Racism is alive and well in the United States. Those who were in denial about it before for one reason or another, must come to grips with this sobering reality post 2016 election. We have not progressed our way out of it as many have eagerly but ignorantly imagined. Nor have we come remotely close …
Continue reading Balancing Act: Facing Reality about Racism and Still Maintaining Hope
The human condition is predicated on the premise that we belong and are needed by others. In order to survive and live life well, we are dependent on the presence and generosity of those who surround us - not only for provision but for meaning, relationship, and warmth as well. Just think about it: in …
Your oppressors forced you to carry a cross, That they fashioned with their own hands That killed your loved ones and would eventually claim you. They made you say, "Father forgive them, they know not what they do" As they mocked and spat upon you, And persisted in nailing you to that beautiful, wretched dogwood. Every word you …
Can we all just get along? If you were around in the early 1990s, you would remember this challenge posed by Rodney King, a black man who was beaten by police officers in Los Angeles. To quell the riots, perhaps, after the officers were acquitted for their level of inhumanity, King exhorted people to learn …
Continue reading Do We Really Want Reconciliation? Or Are We Just Conflict Averse?
Reconciliation is not about keeping peace but making peace. And in order to make peace, one has to be willing to put themselves in situations that are uncomfortable, messy and seemingly chaotic. These situations will cause you to confront the very reasons why peace is not present, something that is usually tied to the absence …
Yesterday, Mother Emanuel AME reopened its doors after experiencing such a traumatic ordeal Wednesday evening. The congregation lost nine precious souls that evening - Rev. Clementa Pinckney, Cynthia Hurd, Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, Tywanza Sanders, Myra Thompson, Ethel Lee Lance, Susie Jackson, Daniel L. Simmons, and Depayne Middleton Doctor - when a white male opened fire aiming …
Continue reading Forgiveness and the State of White Supremacy in America
Ebony Johanna 