I Got No Title

Intentionally, I did not watch the Rittenburg trial. I didn’t read about it in the newspapers or on social media. I didn’t watch the news. In 75 years, I have learned that this system will work as it is intended to work. On my way home from a doctor’s appointment today, I received a phone call from a friend. She asked if I had heard the verdict. I said no. She asked if I wanted to know. I said no. She asked if I should want to talk about it, to give her a call. I didn’t want to, and I didn’t call. I also didn’t want to expose myself to “social media” and stayed away from my email. I knew. I already knew, and there was nothing to talk about. I knew it would hurt.

During the earlier years, in the struggle for human rights, when churches and schools were bombed and burned; Freedom Riders and little black boys, men and women were disappeared, it happened in the dark of night. There was once some level of shame demonstrated by those who acted with such impunity by their  need to wear masks…hoods to hide their identity. Hate and the violence that came with it was not viewed as acceptable.

That is no longer the case. We have returned to a level of incivility where the lynching and burning of human beings was a spectator sport attended by communities including women and children. A time when violence and terror were an open and acceptable strategy for maintaining the status quo. So, they come unmasked. And they call themselves patriots. They march with American flag. They continue to carry with it the confederate flag and other gang symbols. They are armed with assault weapons. 

Make no mistake… what exists and where we are is by design. It is a system built around the perception of scarcity…that has resulted in greed. It is a system built around dualities…winners and losers…and winners take all. It is a system based on dominion…dominance and distorted perceptions of power over each other and every other living being on this planet. Every social, cultural and religious aspect of this system has historically been designed to hold that system in place. Everything.  The segregated “communities” in which we live, our segregated and unaffordable “educational” institutions, our segregated “churches”, our "social" clubs and organizations… literally everything. For America we could say that the foundation was laid down in 1691, however as it relates to the entirety of the human condition, we have to go further back to how this land property, and its people colonized.  And, if we examine the world wide phenomenon of enslavement and colonization it's not a pretty picture. It could present a hopeless picture for the future of humanity.

That being said, this is not an abdication of my responsibility to humanity…my own and others. My responsibility to those who came before me and those who will come after me…my responsibility to help image and create a world where we can all live. I know that there is no way for human kind to survive without hope…love…and courage.  And courage begins with the heart…”cor”. I know that I can no longer sing old litanies…with weaker and weaker voices. Love has to be exercised boldly and demonstrated with courage… if it is to be. If it is to be in this country…this world… love cannot be hidden in secret, in closets. Love has to be visible, conscious and intentional. Love requires work and many times sacrifice. In the struggle for love and the survival of humanity THERE ARE NO ALLIES!!! Indeed there is a lot to unpack about this trial but none of those murdered should be considered allies. They were human beings engaged in the struggle for humanity. 

I will go to sleep at some point tonight...rather...this morning and I will dream of Tamir Rice pitching a ball, or sitting in a dug out thinking about what he'll be when he grows up.