Change Beyond me—Part Two
“Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter.
If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay everyone according to
what they have done?”
King Solomon c.970–931 BCE
You may have spent some time in self-reflection and self-learning about the issue of racism and injustice at large, but what happens ‘beyond me’? The above quote is sobering and when I get to the end of my days, I want to be able to say with all integrity that I didn’t turn a blind eye to injustice, but I saw, I heard and I did my utmost to help those stuck within injustice. After reflection, I believe that we have to take responsibility for our own education and our own actions, which need to be directed toward understanding and betterment.
I’ve had some enlightening, heartfelt and vulnerable conversations over the past few weeks, but I don’t want to be the kind of guy that brushes racism away as not being ‘my issue’ because I’m not directly impacted or because I don’t live in America where it’s ‘really bad’. This is a human issue. Racism is abhorrent. Sectarianism is repugnant. IN. ALL. FORMS. And my point of view about injustice? My world, my responsibility.
One of the best people to quote about racism and civil rights is of course Martin Luther King Jr. and he gives consideration to the dichotomy of the heart of man and the judicial system in his address at Western Michigan University, December 18, 1963. He did this because racism is present in hearts and racism is present in systems.
“Now the other myth that gets around is the idea that legislation cannot really solve the problem and that it has no great role to play in this period of social change because you’ve got to change the heart and you can’t change the heart through legislation. You can’t legislate morals. The job must be done through education and religion.
Well, there’s half-truth involved here. Certainly, if the problem is to be solved then in the final sense, hearts must be changed. Religion and education must play a great role in changing the heart. But we must go on to say that while it may be true that morality cannot be legislated, behavior can be regulated.
It may be true that the law cannot change the heart but it can restrain the heartless.
It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me but it can keep him from lynching me and I think that is pretty important, also.
So there is a need for executive orders. There is a need for judicial decrees. There is a need for civil rights legislation on the local scale within states and on the national scale from the federal government.”
I think one of the best things for us to do is to view racism as a local issue, even though it is absolutely a global one. Same with other injustices that come under the microscope. As soon as we see something as global, there can be a sense that not only is the issue intangible, but so is transformation. And this view in turn can be crippling. Over the years I’ve thought things like, ‘How can I make an impact?’ or ‘The system is a mess—what can I really do about it?!’ Big and truthful questions to be asking ourselves.
I don’t know about you, but in times like these—where there’s unfamiliar and uncomfortable territory, I seek out wisdom. Lived wisdom. And I often get that from my Dad. He’s been on protests and has petitioned the government over a gamut of issues in his lifetime, so I asked him what he has found to be most effective.
“Engage in the issue. Write to and meet with local councillors and members of parliament.” Was my dad’s advice. And in fact, because of an email he sent last year my dad was invited to address an assembly of MP’s and present his viewpoint on new legislation on euthanasia. “Did my impassioned address prevent the bill from going ahead? No.” Dad said. “But will I be able to look back at the end of my days and be able to say that I did what was in my hands and my power to do? Yes.” Though disappointed, my dad’s engagement in the issue didn't stop there.
Together with my mum, my dad deliberately sought out charities and NGO’s that provide an alternative to the bill he opposed. Today they support a charity that gives end-of-life care to people in their homes. How’s that for lived out wisdom? Though my dad didn’t change legislation, he acted according to his personal convictions and found a way to counter the issue. I actually see this throughout his and my mum’s lives through decisions they have made to proactively care for those stuck in injustice, hurt, pain and shame.
My parent’s example shows me that there is always a way that I can make a difference on my doorstep. I may not have the power to overhaul a judicial system, but I can give to a charity that represents the unfairly incarcerated. My parents have committed to the long haul of rescuing those who are ‘being led away to death’ and we all can too.
I am on a justice journey. My responsibility is to be willing to learn, to commit to the long haul, to be proactive and to use wisdom. With an open heart. With open ears. With open eyes. With open hands.
I am also considering my role in the cure. Am I a disrupter? Am I a bridge-builder or a healer? This is what I’m approaching God about right now, because—“Do you know what I want? I want justice—oceans of it. I want fairness—rivers of it. That’s what I want. That’s all I want.” Amos 5:21-24 MSG. And you know what? I want that to be a reality in my life, not a slogan that makes me feel good. Tell me—what was ever comfortable about The Gospel?
Cheering you on, wherever you find yourself in the justice-journey.
SB
A MUST WATCH
This is a conversation between a church pastor in NYC, Carl Lentz with Dr Anita Philips, a therapist with expertise in trauma.
It is outstanding and holds the tension and complexities of a Biblical framework, culture, systems, thoughts and emotions with eloquent grace.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfLRhSG4Qck
FURTHER READING
Here’s a link to an article about the inequality in the judicial system in Australia. This looks at the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) inquiry commissioned by the Federal Government to investigate whether courts, police and prisons were contributing to the over-incarceration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
http://www.abc.net.au/article/9596374
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The Victorian Women’s Trust have put together an excellent and exhaustive resource listing which outlines how you can make a contribution to the cure regardless of how much money you have, your age or stage in life.
https://www.vwt.org.au/anti-racism-resources-from-australia-and-beyond/
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And this is a link to an article featured in the New Yorker with a US civil-rights lawyer Bryan Stevenson, who the brilliant and gut-wrenching movie “Just Mercy” is based on.
