Last Monday, we witnessed Ferguson and other parts of the country descend into chaos following a grand jury’s decision not to indict officer Darren Wilson for the killing of Michael Brown.
The decision has once again sparked passionate debates on all sides about the growing racial divide, exacerbated by a string of high profile cases of young black lives being extinguished at the hands of white police officers.
In hearing many of these debates and the various points of view, one thing is clear: our arguments, our points of view, and our cherished opinions fall short. Nobody wins.
We instinctively understand that America is struggling with a legacy that is much bigger than the particulars of what happened in Ferguson, as important as they are. We understand that the history of slavery and institutional racism casts a long shadow. This history bedevils us no matter how much we try to convince ourselves and others that we live in a “post-racial” society.
If we face this uncomfortable reality openly and honestly, we quickly realize how vulnerable we are as a people. Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness can quickly cloud our minds and hearts.
So, where do we find hope?
In love.
I know. Love is the last thing we think of when we see riots in the streets. Love is the last thing on our minds when we see heated exchanges on political talk shows or when we ourselves get caught up in shouting matches. Love is the last thing on our minds when we feel threatened.
But we must.
We must love courageously in order to become light in a dark world. We must begin to treat the “other” as we would ourselves or those we love most. This radical love requires us to see what the “other” sees, to feel what the “other” feels. It requires us to become one.
May the words of Maya Angelou inspire us on this path to courageous love:
Touched by an Angel
We, unaccustomed to courage
exiles from delight
live coiled in shells of loneliness
until love leaves its high holy temple
and comes into our sight
to liberate us into life.
Love arrives
and in its train come ecstasies
old memories of pleasure
ancient histories of pain.
Yet if we are bold,
love strikes away the chains of fear
from our souls.
We are weaned from our timidity
In the flush of love’s light
we dare be brave
And suddenly we see
that love costs all we are
and will ever be.
Yet it is only love
which sets us free.
Published: Mon, 01 Dec 2014 13:11:12 +0000 by c.george