Attempting to Understand Racial Injustice
It seemed impossible only a few weeks ago that anything could shift Covid-19 from the front pages of the news. But almost overnight the tragically unjust killing of George Floyd and the outpouring of emotion that followed has flipped the headlines. As is the way in 2020, of the millions of words penned, it will be a few soundbites, hashtags and well-chosen images that shape our thoughts, feelings and memories of it. The cry “I can’t breathe”; the fallen statues; the flashing camera lights and crying widows; the funerals and the epitaphs. Many flood our feeds right now but over time they will be filtered down to just a few.
One image captured my attention above all the others.
I don’t know if it will make the cut historically but, as far as I’m concerned, it’s the most significant thing I’ve seen. I hope it goes on to shape the story. The image I refer to is the one above, where Black Lives Matter demonstrator Patrick Hutchinson carries a counter protester away from trouble. I can’t speak for the values of the BLM campaign, nor the character of Mr Hutchinson; I don’t know enough. But I recognise what’s going on in the moment; it’s a glimpse of the best of us.
I’d love to write about racial injustice. I sat down at the computer with bold intentions to pen something meaningful and helpful; something to make me look clever or really caring. I scratched my head ‘til it got sore; I did much scribbling and throwing away. But the truth is, I have nowhere near the breadth of historical knowledge, nor the cultural empathy necessary to write anything of note.
But I couldn’t do nothing. It’s desperately important that we think about this stuff; essential that we broaden our understanding, not close our minds and assume we know, as I’m sure we don’t. It’s important that we spend time thinking about what it’s like to be in someone else’s shoes and how we ended up in the shoes we’re in.
So I point you here, to people with bigger brains and more empathy:
- For a thoughtful consideration of why you may be a bit more prejudiced than you realise, check out Tim Keller’s talk Racism and Corporate Evil: A White Guy’s Perspective
- For an honest and personal perspective, George Floyd and Me by Christian hip-hop artist Shai Linne gives an eye-opening insight into what it’s like to be a black man in a Western society.
As for my offering, until more wisdom comes, here’s an ode to Hutchinson’s moment. I hope it shapes your thoughts on the story.
I don’t know you, I don’t stand in your shoes,
All the kids were my colour when I went to school,
Being out late never made me a threat,
I only ever got stopped for a road tax check.I don’t know you, but your heart is familiar,
The battle you’re born to isn’t all that defines you,
Stopping to lift up the ones that are weak,
On the opposite side of the road, so to speak.For a good man someone might dare to die,
But it takes more to shift human eyes,
The Good Samaritan who offers his mule,
Like Hutchinson’s strong arm shows a ‘golden rule’.Jesus is born a Jew in a battle,
With slave songs to sing, Roman cages to rattle,
Chosen as leader by amassed angry nation,
But that’s not the image we see, that was never his station.He stops on his march to care for the sick,
Stops to eat with rich thieves and the poorest addicts,
So at the end of his race, cause he stooped so low, so often,
Folk from all sides would say, He can never be forgotten.I don’t know you, don’t know if your actions changed views,
Don’t know if your adversary is thankful or laughing at you,
But I’m thankful you stopped, cause we needed to see,
Actions of forgiveness start the road to real equality.I don’t know you but you remind me of someone
Ash Gibson, Pastor, Christchurch Xscape
