This morning, CBS news compared the protests in response to the grand jury not indicting the police officer, Daniel Pantaleo who killed Eric Garner in New York City and the police officer, Darren Wilson who killed Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO. The comparison pointed out that in New York City, the police force was more prepared to handle the crowd while the protesters were more orderly and nonviolence.
Just how ready are we to deal with such events? For many from historically oppressed communities, our reaction might be – “here we go again; we know this pattern of police brutality had been going for a long time and the justice system doesn't care; when is it ever going to change?” Others might be surprised by the angry reactions – what is this all this about? The police and the grand juries are just doing their jobs. Yet, no one can deny the tension, confrontation, polarization and, in Ferguson, destructions that both of these events caused.
If this is a repeated pattern, why are we continually surprised when it replays itself. I recalled in the Los Angeles Riots in 1992 – violent reactions to the requital of the 5 police officers, who were caught on videotape brutally beating Rodney King. We were surprised then and why are we still surprised now? My answer: we were not prepared and we did not do anything afterward to prepare ourselves, our communities, our justice system, and our law enforcement to be ready. So we are surprised when it happens again.
While I applaud the readiness of the non-violent protesters who were ready to walk the street and speak their truth, I believe that we can do more in this opportune time to prepare ourselves and our communities, so that we are more ready to address this pattern of violence in gracious constructive ways.
One of the reasons why we were not prepared was that many communities did not have well-developed currencies of relationship and truth between law enforcement and the historically oppressed communities. In order to increase our currencies of relationship and truth we need gracious leadership that can bring together the police department and community for constructive truthful dialogue to achieve mutual understanding and trust.
Advent, the 4 weeks before Christmas, is a season of preparedness for Christians as we await the coming of Christ. As the protests, the lawsuits, and the investigations continue, I propose that we bring together leaders in our communities, police departments and justice system to experience truthful dialogue and to learn gracious leadership skills to engage their constituencies to do the same. These kinds of dialogues may help the community to arrive at concrete actions that can move people away from destructive polarizing behaviors to constructive actions that foster wellness. If we want change, we must prepare ourselves to keep alert and act differently next time or we are bound to repeat the same destructive pattern.
Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. (Mark 13:33)
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Upcoming Opportunities to Study with The Sustainist and learn more about Holy Conferencing: January 19-23, 2015 February 13-14, 2015 March 19-24, 2015 April 21-25, 2015 July 20-25, 2015 Register at: www.kscopeinstitute.org |
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Reflection Questions for 2nd Sunday of Advent (Year B) Isaiah 40:1-11 Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13 2 Peter 3:8-15a Mark 1:1-8 |
Eric H. F. Law
Kaleidoscope Institute
For competent leadership in a diverse changing world
www.kscopeinstitute.org
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