I could not comprehend how a crime this heinous, committed by an officer of the law, can happen in modern day America, and yet I knew it has been happening in one way or another for 400 years. I was so angry, and at the same time felt somewhat helpless, knowing that I could never understand the pain that all people of color, but particularly African-Americans feel right now, and wondering what I could do to stop these crimes that have become all too familiar.
I am not Derek Chauvin. No one I know is Derek Chauvin. No one I know would deliberately attack someone – physically, verbally, emotionally – due to the color of his or her skin. Neither I nor anyone I know would discriminate against or attack someone because of the color or their skin. Neither I nor the people that I know would never do this, or would never allow this to happen. Or would we? Or do we?
And then I got to thinking further – yes, I know I’m not Derek Chauvin, but am I like the two officers who restrained Mr. Floyd or the third officer, who stood by and did nothing while Mr. Floyd was murdered.
What have I done by my action or inaction? I didn’t have my knee on Mr. Floyd’s neck, but what else could I have done? How often have I taken for granted my own comfort and privilege when I should have been trying to change a system, a culture, that allows these and other crimes – both overt and covert – against people of color to continue?
The death of George Floyd has awoken the nation, but it has also made me more aware of my responsibility as a white person of privilege to understand and change the systems and the attitudes that allows both the overt and the covert crimes to continue: police brutality; lynching; judicial inequity; mass incarceration; redlining; health care disparities, educational disparities; voting restrictions, and on and on.
I don’t have the answers, and I don’t yet know what I will do today or tomorrow to be the change I want to see. I know I’ll need strength to step outside my comfort zone and walk with my brothers and sisters on this journey. I don’t yet know how I will do it, but I know I must try.
Father, Bless us as we strive to find our way to true racial reconciliation.
Open our eyes to all that goes on around us that contribute to racial injustice.
Grant us the knowledge to understand all that we do, both personally and as a society, which prevents as from recognizing and defending the dignity of all or our brothers and sisters, and especially at this time, our brothers and sisters of color who are now feeling so much pain.
Grant us the grace to reflect on our own actions and inactions that contribute to this pain.
And grant us the strength to take action to alleviate this pain and to end racial injustice in all its forms.
In your name we pray.
Written and offered by Phil Chick
