The only difference between racism in America today versus that of pre-Civil Rights times is that racism today tends to be less overt. Black lynchings at the hands of white mobs are left to the annals of American history. Yet, one by one, blacks in this country fall prey to legally-sanctioned racism. No, racism did not end with the Civil Rights Movement. Racism did not end with the election of a black President. Racism is persistent, pervasive, institutional and insidious. Racism is alive and well in America and because of that white “justice” prevails. Blacks still find themselves “enslaved” by the powers of injustice and oppression.

So, I echo the cry: “Black lives matter!”  I weep for Tamir, Freddie, Michael, Eric, Trayvon and countless others who remain nameless. We cannot permit the deadly, infectious diseases of racism and hate to go unchecked any longer. I pray that one day the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr’s dream will be realized, such that hate and racism will be no more … such that all Americans will stand in solidarity ‘loving our neighbors as ourselves’[ii]. Let us stand united in demanding justice - true justice - for ALL Americans ... especially the "least of these"[iii]. May it be so.

 

For information on how you can work toward justice go to Black Lives Matter!

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[i] Associated Press, Columbus, OH, October 11, 2015

[ii] Luke 10:25-37; 10:27 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”

[iii] Matthew 25:35-36a & 40 “for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me.” …”Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”

Illegal Love

There are those who believe that my wife and I are living in sin. What’s worse is that the State of Michigan in essence sanctions that belief by declaring our marriage illegal. No, we were not married out of the country or even in another state. We were married by an ordained UCC minister in-good-standing in our county of residence in Michigan. Yes, we were one of 300 couples who married on March 22, 2014, following the ban on same-sex marriage being struck down by a federal judge. Michigan’s Attorney General quickly put a stay on that decision, prohibiting further such marriages and rendering our marriage illegal. We have been in legal limbo ever since. If that’s not bad enough, with sodomy laws still on the books in Michigan, technically my wife and I could be prosecuted for our relationship.

This is not about sexual preference or desire. Let’s face it - menopause has all but snuffed out the flames of passion. This is about pure unadulterated love, mutual respect, devotion and commitment between two people – until death do us part. This is about equality in marriage, so that we can enjoy the same security and financial benefits as that of heterosexual marriage. I know those benefits. You see, I married a wonderful man years ago.

As a heterosexual couple, no one questioned our marriage. My husband and I took for granted the privileges of marriage … shared health benefits, joint ownership of vehicles and property, joint tax returns and so much more. Unfortunately, our marriage was a mistake. Though I knew from a very early age that I was different, I did my best to suppress my authentic self to fit the norms of society, even in marriage. It has taken me years to acknowledge and live up to the fact that I am not cut from a heterosexual cloth. Because of that my marriage to him was destined for failure from the start. It nearly destroyed both of us. Fortunately, our divorce freed both of us to discover suitable loving relationships – he with his wife and me with mine.

I cannot help the fact that I fell in love with my best friend. She just happens to be a woman. We were over-joyed to finally marry last March. Our marriage license is framed and proudly displayed in our home. But it is an empty document. Until the State of Michigan recognizes it as legally binding, it means nothing. It means that we cannot share health benefits. My employer will not permit her addition to the policy as my spouse. We would have to purchase the coverage at an exorbitant price that is cost prohibitive. I cannot add her name to the title of my car, unless she pays sales tax on the value of the vehicle. My auto insurance company would not provide a multicar discount because both of our names are not on the titles for each of our cars – a catch 22. Furthermore, we cannot file joint tax returns and enjoy the lower tax rates for married couples. If one of us dies, ownership of property, vehicles and bank accounts would not automatically be retained or transfer to the surviving spouse. Taxes would likely be due, as though the survivor purchased those assets. I could go on and on. Suffice it to say that none of this would be required, if our marriage was legal. This is discrimination, pure and simple. 

This discrimination is wrong and unjust. Another federal judge agrees. Just last week he declared that the 300 same-sex marriages from 2014 must be legally recognized and upheld by the State of Michigan. A stay has been issued to allow the State to refute his decision. How long will these injustices persist? 

 Yet, I am a woman of faith and therefore of hope. I believe in a loving, benevolent and just God (yes, even before my seminary education). And from my faith I have a dream that one day all of God’s people will live in peace, harmony and EQUALITY. May it be so. Amen.