Dear ones,
Last night was a tragic night in the ongoing struggle for racial
justice in our beloved country. The acquittal of George Zimmerman, in the
shooting death of Trayvon Martin, left many beyond articulation but clear in
emotions of outrage, despair & sadness. For many in the community of
color, fear. For many in the dominant culture, shame. Since last night, texts,
facebook messages, tweets and emails have poured in, each providing one more
piece of trying to put words to this point of time in our journey. Some
focus on the jury - how could it be allowed? A jury that was nearly
all-white? Others on the racism inherent in the entire incident, recalling that
it took a nationwide protest to get the shooter arrested at all? Others
still, mostly all of color, register their lack of surprise, noting on the arc
of their own lived experience this stands as simply one more piece of being
targeted, harmed and harmed again by an unjust system. And yet. And
yet, those are also the voices of hope that call us all to the work of
understanding racism as something so embedded in our dominant culture it can
lead to none other than fear-based laws like 'stand-your-ground,' profiling
people who are 'other' and a justice system that benefits financially from the
continued incarceration of people of color and at the same time provides a
different level of justice for the same population. From an accurate
analysis of our system, this is exactly the verdict we should expect. And
yet. And yet, those among us who on this night will worry until their
young are back home, worry as they drive their cars through upscale
neighborhoods and see flashing blue lights approaching, note with dismay the
extra attention inside of the retail store, wonder --- what of this do I share
with my child tonight? ............................ they lead us with strength
of purpose and hope, to say, the work continues. For those of you who are
most impacted by this event because you are a member of the community of color,
or other at-risk identity group, I offer my prayers and sorrow that our world
is not yet the world we profess to seek as a people of conscience and faith.
I pledge to you that my head, heart and hands will not waiver in the
journey. For those of you, who
like me, live within the privilege of the dominant Euro-American white culture,
I applaud the efforts of those who are already well on the journey of
understanding how 'white privilege' operates in our daily lives and societal
systems and invite you in to an intentional expansion of our efforts to
educate ourselves, each other toward the end of working in effective,
increasingly powerful and dear creation, I pray, transformational work.
And with gratitude to a
dear friend from Atlanta, I offer the reminder that anger toward the shooter,
the lawyers and/or the jury, feed the less-best-selves within us and our task
is so grand, we need our whole spirits engaged on the promise of a better
tomorrow. Let our prayer of today be a re-commitment to a future in which
we share equally the justice so many of us take for granted.
Yours on the journey ~
Rev. Wendy von Zirpolo
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