Sometimes Division is Good

Okay, walk with me here. I was raised both as a woman and a member of an incredibly non-confrontational religious sect that division was always bad. Division was the beginning of the end. Division was such a problem that women were told to be silent, people were not allowed to openly state their feelings or beliefs and many, many people were in unprocessed pain because of it, to the point that people lost touch with themselves in a very real way. Now I believe, honestly, without division, true relationship cannot exist.

I'm not pro-division. It feels terrible when division looks like everyone shouting over each other. But guess what, even shouting is communicating. And we, as Americans, are shouting about things that actually matter right now. THIS IS HEALTHY!!!! Don't poo poo the arguing going on.

Don't bow out of conflict about something as important as black lives.

Black lives matter. They are worth fighting for. 

Black lives, and their inherent, equal value to white lives, is one of the most important things we'll ever talk about in this country. We cannot agree to disagree about this. Just like Charlottesville, this is a time to take a stand. Frankly, I don't care if you like Colin Kapernick or not. I don't care if his form of protest protects your white fragility or makes you feel defensive. Whatever in you is pushing back on this is something that you need to examine for yourself.

No country is more important than the people in it. ALL THE PEOPLE IN IT. That includes black Americans. 

I know that this protest has highlighted a sacred cow in this country and that cow is "patriotism." We worship this country to the point that we criticize peaceful, kind, humble black men for kneeling in hopes that all black people can one day be safe in this country. And he chose to do it during a time in a game when we all bow down to this idol, which was clearly the wrong time. There's nothing wrong with loving your country and white people, except for the really poor ones, are pretty darn lucky to be here. But telling black people in America, it could be worse, is not exactly the point. You guys, IT HAS BEEN WORSE. AND IT SHOULD BE BETTER. And what if it really could be better? What would that look like? 

I think it looks like division. What if division was the beginning of the end of black lives being treated as disposable? That's worth growing hoarse with shouts. That's worth protesting. That's worth the conflict. Get to work.

Don't agree to disagree over black lives.

They are worth a lot more than that. 

Don't let concerns over respect and veterans and lives lost in battle distract you. The issue isn't veterans. The issue is black lives. Don't take the red herring. We could argue all day about the flag, flag burning, veterans, war and showing respect to the flag. And we have a lot of baggage around that we could certainly discuss. Let's face it - not all veterans are offended by Colin's actions just like not all black people applaud them. Let's stop defending a diverse group of people like they all think the same way. They don't. Even so, don't let those issues distract you from the reason Colin kneeled (and the reason he's no longer employed). The reason that happened and continues to play out is because we love football more than black lives.

We love a fabric flag more than what it represents. Freedom for all. If black lives are not safe, are they really free? No, they're not. How could we possibly disrespect the flag more than by supporting a system that targets Americans for the color of their skin with the full power of its government? When unarmed black men are gunned down in our streets, we better start talking and we better do more than talk, which is exactly what Colin did. When we target black lives, we are turning against ourselves. We turn against America when we turn against Americans. It's really that simple. Freedom for all. That's what the flag should represent. The fact that we're arguing about that proves we still have along way to go for that to be upheld.  

Now is the time to act if you haven't already

Listen, I know some good people voted for #45. I know it. But listen to me friends. If you voted for him and you are also horrified by the white supremacist acts of terror committed in Charlottesville, you need to sit down and put some things together. This man appointed the founder of Breitbart as White House Chief Strategist, Steve Bannon. Amidst the outcry of heroes like Coretta Scott King, he appointed Jeffrey Sessions as the attorney general, a man proven unworthy of lesser roles because he targeted black Americans who were trying to help fellow black Americans get to voting polls. These are two of dozens of questionable appointments. If you need to hear it from his own mouth, it is not hard to find racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophilic comments made by Trump both now and all through the years. 

It is no accident that it took him 48 hours to denounce the Neo-Nazis. That man is quick on the draw when it comes to Nordstrom but hesitates to be specific about murder in our streets. Why? Because he has surrounded himself with the very leaders who inspire such violence. And yes, that includes himself. I'm not saying you're a racist if you voted for Donald Trump (though giving you the benefit of the doubt there is causing me to cringe). I really am trying to put my old, dusty evangelical hat on and imagine myself voting for him 10 years ago. Not because I thought he was awesome but because I believed all the sexist vitriol published about Hillary for decades. I swallowed all that down willingly. You probably did too. And sometimes he says the things you want to hear. Not the grabbing pussies stuff but the sudden about face in regard to abortion and the like. I get it. You might not be a bad person. But you did a bad thing.

You have participated in an election process that has allowed police brutality to be encouraged (remember when he asked the cops to not be too nice?), terror among the undocumented to rise to unprecedented levels (remember when he said he was only going to get rid of the criminals and now anyone can be deported for any reason?) and where Neo-Nazis know they can proudly surround college students with torches and run over innocent women without fear (not to mention the sucker punches and God-bless-him Deandre Harris who almost died in a POLICE DEPT parking garage by beating). No one has been arrested for Charlottesville, though many of the key players were caught on video committing violent assault and have been identified. You need to sit in the role you have played. Take a quick look at the photographs of Deandre Harris. Do a google search. That blood is on your hands.

Let's be clear: I say this to condemn you. We are all part of the problem, even us progressive whities who are horrified by Trump and wouldn't have voted for him upon penalty of death. No doubt. I have privilege; I have inherent bias; I have benefited from my whiteness, from my Christian faith, from my affluence. Every day of my life. In fact, you're more likely to read my opinion here because of those very factors. But you gave a big nudge in the wrong direction with your vote, most likely for your own gain (whatever political benefit you thought you'd find in Trump - maybe even preservation of the Christian faith as the majority in this country!) I really hope you see the selfishness of your choice and experience great remorse as you watch clips of the terror instigated after the car plowed through innocent people, as you see the blood pouring out of Deandre. I really hope you experience remorse. I have faith that some of you will, I really do. 

And, my dear Christian friends, if you do experience remorse, why not take a page out of Jesus' book and lay down your life for your friend? Get off the comfortable Christian white couch and hit the streets. Renounce not just racism but the leader who encourages it. It's okay to make mistakes. It's human. What's more than just human is to not be willing to see them, apologize and make change. Make change. With me. Lay down your privilege. Bind some black wounds. Please. Our nation depends on it. And dare I say it? Brown Jesus would be proud. Peace to your house.