 January 11, 2021 Dear Friends, Our nation’s history is fraught with uprisings and violence based on the idea that many White people believe their “race” is the only human race. Therefore, by right they should control the levers of government and have the power to do as they wish to people of color. Racist, wrong-headed, abusive, and brutal ideologies are centuries old. Their footholds are depressions that must be repaired, leveled out, and healed over so that they can never be created again. Violence will not win, for either side, because violence cannot eradicate the idea of a “more perfect union” toward which people aspire. Nor can violence eradicate the ideas on which ideologies of hate are based. For actions to change, ideas must change first. Overwhelming evidence proves that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris legitimately won the election. The “Big Lie,” is that the election was stolen from President Trump. Promulgation of the “Big Lie” was and is so widespread that some of the people who started it and helped to spread it were and are saying, “People are concerned that election was stolen. Therefore, we need to hear them out.” Having set up that echo chamber, circular reasoning became an inevitable result. Unfortunately, the leaders of the “Big Lie” knew and know it is untrue. The “Big Lie” cites as proof of its “truthfulness” its own false and erroneous conclusion, for which there is no evidence. Information about last week’s mob scene in Washington, D. C. continues to come to light. However, silence is not a worthy nor neutral option during these early days of investigations and reporting on the vile, racist, and antidemocratic treachery that took place almost a week ago. Words attributed to Martin Niemöller express this concern: “First they came for the Communists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Communist. 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.”1 Encouraged by years-long repetitions of false and misleading narratives incessantly promoted on the dark web, by several media personalities, by the president and some of his supporters, a vast number of the president’s supporters came to believe the 2020 presidential election results were tampered with and then stolen from them. As a consequence, and in the guise of patriotism and liberty, several protesters in Washington, D. C., who were there to “stop the steal,” became rioters, insurrectionists, and domestic terrorists when they violently invaded our nation’s Capital. At the time, in the Capitol members of the Congress of the United States were engaged in expected and legal though unwarranted elections-related debate in their respective chambers. Insurrection, sedition, brutality, racism, and White fragility were on full display before and while the mob attacked. The news of Vice President Pence’s refusal to act unconstitutionally to overturn the election results appears to have signaled the mob to rush the building. Which they did with the clear intent to inflict bodily harm. People were looking for Vice President Mike Pence so they could hang him. The violence led to terror and death. Members of Congress went into lock-down concerned for their safety, and determined to do their duty regardless of the seditious acts occurring around them. The Capitol was breached for the first time since 1814, during the War of 1812. Rioters entered the Senate chamber. Capitol police were outnumbered. The stench of our nation’s original sin, the enslavement of Black human beings, emanated from a confederate flag carried along a Capitol hallway. Strident political argumentation is commonplace. President Ronald Reagan and Tip O’Neill were known for their strong disagreements and their friendship. Peaceful protests in defense, support, and advancement of civil rights, human rights, and the equal treatment and welfare of all people are part of American political tradition. Tragically, armed political violence is not new. Greed, subterfuge, withholding truth, and promoting lies in service of a “big lie” give life to misguided patriotism and marauding hatred. World history shows that people greedy for power and control over others will use violence and mayhem to achieve it and quell dissent. As Christians, how could, and should, we respond? How can we be proactive so as to still the turbulent waters of fear, especially the waters of baseless fear?
From the past comes the lesson of “a still more excellent way” (1 Corinthians 12.31b), the way of love. Peaceful protest, resistance, and action, exemplified by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and civil rights and social justice movements then and now, offer truthful counter-narratives, countermeasures, and alternative actions to “big lies.” The way out of racism, hatred, and fear passes through the bold actions of repentance, redemption, transformation, forgiveness, education, and reconciliation. It begins with love. We have no choice except venturing through the current crises. Always, and most assuredly now, be encouraged by the spirit of Love. Seek the heart of Christ. Treasure the faith. Hold close to one another. Be in peace. Have compassion. “But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (Amos 5.23-24, NRSV). Blessings Always, Jim 1As found in the Introduction to Then They Came for Me, by Matthew D. Hockenos. Published by Basic Books, New York, and copy-written in 2018 by the author, the quote is found on page 8 of the EBook.
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6-1-20
Dear Friends, On the urbandictionary.com website, the definition of “I feel your pain” is, “I compassionately understand what you are going through and there may have been some times I have undergone the very same thing or similar.” If it is true that most people have an aversion to pain, then feeling the pain of another human being would not be high on anyone’s bucket list. Some folks like doing things that almost guarantee they will feel pain, such as playing sports. However, those folks do not do those things for the pain, they do them because they like playing sports. Pain as a byproduct of an activity is one thing, purposely searching for pain is something else. Feeling the pain of another human being is something else again. Yet isn’t that last thing desperately needed now? In the wake of the brutal killing of Mr. George Floyd, yesterday I spoke with a dear friend. As a black woman and mother of grown children, she expressed profound fear for her son, who lives in the south with his wife and children. Her fear was palpable. I could hear and feel it in every syllable and nuanced tone of her voice. Her life as a black woman and mine as a white man are quite different. Situations I never give a thought to, terrify her. A lot of people do not drive at night because of poor night vision. My friend does not drive at night because of the color of her skin. She lives in a beautiful home. A cast iron fence closes off a large portion of the lawn. The fence is a beautiful, decorative piece of art which serves as a barrier. It makes it more difficult for intruders to get in, and for little children to run into the street. However, the main reason my friend appreciates the cast iron fence is that it might slow down law enforcement should they mistakenly approach her home. My friend has a very clear memory of shedding tears of sorrow while looking at her son when he was three years old. She was not grieving because her son was sick. She was grieving because he would grow up black in America. She was grieving because she knew and knows how dangerous that can be and is. “The talk” is real. The fear is real. As our conversation was drawing to a close, she said, “Life makes me tired.” Daily she is on pins and needles. When she is having fun with friends, when she is worshipping, when she is in her own home, or at work, or commuting, or talking with friends on the phone, some part of her mind is always on guard to keep her safe from the worst consequences of the daily racism she encounters. I wish I could say I feel her pain. I cannot. I feel kindred pain, but not her pain. I can never feel her pain, but I can try. I can cry with her. I can grieve with her. I can cherish her as a dear friend and speak up against the injustices of racism. I can be there when she calls, and I can call her. We met nearly forty years ago when she and Julie became coworkers and then dear, lifelong friends. Blessed to be Julie’s husband, I became blessed to have that same close friendship. I cannot say to our dear friend, with any honesty, that I “compassionately understand what you are going through and there may have been some times I have undergone the very same thing or similar.” What I can and did say to her is something along these lines, “I have compassion for you, my dear friend. I grieve because you grieve. I cry because you are crying. I am angry at the racist injustices you have faced because you have faced them. Your struggles are my struggles. I will add my voice to yours.” The problem of racism lies not with the people who are victimized by it. The problem of racism lies with those who espouse, teach, and perpetuate it. It is long past time for the choking weeds of racist ideologies to be plucked and thrown from the garden of life. All people deserve the same good soil. Blessings My Friends, Jim 4-7-20, Ruminations
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Rev Jim SinclairPastor Jim is the minister for First United Baptist Church Archives
October 2020
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