Black Lives Matter

Let me begin by saying this.

I am white. I am a middle-aged man. I did not grow up around blacks. I think in all my years of public schooling, I had one African-American schoolmate. Maybe two.

That's not how I wanted it. But I also did not want to grow up in the suburbia in which I did. I longed to be in a school with a much more culturally diversified student body. In a bigger city. Or at least in a more racially diverse section of town.

After high school, I attended the University of Nebraska for two years. While there, I had more exposure to African-Americans, but most people in my dorms and classes were white.

Fast forward to 2015. After the deaths of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown and the public protests and unrest regarding them, I began seeing the phrase Black Lives Matter on social media. I sympathized with the protestors. I sensed that blacks were being singled out by governmental bodies such as the police. I had heard of racial profiling since the '90s, and it, unfortunately, rang true African-Americans would be targeted for pull-overs and searches based on only one thing - their race - by police.

Even though I felt sympathy for blacks and knew they were still, some fifty-plus years after desegregation, being treated unfairly by not only police but American society as a whole, I failed to understand the full meaning of Black Lives Matter. One problem is that I have some family members and friends who also do not understand this phrase.

Once Black Lives Matter began gaining traction online and became more visible to whites like me, there was a certain pushback by some with the phrase All Lives Matter. And while that phrase isn't wrong in and of itself, using that phrase is still insensitive.

Now, let me be clear. I am a Christian. Or how I like to put it is that I am "a Jesus follower." And it pains me that many responding to Black Lives Matter with All Lives Matter also describe themselves as Christian. Their thinking for using that phrase is this: all people are precious in God's sight (even racists, for example, though He does not condone racism).

For a long while, I was conflicted about where to land on this. Then, a year or so ago, I read something that convinced me to fully embrace Black Lives Matter. I don't remember when and where, or who wrote it, but the thought is this: To respond to Black Lives Matter with All Lives Matter is to turn a deaf ear to and be complicit with the systematic racism perpetrated upon black people in this country for the last 400 years.

After reading that, I felt a conviction I am not proud of. I felt ashamed I did not get behind or fully understand the meaning of Black Lives Matter sooner. It seems pretty obvious today, doesn't it? When people say "Black Lives Matter," they aren't saying that just black lives matter.

All lives DO matter to God. That's why he sent Jesus to walk the earth as a human and put him on the cross to pay the penalty for sin that humans cannot. Those that matter to God? Murderers, country club presidents, city council members, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Christians, atheists, Islamists, Hindus, Sikhs, Arabs, Asians, gays, lesbians, presidents of countries, abusers, rapists, drug users, Hall of Fame inductees, alcoholics, sports heroes, on and on and on. The blood flowing in your veins and mine, and through all the other 7.8 billion people on earth IS precious to God. That's why He sent his Son to have his spilled for mankind. But when this fact is expressed with "All lives matter," it doesn't give credence to the unfortunate truth that in America, the people in the most danger of losing their lives are black.

George Floyd

George Floyd's death at the hands of a police officer sent, in my opinion, reverberations through America that will change it. Unless you've been living under a rock, you know George Floyd died from a knee placed on his neck for eight minutes and forty-six seconds by a Minneapolis police officer. Floyd's death made even more tragic as he pleads for his life, saying he can't breathe while three other officers at the scene do not say a word to Floyd's assailant. There is even an air of nonchalance. Watching the video brings tears.

All four officers should have not only been fired but should have had charges brought against them at the outset. It's sad it took a public outcry for charges to be filed against the three other officers. And now the Minneapolis City Council is rethinking the roles and power given to their police force.

In my own community of Omaha, NE, during protests on May 30, 2020 in response to Floyd’s death, there was a young African-American who died at the hands of a white man. James Scurlock was shot and killed by Jake Gardner, a downtown bar owner. Gardner is a known racist. The county attorney chose not to press charges after reviewing video of the incident, but now backs calling a Grand Jury. Gardner has been evicted from both places of business that he ran.

On Sunday, June 7, my daughters selected a church service in Tulsa, OK (Transformation Church) to stream at home rather than our regular local services (video is below). Led by Pastor Michael Todd, Transformation Church chose to hold a roundtable on race rather than hold a regular service. Mike said something during the roundtable that really struck me: The tragic events of 2020 can usher in an era of racial reconciliation. And I am all for that. I would rather be part of the solution than complicit with the problem. I, for one, am tired of hearing about senseless deaths of members of the African-American community. I would like them to stop happening.

I hope you feel the same.