Sunday, July 17, 2016


Black Lives Matter: A Commentary

The Black Lives Matter movement has caused a push back by many saying, in effect the obvious, “all lives matter.”  This is to counter by way of sarcasm, the movement.  Of course all lives matter and this simplistic, obvious and trite attempt to diminish the point of the movement hides what I suspect is the real underlying issue – simply and starkly stated – RACISM!

I think what impacts and causes anger among so many is that they know, feel and are aware – at some level -- that the Black Lives Matter Movement is really saying: “Black Lives Matter – as much as White Lives.”  Enter the racial animus of so many who will not openly admit that Blacks, and other Minorities are as good, smart and deserving as Whites.  This is just old (ages old) racism – all the more reason to support the movement because historically and even to the present, as a group, Blacks have been culturally, economically, academically and opportunistically un-equal – and this is a nation that constitutionally declares all are created equal.

Some time ago I was in a Mennonite thrift store perusing books.  I couldn’t help overhearing an elderly couple in conversation.  The woman, in particular, loudly complaining about the country’s state of affairs and made reference to that “thing” in the white house.  Barack Obama, a black man born, raised and educated in a country where he rose to the highest level of achievement and influence in the world.  This bigoted old woman refers to him as a “thing” – of course she has to dehumanize him since she is a racist.  And – forgive me here – given the store we were in, most likely calls herself a Christian.


I am a 77 year old white male who has been afforded the freedom and opportunities granted by this nation.  I am an imperfect man, along with being a grateful man.  I am liberal, pretty well educated, sometimes smart and many times not so smart.  I am one who has been deeply influenced by Judeo/Christian thought and insights, and especially by the man, Jesus of Nazareth.  I do not pretend that I can overcome prejudice, racism and ignorance, or the many other injustices that persist in our society.  Our president recently said that “ignorance is not a virtue!”  I agree.  Ignorance is also ill informed, unaware, insecure, immature -- and dangerous.  I do not believe that I would be able to change any of this – but what I can do, is to refuse to remain silent in its presence.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

You have a great perspective .
Thank You

Anonymous said...

I'm listening. Because I can't feel what others in this racial context feel, only empathize. I've pointedly been told I'll never understand the "feeling". Causes me to sit down and "shut up". I hope we all can understand someone, like myself, wants to listen to gain understanding. I don't want to remain silent but fear reprisals in my effort to speak for understanding. The current times induce fear.

Unknown said...


Thank you for this important post in times of such pain and overwhelming sense of what to do, what to do.

I hope for a day where you and the the racist 'Christian' lady in the book store could dance together in the middle of the book aisle in order to create a new dialogue, activity, perspective, possibility? As long as we keep other-ing each other we will not create a new path. There will just continue to be camps of right and wrong groups.

I can't do it, most of us can't. I would most likely stay impotently silent to hearing President Obama being referred to as a thing, or righteously curse out the woman. Both options keep us separate.

Your piece reminds me of MLK's famous line:
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
--Martin Luther King, Jr.

I would add, our lives begin to end when we stay separate from one another.

I hope the conversation continues.