How Do We Respond To Racial Injustice In Our Society?

I have never in my life felt such a burden for racial injustice like I have been feeling this past week. I honestly didn’t know what to say. I’ve been thinking through what to write for over a week now because I was fearful I would say the wrong thing. The murders of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and others like them are unacceptable, but the issue is much deeper than that. How did two white civilians think they had the right to chase down and kill Arbery? How did Derek Chauvin think he had the right to treat Floyd like he did? Even after Floyd was handcuffed and unresponsive, Chauvin continued to hold him down with his knee in the back of his neck. It was disgusting…

I don’t know why Chauvin did what he did, but it was sickening to see him use misuse his power like that. What he did deserves consequences, and I’m glad he has been prosecuted and convicted of murder. I also don’t know why the other officers didn’t stop him. I know two of them had only been on the job for less than a week, but what about officer Tou Thao? And didn’t the two new guys feel Floyd’s body go limp? Were they just ignorant of what was happening? Or were they more afraid of disobeying their training officer than saving this man’s life? I don’t know exactly how it got to that point, but I am saddened that it did.

Unity Against Injustice

Over the years, I have seen many clashes between people of color and police officers that went bad in the news. Most of the time there was a split opinion of what happened. One side would say, a black man was unfairly treated because he was black. The other side would say, a police officer was just doing his job to defend himself and others. Realistically, there have been examples of both in the cases I’ve seen over the years. However, in the case of George Floyd and many others, police officers have committed egregious acts that deserve consequences.

Following George Floyd’s murder, protests were happening all over the country. His murder was kind of like the straw that broke the camels back. People from black, brown, and white backgrounds are angry because they are tired of seeing this sort of thing happen and want more accountability. Emotions are high and racial tension is higher than I ever remember in my lifetime. Yet even with the tension, there is some unity. There has been mass condemnation of Chauvin for his actions from civilians, news outlets, police, and government officials from across the board. After centuries of racial injustice, it is great to see that our black brothers and sisters no longer stand alone. Many people are now recognizing the consequences of past and current racism who want to help create a better future. The question is, how do we do that?

Learn & Pursue Unity

A couple of years ago, I wrote a post called: How Does The Racism Of The Past Affect Me Today? In it, I shared about how racial injustice in our society is deep seeded. Even though our past is filled with monumental moments in fighting against racial injustice, to say we have arrived is naive. The fight is not over, but let’s also not get so caught up in the moment that we dismiss the progress we have made. When an act of racism happens, we should all condemn it and give time for due process to take place. When people are treated unfairly, we should stand against corruption and fight for the equity of all people.

Racial injustice isn’t just a past issue. The consequences of the past still affect us today even if we have made great progress. There has always been and there always will be some who fear and judge those who are different than they are. When this happens, we need to make sure that we do not collectively condemn a whole subgroup of people just because of the evil actions of a few. We must also beware of political ideologies that seek to divide us and encourage hate on both political extremes.

People from all backgrounds need to be careful not to believe false stereotypes in ignorance or anger. Most black people are not thugs, so cops or anyone else who stereotypes them as such need to be held accountable. Most cops are not brutal racists, so those who stereotype them that way need to check their motives. I believe most people want peace and unity on all sides. Instead of fearing one another and believing false stereotypes, we need to pursue unity by working together and listening to one another.

Black Readers:

I hear you and grieve with you. I am for you even if I look different than you. I’m very much saddened by the history of racial injustice in our country and how it has affected you personally. Even though I have not experienced racism in the same way as many of you, I want to better understand and help in a peaceful way. Please help me understand, and be patient with me when I don’t get it.

White Readers:

Educate yourselves and don’t make assumptions. Read books by and follow black leaders to get a broader perspective. Pursue friendships with people who don’t look the same as you. Ask someone who is black about their experience with racism and listen to what they have to say. When injustice happens in our society (and even when things are peaceful), show compassion by reaching out to those you know and letting them know you care about them.

Violence Destroys Unity

Unfortunately a small percentage of the protests were hijacked by rioters who brought violence, looting, and vandalism. At least 17 people were killed because of the riots; many of those were black lives that also mattered. (You can see the list here.) In addition to those 17 individuals, many businesses and communities were destroyed unjustly, and many others hurt.

We need to be careful not to blame the violence on peaceful protestors. Some of the violence may have been caused by outside groups that were just seeking an opportunity to cause anarchy. However, the violence should not be ignored. Right now, many seem unwilling to condemn these evil acts in the same way they are condemning the evil act against Floyd. We cannot justify injustice in our pursuit of justice lest we taint the message we are fighting for. Violence only pushes people apart more by causing fear and anger; disunity will not bring justice.

To be fair, some police officers wrongly hurt innocent protestors as well by shooting them with rubber bullets, and using excessive force and tear gas. This is also unacceptable. Demonstrating police brutality is not the way to clear yourselves of the brutality stigma. Certainly police need to stop violent rioters, but they should not stand against peaceful protestors. Unfortunately there are bad cops out there, but most strive for justice and seek to protect the innocent. The focus should be on diminishing acts of police brutality instead of condemning all police officers. In God’s eyes, both black lives and blue lives are valuable. Violence will not solve the problem for anyone, it will only cause more tension, hate, and fear.

Unity In Christ

Hate cannot be conquered by hate. Evil can’t be conquered by evil. Romans 12:21 says, Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good. In Mark 10:18, Jesus says No one is good except God alone. We need God to bring peace in this world and only Christ offers that. He is creating a new people from every tribe, people, nation, and tongue. Galatians 3:28 says, There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

In Christ, there is no room for racial injustice, so all believers should stand together in unity on this issue. We are all brothers and sisters made in the image of God, regardless of our skin color. As we stand together, we should also remember that the ultimate solution for racial injustice will not come through human beings or legislation. It will only come through transformed hearts by the gospel of Jesus Christ. Pray for peace, and seek peace. Stand against injustice, but know that true justice and perfect peace awaits us only in Christ’s kingdom to come.