By Christopher Young,
Contributing Writer,
In a January 8, 2022, episode of Bonnie Boswell Presents, recently rebroadcast on PBS, the acclaimed producer/reporter and graduate of Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, hosted a conversation with Reverend James Lawson and attorney Bryan Stevenson. To watch and listen to the interplay between these three giants in their respective fields felt like a gift, buoying me in a period of melancholy. (Take 30 minutes to see the entire episode at https://weta.org/watch/shows/bonnie-boswell-presents-conversation-pastor-james-lawson-and-attorney-bryan-stevenson.)
Their discourse encapsulated this country’s ongoing struggle with racism and poverty, and how fixated we become on little things to disagree on, rather than embracing each other in our humanness and love. It was utter truth, without a morsel of anger or hatefulness, from deeply knowledgeable professionals who breathe justice and equity for all.
Boswell framed the period following George Floyd’s murder as a time in our country when people said, “enough, what can I do?”
Reverend Lawson, activist, university professor and pastor, shared, “We have millions of people who think that white civilization is the hope of the human family and that it is being threatened now by the increasing visibility of the Asian, Hispanic and Black people, in many ways, have allowed their humanity to be deformed. I maintain that there are four historic streams in America that have taught many many people the spiritual poisons that hurt us today: racism, sexism, violence and plantation capitalism. All four of these have a common theme –that I’m superior and you are worthy of my mistreatment.”
Attorney Stevenson – founder of Equal Justice Institute – said in part, “I believe that the opposite of poverty isn’t wealth. I believe the opposite of poverty is justice. We don’t want to just see banks do better with regard to diversity, equity and inclusion – we want to see banks actually repair the damage that has been done by denying equity and loans and resources to poor and minority communities. I don’t know why every African American isn’t automatically registered to vote in Alabama when they become of age. It’s a thing that we could do that would show a commitment to repairing a century and a half of disenfranchisement. And instead of making that commitment we have just found new ways to create barriers to voter registration for Black folks, and then we say, oh, it’s not about racism. We act as if it’s not connected to history…we haven’t had the discussion of what we need to do to repair the damage created by systems of impoverishment and devaluation.”
Host Bonnie Boswell spoke of the importance of the preamble of the Declaration of Independence, “We the people, need to stop falling for the distractions, the divide and conquer okey doke. It starts by appreciating how much we humans have in common with each other. 99% of our DNA is literally the same as the person sitting in front of us or across town from us. The 1% difference is to be celebrated.”
So, what is it that makes our society, that is so genetically alike, focus on differences? Is it greed, insecurity, hatred, constantly comparing ourselves to others on a spectrum of achievement, need for some form of validation? Is it fear? It’s a poison that continues to cause irreparable harm, pain, devastation, erosion of the human spirit and death. As Reverend Lawson said, there is a common theme – I’m superior and you are worthy of my mistreatment.
Just a few days ago, speaking at Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, where the white supremacist Dylan Roof murdered nine members at a Bible study on June 17, 2015, President Biden labeled the poison. “On that day the Word of God was pierced by bullets of hate and rage, propelled by not just gunpowder, but by poison, poison that has for too long haunted this nation.” What is that poison, he asked – “white supremacy – a poison throughout our history…”
What can we do? Despite being and feeling rightfully worn down, battered and tired from lifetimes of maltreatment, we must continue to stand. We can continue to pray, focus on providing for our families, teach our children what has helped us and what hasn’t, reach out to our neighbors and civil rights organizations for support and contribute, resolve to do something each week that lifts up a sister or brother – never find fault with each other, run for an elected office – help us improve representation, call out inequity at every opportunity and enlist others to help call it out, and embody, in your own way, aligning your path with the Lord’s path.
We must keep the dialogue open and participate in the dialogue of change and the pursuit of justice.
Be the first to comment