Hear this word that I take up over you in lamentation, O house of Israel:
Take away from me the noise of your songs;
I will not listen to the melody of your harps.
But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
-Amos 5:1,23-24
I have been struggling this week, with what words to offer today. I’ve wondered if there are any right words I can say, yet I know something needs to be said. We have all seen the images of George Floyd as he slowly died for eight minutes underneath the knee of a police officer. We have seen the protests, and reports of unnecessary violence by police officers towards peaceful protesters. We’ve all seen the image of President Trump standing outside of a church, holding a Bible, after promising military action against those seeking justice.
We feel outrage. We feel helpless. But we may also find ourselves empathizing with the police officers. Or feeling just as outraged at the looting and violence happening alongside the peaceful protests. Which is where the problem of racism lies. Once again, the voices of the black community are being pushed aside by those of us who prefer to focus on ways in which we can justify racism. Now, don’t get me wrong, many of us aren’t intentionally doing this. As Christians, we believe in equality, we believe that Christ calls us to love all people, and to see the humanity in all. But, we cannot use equality and love to dismiss the needs of those who continuously are ignored. Yes, the police officers are human. But they stood by silently while one of their own went beyond what was required to subdue, killing instead. Yes, looting does not help. More violence does not help. But when anger and pain and suffering is forcefully hidden for too long, it can and does violently breaks loose. Yes, all lives matter, but at this very moment, the lives of black and Indigenous people are disproportionately at greater risk of violence and death. That is why we must recognize that deep within our society, racism lives and grows.
I know we don’t like to consider the possibility that we are racist. Or, that we have privilege as people who are white, but this is where we must begin. We must move beyond our equal outrage at the death of a man and at looting in the midst of peaceful protests. We must move beyond this to look deep within, because racism isn’t just the obvious words and actions we traditionally think of. Racism is when I instinctually become nervous on a city street at night because I see someone who is black. Racism is when a person who is black or Indigenous is more likely to face lengthy criminal sentences for the same crime, compared to someone who is white. Racism is when we state “I was raised not to see color” because we think that skin color shouldn’t matter. But it does. If it didn’t, then George Floyd wouldn’t be dead. If it didn’t, then we wouldn’t have a need for a national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women.
Through the Prophet Amos, God proclaims “Take away from me the noise of your songs. . .But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” Now is the time for us become quiet and to listen. Truly listen to what is experienced by the black community, the Indigenous community and all who are non-white. Now is the time to listen, to learn, to grow so that when we speak again, we do so in ways that helps God’s “justice roll down like waters.” Now is the time.
In closing, I want to share with you the words offered by one of our General Council staff, Michael Blair who is the Executive Minister of the Church in Mission Unit.
“Friends, I have been wrestling about what to say about the events of this past week, but not only this week – the violence that has shaken many of us to the core. There is a desire to know what to do, how to respond. Grateful for many who have reached out to see how I am doing. Its appreciated.
Yet, i need you to know that George Floyd’s cry: “I can’t breathe,” is a daily reality for many of us black folks. It is important, yes to be angry at the physical violence of a knee to the neck. And know that your silence at the systemic and unending racism that black folks experience daily, is in itself a act of the knee to the neck…
I can’t breathe, when you leave it to me to name the racism that is in your face yet you keep silent…
When you take the system as a given, and don’t question assumptions or the way things are, and are silent…you leave me gasping and fighting for air…
I can’t breathe when you want me to represent and you do not ask why there are so few people like me around…and you keep silent
I can’t breathe when you dismiss me, by not seeing colour…your silence is a knee to the neck
I can’t breathe when you see pictures of the institutions you are a part of that only show white people…and you stay silent and don’t ask why…
I can’t breathe when you tell me we all have red blood, and diminish my experience
if you are serious about taking steps to name anti-black racism and racial violence (not just the physical) then your starting point is a commitment to stay silent no more…”
Blessings, Rev. Tara Ann Gourson
Reflection was written by Rev. Tara Ann Gourson
Bideford Pastoral Charge 