by WUUC | Sep 23, 2016 | Minister Blog
It is time for white people to take the killing of Black men personally. To make the dominoes of deaths about us. Because it is about those of us who are white. It is about those of us who are privileged by and benefit from every cultural and societal institution and system. Institutions and systems that protect and ensure the sanctity of white lives and the denigration of Black lives. Just as history is always written by the victors or conquerors, societies and all their institutions are created by the same victors and conquerors. And so it is that those of us who are white, are the architects of racism.
by WUUC | May 19, 2016 | Minister Blog
I recently finished Kristin Schreier Lyseggen’s book, The Women of San Quentin– Soul Murder of Transgender Women in Male Prisons. The book is based on a series of interviews of transgender women who are incarcerated in U.S. prisons. It reveals the chronic abuse of, violence toward, and refusal to recognize the gender identity of transgender women in the prison industrial complex. For those of us who watch the Netflix series, Orange is the New Black, Lyseggen’s book provides a reality check about life for transgender women behind bars.
The book had an unexpected affect on me: I can no longer support our current prison system. I question the rehabilitative possibilities of such a system. I question the sanction of a system that dehumanizes persons at every turn. I found myself wondering if I could survive incarceration. Solitary confinement is now being recognized for what it is: torture. I have long known that our prison population is disproportionately made up of people of color due to a combination of both racism and classism. I have come to conclude that our current prison system actively participates in the “soul murder” of all within its confines. Soul murder has been defined as “the deliberate attempt t eradicate or compromise the separate identity of another person.”
One of the reasons that the Black Lives Matter Action of Immediate Witness at the General Assembly last summer was so controversial was because it included the dismantling of the prison industrial complex. At the time I found that clause to be troublesome. But I find myself wanting the United States to look at the prison systems of other countries like Norway. For in those systems, the “inherent worth and dignity” of persons is honored. The violence that exists in our prison system does not exist in other systems.
Do we need to potentially remove persons from the general population who are a threat to others and the fabric of safety in the societal web? Of course. But we need to remove race and class as a factor in who goes to prison and who does not. Do some persons need to be removed even from the general prison population? Probably. But they do not have to be dehumanized and tortured. Nor should beatings, rape, and all sorts of assault be a prison norm. We are far behind much needed reform to our prison system. Why can’t we invest as much in truth and reconciliation processes as we do in building more prisons? Why can’t we allocate monies for prevention and drug and alcohol treatment rather than the millions that go into death penalty cases?
Unitarianism: “ There is a Love holding us.” Universalism: “Love will not give up on you and neither will we.”
Peace, Shalom, Salaam,
Rev.Lo
by WUUC | Apr 25, 2016 | Minister Blog
As I pulled into the driveway to church on Sunday, I noticed that our “Black Lives Matter” sign was missing from the wayside pulpit. Upon closer inspection, it was clear that the sign had been ripped down as I found the clips used to hold it in place on the ground. It was the third act of vandalism at the church in 3 days.
After the service, we held the annual Town Hall meeting where folks go over the proposed budget and other items that will be voted on at the congregational meeting in May. It is the time to ask questions or raised concerns.
In September, I had preached a sermon on why “Black Lives Matters” and no that is not a typo. In it, I stated that I had put the BLM sign up and it was up to the congregation to decide if it is to stay up or come down. After the service around 50 folks sat at tables and talked about BLM. I offered a 9-week course using the book Witnessing Whiteness and out of that an ongoing group is meeting once a month. The Rev. Meg Riley preached movingly about her and her child’s involvement and support of BLM.
At the last Board meeting, I asked that the issue of the sign staying up or coming down come before the congregation for a vote. For me it is about honoring my commitment to the congregation to have them make a choice. At the Town Hall, the question was asked, “How long will the sign stay up?” I wish I could have answered saying that racism will end or that racial justice in this country has been served. But neither of those things has been realized. Frankly, I doubt they ever will. But what that means for me, as a person of faith is that I will continue insisting that the lives of people of color matter- sign or no sign.
Image credit Flickr user scottlum
The reminder that Black Lives don’t seem to matter was brought home Monday morning when Grace Simons texted me asking if we were going to respond to the acts of vandalism committed over the weekend at the Curry Temple Christian Methodist Episcopal (a traditionally Black church) in the central district of Seattle. The vandals spray painted “Go back to Africa,” swastikas and “N.” They also ransacked the church office. Someone has already started a “Go Fund Me” account with the goal of $5000 toward repairs (donate here). A rally will be held at the church this weekend and there are numerous offers to come help and paint posted on the church’s Facebook page.
Seeing pictures of some of the elders sitting in the church sanctuary with the graffiti in the background was profoundly disturbing. For centuries, the Black church in this country has been the only place that granted Black men authority, dignity, and respect in their role as pastor. In fact, it was nearly the only leadership role that whites allowed Black men. And the Black church has historically been the place not only of refuge and safety but of sustenance, inspiration, and liberation. To vandalize Black churches is to vandalize the hearts and spirits of Black congregants.
I wrote on the church’s Facebook page that such an act of vandalism to one community is an affront to all communities of faith. We may or may not be asked to come armed with paint and paintbrushes. Or to come with our hearts open to stand with and alongside as witnesses not just to injustice but to love. May we all respond.
Black Lives Matter.
Peace, Shalom, Salaam,
Rev.Lo
by Carol Taylor | Dec 16, 2014 | DRE Blog
In our YRUU programs they have a way of calling out hurtful words or things that are said where the impact might not match the intent. “OUCH” reminds the speaker to check their language to be sure that it is inclusive. I was reminded of this on Sunday morning as I tried to fumble my way through a difficult Time for All Ages with the children. If you were there, you wouldn’t know that I spent more time preparing that TFAA than most. I went back and forth during the week about the best way to approach the subject of racism with children of such a broad age range, and what I ended up with was a bit of a jumbled mess, and hoped I didn’t have any “OUCH” moments, even though there were definitely some “OOPS”.
Recently I heard someone say that our youth are living in a post-racial world. I don’t agree. While huge strides have been made to educate children about racial equality, racism still exists in this country and at some point in their youth or young adult future they will come face to face with it, particularly if they are a child of color. Understanding racist actions and their impact isn’t a 5 minute speech or story relatable in a Children’s Moment during worship. It requires personal study, reflection and then practice in talking about it, both within our predominantly white congregation and with people of color. As a privileged white person, I need more practice and I suspect that most of us do. How can we teach our children to comfortably navigate a multicultural world if we aren’t comfortable ourselves?
Maybe you were raised with the old model of seeing us as all the same, being “colorblind”. The truth is, we aren’t all the same, and operating from that old model diminishes the beauty of our differences. We come from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, different parts of the country, have different family experiences, learn different ways of communicating. All these and more shape the person we are and influence how we navigate the world, particularly in times of stress. This applies to all of us, but because being white holds more power in this country, the responsibility for listening deeply to the marginalized populations falls to us. We must be open to the conversation and prepared to engage in a meaningful way.
If we can remember and aspire to live our first Unitarian Universalist principle – affirming and promoting the inherent worth and dignity of all people – we have the opportunity to engage in healing conversations and stand alongside people of color in their struggle for justice. We let them take the lead and support their efforts. We don’t do this because it makes us feel better, we do this because we believe that justice for all leads to peace for all.
So if there are “OUCH” moments in our conversations, let’s kindly note them for each other. Not to shame or blame, but in the interest of moving forward in our journey together. If you want to better understand one model of intercultural sensitivity and the developmental path that we are all on, please join Rev. Lois on Saturday, January 10, from 9-5. It is an amazing opportunity to begin to understand where you are personally and how to shift your thinking about living faithfully in a multicultural world.
Peace
Carrie
