Sunday, September 25, 2016

Social Justice Warrior...or Christian with a Heart.

So it's been a while since my last blog. I guess I lost track of things. So if you've been anticipating another one of these, my bad.

I want to start with a confession, particularly to my followers on Facebook, Twitter, and this blog in particular. I love you. I seriously do. You wouldn't be a part of my social media circle if I didn't think the world of you in some way. My prayer for you more than anything is that you have the best this life has to offer. Not your best life today, that's the word of a heretic. You don't want that. I want you to be blessed by my God, my life, and whatever else brings you the joy you may have.

That being said, there are a lot of terrible things happening on this planet, and in this country to be specific. Hatred, bigotry, prejudice, and ignorance is running roughshod over our people. People are throwing the Black Lives Matter movement under the bus in a way I've never seen. However, the great men and women in law enforcement are also being thrown into a basket of deplorable folks that isn't truly deserved.

Law enforcement are wonderful human beings, for the most part, that just want to protect and serve. However, sometimes we forget that they are human. Humans are emotionally charged at times. Humans mess up sometimes. We have to be able to forgive when they do mess up. However there also has to be accountability. We need more people in law enforcement that say, "hey, he messed up, we love him. However he needs to answer for his mess up."

Black Lives Matter is a group of folks upset over the mistreatment of black people in America. If you're against that, good chance there's no help for you. All Black Lives Matter wants is accountability for police overreach. All Black Lives Matter want is equal punishment for a rape of a woman. The black man that gets convicted properly and sentenced for 20 years in prison for rape isn't what BLM is trying to stop. It's when a white person who swims at a college gets 3 months in a jail with special privileges because prison is bad place. That's why BLM is upset. BLM isn't upset when a black man gets a life sentence for murder. You're supposed to get that. It's when a white man gets parole options and after 5 years for a murder. BLM isn't upset when a white man gets arrested for a mass shooting. They're upset when that white man gets Burger King bought for him and protective custody while a man lying on the ground with his hands up gets shot while trying to protect his patient from having a breakdown.

What needs to happen? I'm glad you asked. We need to understand that racism exists. Racism is not, "you (insert trashy racial slur here), you should go back to Africa." That's ignorance. Racism is not, "you can't date my son or daughter because you're a different color." That's prejudice. Racism is not, "I hate (insert any color person)." That's prejudice. Racism is doing all you can to keep black people from gaining standing in the country you run. Republicans telling black people that they can't have a job or that they won't vote to fund public schools with a majority of black students is racist. Institutional racism if you want to be specific. Democrats looking a group of black people in the eye and promising them welfare and affirmative action is racist. Anything that keeps a minority from living the American Dream that gets talked about all the time is racism. Hence why reverse racism is not a thing.

I just want you folks to understand why I feel so passionate about justice. I've posted a ton of things about racism and police overreach lately. It's gone noticed. However, I do it for a few reasons. One, I'm called by Christ to stand up for those that may not be able to stand. Christ stood up for the poor, destitute, hated, and ostracized. If my goal in life is to be more like Christ, then that's my job. Two, I'm worried for my country. I want my country to be a place where my children can live without the fear of being harassed by police. Notice I didn't say harassed by police, but the fear of being harassed. People give the old, "don't break the law, you won't be harassed" speech, however they have not accounted for those that are looking for a reason to harass. It happens, people. You have to accept that.I don't want my kids to see the news and think the police are bad people. I want my kids to trust the police.

These are the reasons I'm not heartbroken about the anthem issue. I love America. It's a great place. However, Charleston, SC is a great place and it's had its fair share of bad things happen to and in it. America has bad things happening in it. People are saying terrible things about each other in the name of "squashing political correctness." Look, you can call bad things what they are. That's cool with me. However if you call people terrible names and say ignorant things because you're against political correctness, you're doing it wrong. I stand for the anthem because it's my way of letting those who hate my being here (and there are more than you think) know that I'm American and there's nothing they can really do about it. I stand because I love America. I don't love what she does sometimes, but I love her. I'm not sad about people not standing for the anthem because it's their way of letting you know they're not thrilled either. Again, instead of reacting with vitriol and anger, try asking why they're angry. Try getting a grasp on their concerns. Understand that their hurt is a bigger deal than the anthem being stood for. Why, you ask? It's simple, the song has no feelings. It's not going to be upset. In the very end of all this, what matters is people. People are our main concern.

I want more than anything for there to be more dialogue. So I'm going to continue posting injustices. I'm going to continue to post politically charged posts on my Facebook. Real talk, if I want change, I'm going to start conversations. Just remember that I love you through all of this. I want to learn your reasoning. I want to understand your thought processes and what you see. I'm reading your posts. I'm understanding your ways. However I'm going to continue to hold fast that sometimes, you're coming from a perspective of inexperience. Not ignorance, racism, hatred, or anything like that. Just inexperience.

I'm also calling for all Christians do a better job of respecting people. It seems like lately my fellow Christians have forgotten that justice is the biggest goal. That means you stop calling people thugs. Unless you're being satirical in order to drive home a point, no need for name calling. No need to be dismissive when someone tells you they're hurting. This country is hurting, and it could use some strong solid Christians putting an arm around it. My goal is simple. I want to give back better than I have been. Doing more mentoring. Posting more news stories about things that are wrong and how we can fix it. Engaging in and instigating more dialogue to better understand each other. So I'm asking you to join me in this. Discuss. Engage. Talk. I don't even care if it gets heated. Dialogue is important to solve these problems.

I don't know when I'll post another blog. I'm probably going to do one or two a month. Thanks for humoring me.