Charlottesville, just like Ferguson before it, is sparking emotions. Protests. Blog posts. Outcry.
What if Charlottesville sparked action?
I’m not talking about political action. There’s plenty of that already. I’m talking about positive action. Ongoing action. Relational action.
I’m talking about reading with a kid. Foster care. Mentoring a student. Coaching a soccer team. Visiting a lonely senior. Walking alongside a refugee family, or someone in addiction recovery, or someone coming out of homelessness. Action that is ongoing. Relational.
A friend of mine, whom I love and respect, said that reading with kids was not an effective response to prejudice and discrimination and injustice. “It takes too long. It’s not confrontational. It’s not directly connected to the problem.”
I thought a lot about that conversation. With an open heart and an open mind, I considered his point of view that vigorous protests and angry outcry are the answer. I do believe there is a time and place for protest. I agree with him that we must stand up to racism, oppression and hatred.
For me, reading with kids and walking with neighbors is the best course of action. This is how God has softened my heart, informed my mind, and energized me for the cause. Only through relationships are my dominant-culture prejudices, misconceptions and hidden biases being reduced. Likewise, my neighbors—who come from a wide range of cultures and ethnicities—are seeing their prejudices, misconceptions and biases being reduced. Mutual transformation. Less racism. Through relationship.
In the coming months the people of Salem-Keizer will have opportunities to engage. As reported here several times, our African-American pastors and top law-enforcement officials have been hosting meetings to build communication, trust and friendships (there was one last week). As a next step, we are calling folks together for ‘courageous conversations’ and a methodology called “Breaking Bread, Breaking Barriers.” It will take time. It might be awkward (at first). The doors are open, not closed. Will the people of Salem-Keizer accept the invitation to make real change through relationships?
Or is it just easier to be mad and blog …
