(Baltimore Riots 2015 and 1968)
I started this blog as a way of engaging in self-reflection and to muse about life. And while the passion that undergirds my life is one for justice and equality, I decided not to make this an overtly political blog; I would keep the “peace” and not disturb readers. After all, this isn’t a political blog, right? I would not write about systemic racism. I would not write about police brutality and the killing of unarmed Black men. I would not talk about a country that refuses to provide justice for the illegal actions of law enforcement. I would not mention Baltimore. And I certainly would not mention Freddie Gray. But as I saw the expressions of frustrated Black people protesting in Baltimore on Monday night, and I thought about the pain that Mr. Gray must have endured before his untimely death, the words of the Prophet Jeremiah began to rise in my soul, “If I say, ‘I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name,’ there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot.” (Jer. 20:9 ESV).
How can I remain silent when an American city burns? How can I remain silent when a city burns not because of some lawless “thugs” tearing the city apart, but because of the unending and unyielding legacy of racism in this country that continues to fuel the fire of hurt and anger? How can I say I care about justice and peace, yet not join my voice with those of the unheard? To not speak out against an injustice is to help perpetuate that injustice. For it is easy to ignore the person who does not speak.
So speak I will, but not simply as a rant. That is why we have facebook and twitter. Instead, I choose to speak by inquiring of you:
How much is America willing to pay to maintain its racist systems? I do not mean this strictly in a monetary sense, although it certainly is financially detrimental. Rather, I am asking you to consider something far more immeasurable: life and peace. How many more people have to die before we say the cost is too much? Was a civil war not enough? How long will we choose to live under what Dr. King called a “negative peace,” which is the absence of open hostility, but not the presence of justice? How long will we fail to see that what happens in Baltimore can happen in your city? What will be our breaking point as a nation when we finally join together, cease reductionist explanations and shallow solutions, and we engage in the hard work of creating a just society?
While this country has made strides in addressing its race issue, there is much work to be done. After all, segregation was better than slavery, but I’m so glad we did not stop there. Completing half of a race should never be confused with finishing the race. What Baltimore indicates to America is that the race towards justice remains unfinished.
What we see in Baltimore is the sign that Blacks have reached a point of maturated frustration as they have become disillusioned with the law that refuses to hear them and protect them. They riot, not to be destructive, but to be heard. As Dr. King stated, “A riot is the language of the unheard.” To state it more colloquially, as my grandmother would say, “If you don’t hear me, you’ll feel me.” We are feeling the pain of the unfinished race towards justice, not just in Baltimore, but throughout the country. America can either ignore it by demonizing the protesters as thugs, or we can correct the problem. If we choose not to work towards justice, however, then I’m afraid that we may reach a point where the cost is too high, and we lack sufficient funds.
–Until Next Time–
Palooke
