An evening home to rest, I light a candle for those who are out tonight. I am reminded that this is a marathon, not a sprint. As I quietly reflect on the events of this tumultuous week, I am filled with awe and gratitude and at the same time fear and trembling. I have been to no fewer than seven protests in seven days and in each and EVERY one, the leaders have practiced and encouraged legal peaceful (though certainly disruptive) action. But we have been met by an alarming escalation of violence by the police and national guard, with a randomness that itself evokes fear. I have lived happily with the myth that by being law abiding, I will not be hurt by police. My eyes have been opened. When we were tear gassed on Monday, we had been told by the police to move out of the streets and (when we did) they threw the gas onto the sidewalks and parking lots where they had moved us. We laid down in stores and malls and streets, but each and every time the police told us to move we did; still those who didnt move quickly enough were arrested. Still others have been pepper sprayed. This afternoon the police chased a groups of protestors who were (yes) walking on the sidewalk. I have deep admiration for a host of young leaders. And a profound disappointment with what is called law enforcement. I was struck by the irony yesterday that the armed ones felt a need to escort our march by blocking traffic (we were on the sidewalks, the armed ones filled the street). The level of intimidation and violence perpetrated against unarmed civilians of all ages and races is appalling. Tear gas was thrown into a safe-house coffee shop (yes, into the business); Amnesty International observers were pepper sprayed; ministers (with and without identifying orange vests) have been arrested while breaking no laws; fires were started by police and blamed on protestors (we witnessed one); armed militia are stationed throughout the metro area; and the young leaders are inundated with death threats and stalked by police as they move around the city. Violence is very much a part of this experience but in the many hours that Ive spent on the street, Ive seen no violence perpetrated by a protestor. None. When you hear a story of protestor violence on the news or at the water cooler, ask about the storys source. Was the speaker a witness? No doubt there are events that I have not witnessed, but the sheer volume of hours that Ive logged without incident speaks to the character of this movement. Today in church it was spoken that the gospel calls us to stand with the least of these, that the protestors are at the margins and and their work is being maligned. We who claim to follow Jesus are called to stand alongside, to listen, to support. I can be nowhere else. Tonight I rest. Tomorrow we go back out. And you?
Posted on: Mon, 01 Dec 2014 02:24:10 +0000
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