Addendum to this article: I first wrote this article after viewing the video of Officer Ray Tensing shooting and killing Sam Dubose at point blank range. It’s title was “Dear White Police Officers, Please Stop Murdering Black Men.” My emotions flared at such on obvious case of black lives not mattering and how if it weren’t for body cameras, yet another white police officer’s word would be taken as dogma and he’d be let off the hook for murdering a black man, off the hook to go murder more. My post was not balanced and it unintentionally threw all white police officers under the bus, as if they were all like Ray Tensing. As far as the progression of the article, it began with very little to say positively about the many good police officers that are out there. After readers pointed this out in the comment section, I went back and added in and emphasized good things about the good police officers who are out there. It was too little too late from me. I want to thank my readers for helping me see this (you can read the comment progression in the comment section of this post) and I also want to apologize for white police officers that I disrespected. This has been a very helpful journey for me as a writer and a learner. Emotions are tricky and mine got the best of me. My first title was inappropriate and inaccurate. I posted a new article that talks about the need for balance when it comes to race issues, which you can read here. Trying to find balance is never an exact science and we all can do better at finding it. Thank you to my readers who showed me truth and grace in helping me find mine.
A black friend of mine frequently has his Facebook profile display text that reads:
I hope I don’t get killed for being black today.
Stories like Ferguson pop up and most whites reply with, “Yeah but, Michael Brown was doing something illegal…and maybe the cop’s life really was in danger.”
12-year-old Tamir Rice is shot and killed by police officers because he had a toy gun and most reply with, “Yeah but it really looked like a real gun, I could see how the cops felt like their life was in danger.”
How will these white people explain the murder of 43-year-old Sam Dubose in Cincinnati last week?
An unarmed man is shot in the head at point blank range.
And it’s all on video.
Along with the lies the white police officer tells the other police officer about what happened. The gore is edited out; you need to watch this video:
So maybe all of those black people weren’t making up all of those stories for all of these years?
This is exactly why all police forces need to have body cameras. So the truth can be seen by white people and black people’s stories can be believed. So the villain cops who are out there can be held accountable–since up until now every lie they say to explain their actions has been taken as truth in courts and by white society. “They can’t be lying, they’re cops!” has been the mantra up to this point. And also, please hear me on this: to protect the good and honest cops who are out there! Think of how different Ferguson would have been had there been a body camera. We will never know if Michael Brown truly tried grabbing Ferguson officer Darren Wilson’s gun from his holster or not, or if Wilson just got trigger happy like Officer Tensing does in this video. There are tons of awesome cops out there, and everyone of them should lobby for a body camera so they have footage protect themselves in court (and the court of public opinion) when they truly have been defending themselves in the line of duty.
How many times have you driven around without your license on you? I’ve done it plenty of times, sometimes accidentally, sometimes on purpose if I’m just making a quick trip.
Never have I thought this would cause me to get shot in the head by police. And why should I? I’m white.
Not all police officers are villains, but this video of officer Ray Tensing shows that some are. And it shows that there is some sort of automatic response that’s been engrained into police officers: 1. See black men, 2. Fear for your life, 3. Shoot to kill.
Just like there are villain pastors out there abusing people, though certainly not all of us are that way, there are villain police officers. Just like pastors like myself need to stand up against these villain pastors and defend those being abused, police forces and the white community need to join arms with the black community and defend those legitimately living in fear for their lives and the lives of their children every day.
I’m not calling out police officers. I’m calling on police officers to get behind the #BlackLivesMatter movement, to retweet and repost blogs like this one, and to be vocal and intentional about reversing the tide within their profession.
I’m calling on the Church to be the Church and to follow the whole Bible, not just the parts that are convenient.
Unarmed black men being murdered by police is unjust.
It breaks God’s heart.
And he’s called his Church to do something about it:
Amos 5:21 “I hate, I despise your religious festivals;
your assemblies are a stench to me.
22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them.
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
I will have no regard for them.
23 Away with the noise of your songs!
I will not listen to the music of your harps.
24 But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream!
#BlackLivesMatter
He is:
Author of Beyond the Battle: A man's guide to his identity in Christ in an oversexualized world
Host of the The Flip Side Podcast
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Dear pastor, police lives matter even though there’s no popular movement supporting them. The list below are some of the black and white officers who have died this year in the line of duty. Take a few minutes to read their stories and realize they put their lives on the line so that the rest of us have safety. Maybe you’ll hear their hope that they won’t be killed today because they are police officers, even though you won’t see it on Facebook. Unarmed black men being murdered by police is unjust, so is the murder of police. Just asking for balance, that their courage and sacrifice is worth mentioning. They had families too.
Police Officer Sean Bolton was shot and killed August 1st when he interrupted a drug deal near the intersection of Cottonwood Road and Perkins Road at approximately 9:15 pm. Officer Bolton observed an illegally parked vehicle near the intersection occupied by multiple people. As he approached it he was shot several times by one of the occupants of the vehicle, who then fled the scene and remains at large. A citizen used Officer Bolton’s radio to call for assistance after he was shot.He was transported to Regional Medical Center where he succumbed to his wounds. Officer Bolton was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. He had served with the Memphis Police Department since October 2010.
Sergeant Scott Lunger was shot and killed July 22nd while conducting a traffic stop near the intersection of Myrtle Street and Lyon Street at approximately 3:15 am. Sergeant Lunger observed a vehicle driving erratically. He conducted a vehicle stop with the assistance of a second unit. As Sergeant Lunger and the officer approached the vehicle, an occupant opened fire, killing Sergeant Lunger. The other officer on scene returned fire as the vehicle fled. The subject vehicle was found abandoned a short time later. The wounded subject was located and taken into custody. Sergeant Lunger had served with the Hayward Police Department for 15 years. He is survived by his two daughters.
Corrections Officer Timothy Davison was beaten to death July 15th by an inmate in the Telford Unit in Bowie County. He was escorting an inmate from a dayroom to his cell when the man attacked him with an iron bar used to open slots in cell doors, inflicting serious injuries. Officer Davison was flown to a hospital in Texarkana where he succumbed to his injuries a short time later. The inmate who attacked him was serving a life sentence for robbery and aggravated assault. He also had several convictions for assaulting corrections officers. The inmate was subdued by other officers. Officer Davison had served with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for only eight months. He is survived by his two children.
Sergeant Chris Kelley was struck and killed June 24th by a subject who had just stolen a patrol car following a struggle as officers attempted to arrest him. The subject had fled on foot after officers attempted to make a traffic stop on Herrera Trail at approximately 10:00 am. The man ran over a fire hydrant and then fled on foot. Sergeant Kelley located the man and began to struggle with him. The subject broke free, entered an unmarked patrol vehicle, and tried to drive away. He struck Sergeant Kelley and dragged him a short distance as he continued to flee. The subject was arrested a short time later. Sergeant Kelley was a U.S. Air Force veteran and had served with the Hutto Police Department for 11 years and was assigned as the Criminal Investigations Supervisor. He is survived by his wife and two young children.
Police Officer Daryle Holloway was shot and killed June 20th while transporting a prisoner to the Central Lockup at approximately 8:00 am. The prisoner had been arrested by a previous shift for aggravated assault for firing one shot at a woman with a .40 caliber handgun. Responding officers located a .38 caliber handgun owned by the woman and one .40 caliber shell casing, but did not locate the .40 caliber handgun. The subject was arrested and transported to the police station for questioning. Officer Holloway was requested to transport the subject to Central Lockup following the interviews. The subject had been handcuffed behind his back but managed to maneuver his arms to the front of his body. He then produced the .40 caliber handgun he had kept concealed on his person, crawled through the vehicle’s partition, and began struggling with Officer Holloway. Officer Holloway was shot during the ensuing struggle, causing his vehicle to crash into a utility pole near the intersection of North Claiborne Avenue and Elysian Fields Avenue. Officer Holloway had served with the New Orleans Police Department for 22 years and was assigned to the 5th District.
Police Officer Sonny Kim was shot and killed June 19th after responding to a 911 call at a home near the intersection of Roe Street and Whetsel Avenue at approximately 9:30 am. The caller stated a man was walking on the sidewalk at that location with a gun in his waistband and acting belligerent. Officer Kim was the first officer to arrive at the location and was approached by the subject who made the 911 call. The man immediately opened fire on Officer Kim, wounding him. He then struggled with Officer Kim and disarmed him. The man then used Officer Kim’s gun to shoot at a Hamilton County probation officer and a second Cincinnati police officer who responded to the scene. The second officer returned fire, fatally wounding the subject. Responding officers performed CPR on Officer Kim until medics arrived and transported him to the hospital. He succumbed to his wounds a short time later. It was later determined that the subject had intended to commit suicide by cop. Officer Kim had served with the Cincinnati Police Department for 27 years. He is survived by his wife and three sons.
Police Officer Rick Silva died June 18th while undergoing surgery to correct a duty related injury suffer sustained in February 2015 while attempting to arrest a shoplifting suspect. The offender, who was armed with a knife, resisted arrest. During the ensuing struggle Officer Silva injured his hip in the same location in which he had suffered a previous duty injury. The second injury required him to undergo surgery. Officer Silva had served with the Chehalis Police Department for 13 years and had previously served with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office for 12 years.
Officer Nigel Benner was shot and killed May 25th while making a traffic stop near the intersection of Pinetree Road and Southern Road at approximately 8:15 pm. Officer Benner was about to go off-duty when he spotted a vehicle driving in an erratic manner. Inside that vehicle was a female driver and her boyfriend. The two were driving around Rio Rancho looking for a home to burglarize. When Officer Benner activated his light, the vehicle stopped. Officer Benner approached and began to speak with the female driver. He obtained identification from her, and the passenger provided false identification information to Officer Benner. After conducting a computer check, Officer Benner returned to the suspects vehicle to question them further, but the suspects fled in the vehicle. Officer Benner pursued the vehicle for a short distance before the passenger shot his girlfriend in the foot, and pushed her from the vehicle. Officer Benner stopped to check on her wellbeing, and then continued to pursue the suspect. A short distance away, the suspect shot Officer Benner several times. Wounded, Officer Benner walked back toward the female and asked “What was his name?”, before collapsing. Officer Benner was transported to UNM Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds. The female suspect was arrested at the scene. The male suspect was arrested later that night after robbing a gas station at gunpoint. Officer Benner was a U.S. Air Force veteran and had served with the Rio Rancho Police Department for four years. He is survived by his wife, two children, and three stepchildren.
Patrolman James Bennett was shot and killed May 24th from ambush while working an overtime detail at a construction site of the Guste Homes Public Housing Complex. Patrolman Bennett was patrolling a site where homes were being built when he was shot and killed by an unknown person. Patrolman Bennett’s patrol car was found crashed near the intersection of Erato Street and Freret Street shortly after 7:00 am. Responding Officers found Patrolman Bennett inside the patrol car fatally wounded. Patrolman Bennett had served with the Housing Authority of New Orleans Police Department for two years and had previously served with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office for 13 years.
Trooper Taylor Thyfault was struck and killed May 23rd by a vehicle that was fleeing from other officers. Trooper Thyfault was riding along with a trooper as part of his required training and was at the scene of an unrelated vehicle crash on Colorado Highway 66, near Weld County Road 1. As they conducted their accident investigation, a vehicle pursuit approached their location. The trooper and Trooper Thyfault were deploying stop sticks when the offender swerved struck both of them with his vehicle. Trooper Thyfault was killed and the trooper was critically injured. The driver of the vehicle was apprehended near the scene. Trooper Thyfault was a U.S. Army veteran and had served with the Colorado State Patrol for several weeks. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Trooper from the rank of Cadet.
Detective Kerrie Orozco was shot and killed May 20th as she and other members of the Metro Area Fugitive Task Force attempted to serve a warrant on a man wanted for a shooting in September 2014. The subject opened fire on the officers as they approached a home near the intersection of Read Street and Martin Avenue. Members of the task force returned fire, fatally wounding the man. Detective Orozco was transported to Creighton University Medical Center where she succumbed to her wounds. Detective Orozco had served with the Omaha Police Department for seven years. She is survived by her husband, newborn daughter, and two stepchildren.
Officer Richard Martin was intentionally struck and killed May 18th by a vehicle as he set up spike strips at the intersection of N Kirkwood Road and St. Mary’s Lane during a vehicle pursuit at approximately 2:30 am. Officers from the Houston Police Department were pursing the U-Haul van after it had been carjacked in North Houston. The driver of the vehicle fired several shots at officers during the pursuit before bailing out, carjacking a second vehicle, and fleeing again. Officer Martin was in the process of deploying spike strips when the driver intentionally struck him with the stolen vehicle. The vehicle continued to flee until stopping on the 45 North Freeway. The subject attempted to commit suicide by shooting himself as officers initiated a felony traffic stop. The man was transported to a local hospital where he later died. Officer Martin had served with the Houston Police Department for four years. He is survived by his two children.
Reserve Deputy Sonny Smith was shot and killed May 15th as he and other deputies searched for a burglary suspect in the area of County Road 1723 at approximately 2:30 am. He located the subject hiding in a wooded area and pursued him on foot. During the pursuit the man opened fire with a .22 caliber handgun, striking Deputy Smith in the neck. Despite the wound, Deputy Smith returned fire and wounded the subject. The man was then taken into custody. Deputy Smith was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his wounds. Deputy Smith was a U.S. Navy veteran and had served with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office for 11 years. He is survived by his wife and four children.
Police Officers Benjamin Deen and Liqori Tate were shot and killed May 9th while making a traffic stop of a vehicle occupied by three subjects near the intersection of 4th Street and Gordon Street in downtown Hattiesburg. One of the subjects stole the patrol car after both officers were shot. All three occupants of the vehicle, two brothers and a female, were apprehended later in the night. One of the brothers and the female were charged with two counts of capital murder. The second brother was charged with accessory after the fact to capital murder. A fourth individual was charged with obstruction of justice in connection with the case. Officer Deen had served with the Hattiesburg Police Department for six years. He is survived by his wife and two children.
Sergeant Greg Moore was shot and killed May 5th after stopping a suspicious male. Sergeant Moore was patrolling in the area of Wilbur Avenue and Joanna Drive in response to a several car break-ins that had taken place in the area. At 1:30 am he stopped a suspicious male and radioed the man’s information in, but made no further radio contact. A citizen heard gunshots, found Sergeant Moore in the street, and called the police. After the shooting the subject stole Sergeant Moore’s patrol car and fled the location. An officer spotted the stolen patrol car in the town of Post Falls, and initiated a pursuit. The suspect eventually fled on foot and was eventually found in a parking lot, hiding under a car, and taken into custody. Sergeant Moore was taken to a local hospital where he died several hours later from his wounds. Sergeant Moore had served with the Coeur d’Alene Police Department for 14 years. He is survived by his wife and two children.
Police Officer Brian Moore succumbed to a gunshot wound May 4th sustained two days earlier when he attempted to question a suspicious person in Queens. Officer Moore and his partner were assigned to a plainclothes Anti-Crime Unit and on patrol in an unmarked car when they observed a male walking on a sidewalk and adjusting an object in his waistband. The officers pulled alongside the subject and asked him what he was carrying. The subject responded by pulling out a handgun and opening fire into the vehicle, striking Officer Moore in the face. Officer Moore was transported to a Jamaica Hospital where he remained unconscious until passing away two days later. The subject was identified by several witnesses and was arrested at his home shortly afterwards. He was subsequently charged with murder, attempted murder, and 10 other charges. Police Officer Moore had served with the New York City Police Department for 5 years and was assigned to the 105th Precinct Anti-Crime Unit. At his funeral Officer Moore was posthumously promoted to Detective by Police Commissioner William Bratton.
Trooper Trevor Casper was shot and killed March 24th in Fond du Lac while attempting to apprehend a bank robbery and murder suspect at approximately 5:30 pm. The subject was believed to have robbed a bank in Wausaukee approximately four hours earlier. Approximately one hour after the bank robbery the suspect abandoned the vehicle he was driving, murdered a citizen, and stole a second vehicle in Marinette County. Trooper Casper located the second vehicle as it was being driven through Fond du Lac and began following it. He was directing other officers to their location when the man pulled into a grocery store parking lot and stopped. The man exchanged shots with the responding officers and Trooper Casper was fatally shot. The subject was also shot and killed by return fire. Trooper Casper had graduated from the police academy only three months prior to the incident and was on his first shift after being cut loose from field training. He is survived by his parents and two sisters.
Police Officer Michael Johnson was shot and killed March 24th as he and other officers responded to a suicide threat at an apartment in the 2600 block of Senter Road shortly after 6:40 pm. A friend of the subject in the apartment had called police and stated the man was drunk and was possibly having thoughts of hurting himself. As officers approached the building the man stepped onto the balcony and opened fire without warning, fatally wounding Officer Johnson. Other officers returned fire and provided aid to Officer Johnson. The subject was found dead on his balcony at approximately 3:30 am after the SWAT team’s robot made entry into the apartment. Officer Johnson had served with the San Jose Police Department for 14 years.
Police Officer Alex Yazzie was shot and killed March 19th near Red Valley, Arizona, while pursuing a subject who had shot at another officer who had responded to a domestic violence call in Little Water Trading Post, New Mexico, shortly after 4:00 pm. The initial call involved a report of a barricade situation in which a subject armed with an AR-15 rifle was holding his family hostage. The man opened fired on responding officers and then fled across state lines into Arizona, approximately 29 miles away. The man opened fire on officers a second time after they located him in Red Valley at approximately 10:30 pm. Officer Yazzie was fatally shot and two other officers were wounded during the shootout. The suspect was also killed during the gunfight. Officer Yazzie was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Navajo Division of Public Safety for 14 years.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Josie Wells was shot and killed March 10th as he and other members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force attempted to serve an arrest warrant on a double-murder suspect at the Elm Grove Motel in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Shots were exchanged as the team attempted to take the man into custody and Deputy Wells was struck. He was transported to a local hospital by another deputy marshal but succumbed to his wounds a short time later. The subject was shot multiple times and died the following day. Deputy Marshal Wells had served with the United States Marshals Service for four years and was assigned to the Southern District Office in Mississippi. He is survived by his expectant wife, parents, three brothers, and four sisters. His father and three brothers are all law enforcement officers.
Police Officer Robert Wilson was shot and killed March 5th when he and his partner interrupted a robbery at a video game store at 2101 West Lehigh Avenue at approximately 4:45 pm. The officers were conducting a security check of the businesses in the strip mall and had parked in front of the store. Officer Wilson went into the store to conduct the security check and to buy a video game for one of his sons. While he was inside two brothers entered the store and announced a robbery, not noticing Officer Wilson’s presence or the patrol car parked out front. Officer Wilson immediately announced himself. He exchanged shots with the two brothers as he drew fire away from the customers and employees. He was struck three times during the shootout in which over 50 shots were fired. The two men then exited the store where they were engaged in a shootout with Officer Wilson’s partner, who had remained in the patrol car. One of the subjects was wounded during the second shootout. Both men were arrested and charged with Officer Wilson’s murder. One of the brothers was on parole for robbery at the time and both had extensive criminal histories. Officer Wilson had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for eight years. He is survived by his wife and two young sons.
Detective Terence Green was shot and killed March 4th from ambush as he and other officers responded to reports of shots fired inside a house near the intersection of Chastain Way and Parks Trail at approximately 1:00 am. The subject who lived in the home was known to police through frequent contacts with the department. Responding officers were unable to locate him inside the home and began searching the neighborhood after receiving additional calls stating the man was attempting to get into nearby homes. As officers checked the area the man opened fire on them from a concealed position in the dark and fog. Detective Green was struck in the back of the head and another officer’s duty belt and radio was struck as they attempted to seek cover. Other officers returned fired, wounding the man, and then took him into custody. Detective Green was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds a short time later. Detective Green had served with the Fulton County Police Department for 22 years. He is survived by his wife, four sons, parents, and brother.
Like Pastor Noah said, not all cops are villains and their lives are just as precious and just as important. The problem we’re seeing is more and more unarmed black people are being killed for simple traffic stops, non violent crimes, and sometimes for no reason. Whereas I have seen too many stories of armed white men brandishing weapons, firing at cops, and even murdering groups of people and simply being arrested and taken into custody. Why are they being handled differently. Well black people are immidiately seen as a threat before they even doing anything wrong. This isn’t about attacking cops are even about leaving cops defenseless. Its about investigating why people of color are being targeted and maybe filtering out racist police officers. Police are here to Protect and to Serve all Americans. Not to be judge, jury, and executioner of potential and assumed threats.
Dear Noah,
If I were to write a blog post, it would begin with, “Please stop headlining something in such simple terms as black and white on a subject that both ends of the spectrum (everything from Mother Jones to The Blaze to USAToday) readily acknowledge there is not good data from which to draw clear conclusions (even using BJS, CDC, and FBI data–a problem in and of itself).” “What’s there is crappy data,” said David A. Klinger, a former police officer and criminal justice professor at the University of Missouri who studies police use of force.” Instead, how about Christ followers say, “Dear Law-Breakers, Of All Kinds, (and that would include all of us), you need Jesus’s forgiveness and lordship in your life.”
When ANY person in a position of authority abuses that authority, that is WRONG. Is there a problem with police abuse of authority? Yes, in some places, with some officers, there is a significant problem with that, and any honest officer will tell you that it exists, and it exists across people groups. Honest officers will also tell you that they fully support the removal of such evil amongst their ranks. Dealing with that kind of evil from the ‘inside’ only makes a difficult job all the more challenging.
Racism is wrong. It needs called out. But it needs called out in honesty. I have appreciated some of the honest ways you have done that in previous posts to the Church, to examine the ways that racism creeps in, ways that people might not consider, without being challenged on the issue. You have demonstrated in many realms (not just on the subject of race) that you are willing to be self-examinative, and in so doing, you have challenged me in multiple areas, and I appreciate that.
But while you make some vitally important points in this article, this headline is deceptive, untrue, and harmful against those integritous officers, white, black, or otherwise, who are daily doing the difficult work of having to confront those doing wrong, whether from without or within. (And make no mistake–those striving for right are the majority. We don’t have headlines for the millions of people who do their job correctly, faithfully, and well across the myriad options of professions available in this country–only for those who do not, most particularly, if they do not in a sensational manner.)
You make the point in your article that not all pastors are villains, and that those who are not, should call out those who are, should protect the victims of these evil men. Yes! But do you write articles that say, “Dear American Pastors, Please Stop Molesting Children”, or do you recognize the inaccuracy of lumping the hundreds of thousands of pastors who take action against abuse, in with the significantly smaller number of abusers? Do you hate the abuse of children enough WHEREVER it may occur, to call it out as sin, whether it be in the church, in the family, in the school, on the team, in the community or wherever, and by whomever it may take place? I know that you do hate the actions of abusive pastors (and the actions of abusers anywhere); I also know that your first ‘thought’ or comment on someone being a pastor isn’t being an abuser. I don’t see the same treatment being given to police officers here.
Being called upon to make (sometimes) life-and-death decisions in an instant is not simple work by any definition. This runs across the people groups, including, what is categorized as ‘black police officers’. Interestingly, multiple studies done across the years (and reported in the Washington Times on January 5, 2015) demonstrate a hesitation to pull the trigger on suspects based on ‘race’, in exact opposition to this headline. In a partial illustration (of each of those studies, in various locales across decades of study), “…participants in realistic simulations felt more threatened by black suspects yet took longer to pull the trigger on black men than on white or Hispanic men.” While this quotation may illustrate yet a larger problem regarding race (of feeling more threatened by ‘black suspects’), these studies are demonstrating the opposite of your (and many other) headline(s). And, coming on the heels of Toney Armstong’s and Mayor Wharton’s truthful comments regarding Officer Sean Bolton and his family in Memphis (and the officers they’ve lost over the past three years), such headlines sting a little deeper.
Police officers are in the unenviable position of being sinners, working to keep other sinners from harming people when they violate agreed-upon laws. Will there always be a need for checks and balances on those who are given the authority of the charge of keeping the laws? Unquestionably, yes. Another hazard of living in a fallen world. When they do wrong in that position, yes, they need to be held fully accountable, but by the law, not by mob mentality, whether typed on a screen, or in real life.
Call on communities to equip their officers with body cameras. Call out criminal behavior by those with or without a badge to be prosecuted and dealt with in a court of law (as is rightfully happening in this horrendous case out of UC). Question situations that seem to be lacking complete integrity. Build relationships. Commit to honest dialogue, not just comfortable dialogue. Listen. Question wherein your own prejudices might lie. Call out those in authority to act with integrity. Call out racism where it seeps out of hearts and into speech and action. Call the Church to examine their hearts and minds to see where work is needed to better and more accurately love our neighbors and see our fellow humans as precious in the sight of God, and of value enough that He would send His Son to die in the place of all who believe.
ANY person being murdered by another (and yes, police can and do murder some people) is unjust, and wrong. It does break God’s heart. But in calling out this evil, let your justice extend to your call, to your speech. Do so with integrity, and not with eye-catching but untrue headlines such as “Dear White Police Officers, Please Stop Murdering Black Men”. Calling people to excellence and righteousness needs to begin with our own work.
Sincerely,
Deborah
Thanks for your push back Deb, it is helpful. I especially agree with your statement: But do you write articles that say, “Dear American Pastors, Please Stop Molesting Children”, or do you recognize the inaccuracy of lumping the hundreds of thousands of pastors who take action against abuse, in with the significantly smaller number of abusers?
The reason I titled my post what I did is because of how awful and violent and obvious the Ray Dubose body camera footage was. Within the context of that outrageous act, I felt a more ‘outrageous’ title was appropriate. I was also emotionally upset when I wrote the title, since I had just watched the video. Maybe an analogy would be if there were a string of very high profile pastors who were molesting children and all of this was highly debated in our culture, then one of those pastors was caught on video actually molesting a child. And this string of highly publicized molestations followed centuries upon centuries of pastors molesting children legally. I think a title like “Dear American Pastors, Please Stop Molesting Children” would be more appropriate within that context, but not appropriate if it was just one isolated incident.
I just did a follow-up post to address some of the other points made in the comment thread, which I’ve appreciated and are helpful for me and the conversation at large: http://www.atacrossroads.net/4-essential-points-misunderstood-by-whites-in-the-blacklivesmatter-movement/
I’m not saying his point isn’t valid, blacks are being murdered by cops. Where in the post did he say “their lives matter and are just as important” or anything remotely approaching it. The only thing mentioned on behalf of the police was “Not all cops are villains.” That’s like saying, not all pastors disregard the sacrifices police make. It doesn’t help the conversation.
Not all cops are villains, no, some are heroes.
I thought pastors are supposed to promote healing, not engage in race-baiting and sensationalism. You could learn from Rev. Norvel Goff, the black pastor who spoke at Emmanuel AME in Charleston the Sunday after the shooting, “And finally I want to say thank you to law enforcement. I have no problem in doing that. I want to thank them.”
Do you think that maybe, if Pastor Goff can, that you can find it in your heart not to throw white police officers under the bus?
Thank you for chiming in. I wrote a follow-up post that might help with your question: http://www.atacrossroads.net/4-essential-points-misunderstood-by-whites-in-the-blacklivesmatter-movement/
How is your saying, Dear White Police Officer, Please stop shooting Blacks, and then saying, “Not all cops are racist,” any different than Donald Trump saying Mexicans coming across the border are drug dealers and rapists, and then saying, “and I assume some of them are good people.” How is it any different?
I’m not sure if you’re just being outrageous to get cred in the circles you want to travel in, or you’re just blind to how racially skewed your own views have become.
Nick G, I think you calling me out as racist is a pretty low blow for simply trying to give a voice to the marginalized and oppressed.
I agree that my title was over the top, that was intentional. Just as Officer Tensing shooting Ray Dubose in the head was over the top…I felt it required an over the top response, that this has to stop.
After you reflected on it, you’re still defending your title as appropriate? You went way past simply trying to give a voice when you start your post by putting it out there that white cops want to kill blacks. You may not be racist but your title is. It stops nothing, only fuels it. You don’t even see that your accusation creates more sympathy for cops and hurts the cause of the marginalized and oppressed.
Hi Nick G, catching up on my blog comments sorry for the delay. I’d like to refer you to this same conversation thread from this post, to a comment from M.C. and my response. M.C. was able to show incredibly tact, (more than I am typically able to show!) and help me see the other side of this. It probably also helps that I read his post 3 months after he wrote them, 3 months after the initial emotions died down. Here’s my response to him, which I’d also extend to you:
Hi M.C., sorry for my delay, catching up on my blog comments. I really appreciate the tone and helpfulness of your comment here. As I reflect on what I wrote, and on your points here, I can’t help but fully agree with you. I ask this as a genuine question for help, do I got back and change the title of my post? Do I add a disclaimer at the beginning? The reason I ask is because a part of me feels that changing the title of the post would be disingenuous to the conversation that has developed up to this point and disingenuous to those feelings I was feeling at the time of watching that video. While not helpful in a blog title, they were true feelings. I always want to be genuine, both with what I was feeling then as well as what I’ve learned through the conversation surrounding that post and those feelings up to this point. So I’m wondering your help in how to be genuine with both of those things? Thank you!
One thing I’ve learned from blogging about the types of hot button topics that I do is that it is a great place for me to grow, learn and be humbled as well. Which I welcome! It’s never easy to swallow pride, but for the sake of maturity and learning it is well worth it.
One more thing, not calling out all white cops as murderers isn’t PC, it’s Christian. I’m not a pastor, but is what you’ve said anything remotely close to what Jesus would say? I don’t know what brand of Jesus you’re selling, but you can keep it to yourself and for those in your church that also believe most white cops want to kill blacks.
I appreciate the change you made to your post, I really do. Just for the record: The paragraph in the middle that starts with, “This is exactly why all police forces need to have body cameras. So the truth can be seen by white people.” everything that follows in that paragraph was an edit probably based on some of the comments here. I’m not sure if changing your post without noting it as an edit is meant to make some of the comments here look biased and stupid, which it does, or you’re just covering your butt, but it isn’t very transparent. Whether it was an oversight and you believe what you wrote or it’s just lip service, I appreciate the edit for those who will be reading it. You should consider editing the title to, ‘Hey some of you white police officers,…’ because it would be truer than accusing all of them.
I don’t know if you’ve ever had to bury a brother who died on duty when he was shot through the heart from behind, or call his wife and tell her she’ll never see her best friend again, or make that long drive to mom’s wondering how you’re going to tell her that her first child is dead at 40 and holding her when she collapses hearing it. Greg was a good man. He worked in a tough city and helped a lot of people of all races, going above and beyond on and off duty. He was white.
Listen, you might even be a good dude but words matter.
Hi M.C., I apologize for that. I was super busy when all of the comments for this post started coming in. I was only able to quickly scan them, not read them in depth. With a mountain of work and emails I needed to get caught up on, I was only able to bold some points and quickly add the paragraph you mentioned. My plan was to respond to the comments quickly thereafter, but my work priorities took over. For the record, your comments and the comments of others were very helpful overall and have made this article a better article, which I greatly appreciate. Check out what I wrote in a previous comment reply to Deborah about the title. Also I just did a follow-up post which tries to address some of the other helpful points brought up: http://www.atacrossroads.net/4-essential-points-misunderstood-by-whites-in-the-blacklivesmatter-movement/ Thank you for your interaction and for being respectful, I appreciate it. -Noah
Hey Noah, this week was the anniversary of Greg’s death and I was a little raw. Your headline stuck a hot iron into an old wound. I was so angry then and didn’t deal with it well and your post brought that all back and made a tough week tougher.
I read your new post and agree with this, “if someone does a blog post on black lives mattering, they also don’t need to touch all of these other bases, as if leaving someone out somehow means something derogatory toward that group.” You can write a post that black lives matter and never give props to the police, even criticizing them is cool when it’s deserved. But the title of your post said that white police officers want to murder black men. You say that it was an intentional, outrageous, over the top, emotional rant in response to the video. But being offended is no justification for being offensive. What you brought to the discussion in that title intentionally dishonored all good police and wasn’t necessary to make the good points you were making. You don’t need to touch other bases at all, but when you intentionally take the base, throw it to the ground, stomp on it and throw mud on it, you’ll understand why some feel it necessary to speak up for the base. The police chief in Lansing is Michael Yankowski, he’s white; if you wouldn’t ask him face to face to please stop murdering black men, or ask it in front of the men and women in blue before they go out on patrol, then that’s probably reason enough not to make it a title on your blog.
I agree with your other points as well; they’re both good and needed. It’s just harder to see the good at the hot end of the iron.
Noah, looking back, do you regret using this title? I understand you were emotional and wanted to increase the attention to this article and the issue at hand but at what cost? There are times when i feel that your sensationalism distracts people from all the great points you do make.
It is common to hear about how white people need to make a better effort to understand the viewpoint of minorities which is a valid point, but showing empathy toward police officers is also important. I’m not asking you to write a post about empathy toward police officers as I realize that is not really the theme of your blog but taking some time to think of police officers when you’re writing a piece like this would go a long way.
I agree, the oger, I should change / should have changed the title of the post. Also, you need to learn how to spell “ogre” — though I don’t expect an ogre to know how to spell “ogre” (to anyone reading this, “ogre” or “oger” is not an anonymous ogre/oger to me as he is to you. He is a good local friend, whom I like to call “ogre” so he hilariously uses it for his code name on my blog…even though he doesn’t know how to spell it.)
Oger/ogre, I’m responding now 3 months after I wrote the initial post, so 3 months yes my emotions are in a different spot, as is my pride. I’ll refer you to this same conversation thread from this post, to a comment from M.C. and my response. M.C. was able to show incredibly tact, (more than I am typically able to show!) and help me see the other side of this. It probably also helps that I read his post 3 months after he wrote them, 3 months after the initial emotions died down. Here’s my response to him, which I’d also extend to you:
Hi M.C., sorry for my delay, catching up on my blog comments. I really appreciate the tone and helpfulness of your comment here. As I reflect on what I wrote, and on your points here, I can’t help but fully agree with you. I ask this as a genuine question for help, do I got back and change the title of my post? Do I add a disclaimer at the beginning? The reason I ask is because a part of me feels that changing the title of the post would be disingenuous to the conversation that has developed up to this point and disingenuous to those feelings I was feeling at the time of watching that video. While not helpful in a blog title, they were true feelings. I always want to be genuine, both with what I was feeling then as well as what I’ve learned through the conversation surrounding that post and those feelings up to this point. So I’m wondering your help in how to be genuine with both of those things? Thank you!
One thing I’ve learned from blogging about the types of hot button topics that I do is that it is a great place for me to grow, learn and be humbled as well. Which I welcome! It’s never easy to swallow pride, but for the sake of maturity and learning it is well worth it.
Hi M.C., sorry for my delay, catching up on my blog comments. I really appreciate the tone and helpfulness of your comment here. As I reflect on what I wrote, and on your points here, I can’t help but fully agree with you. I ask this as a genuine question for help, do I got back and change the title of my post? Do I add a disclaimer at the beginning? The reason I ask is because a part of me feels that changing the title of the post would be disingenuous to the conversation that has developed up to this point and disingenuous to those feelings I was feeling at the time of watching that video. While not helpful in a blog title, they were true feelings. I always want to be genuine, both with what I was feeling then as well as what I’ve learned through the conversation surrounding that post and those feelings up to this point. So I’m wondering your help in how to be genuine with both of those things? Thank you!
One thing I’ve learned from blogging about the types of hot button topics that I do is that it is a great place for me to grow, learn and be humbled as well. Which I welcome! It’s never easy to swallow pride, but for the sake of maturity and learning it is well worth it.
I know this wasn’t written to me, but even your original edit of your post that ‘slightly toned it down/explained your thoughts further’ made a couple of the comments look foolish, and yet you didn’t acknowledge the edits for awhile into the conversation. That can create integrity-in-writing issues. If you make an edit, my thought is, at least mark it as an edit, and explain the edit and the reasons for making it so as to address the comments that were originally brought to your attention.
I’ll be honest, Noah. This post hasn’t left my mind, and I still find myself angry about it when it does come to mind (as recently as yesterday or the day before). The bigotry of the writing towards a large group of people that can in NO way be identified by the actions of a microscopic minority (as evidenced by the ‘big news’ it becomes when there is misbehavior, as opposed to the day-in-day-out, normal, professional, operating procedures that are just normal, not newsworthy) is simply not fitting for God’s people, and most particularly for a shepherd of the flock, black and blue sheep, included.
I’ve tried to compose a response on multiple occasions, but have not yet been able to get the words to a point where I feel free to share them, and where they most accurately reflect grace and truth. If I ever do come up with a way to truthfully and gracefully communicate my thoughts, I will, and I’ve continued bringing this to God in prayer to ask how He would have me to think and communicate with others, how to spend the time He’s given me, and to remind me that words matter.
To go back to your original question to MC, I can tell you that James MacDonald wrote an inaccurate, foolish, and highly inflammatory post ca. 2011, for which he wrote a specific apology in 2015, and demonstrated the changing in his thinking from the first time to the second. I don’t know that that is something that fits your thoughts currently, but to answer your question, that is one way to (perhaps) address a change in thinking (if I understand you to say that you have at least changed your thinking slightly from what your emotions were after having viewed the horrible video of Mr. Dubose in Cincy). If you merely feel a need to clarify your thoughts, you could certainly do so in another post, and then simply link that post at the top of this one as an update.
Thanks Deborah! That’s very good advice and I appreciate it. I think there’s a balance we all need to find… one side of the balance is that the white cops who are killing blacks in unjust ways are in the minority compared to the majority of police officers. This is true. It also needs to acknowledged that up to this point in history, really even possibly until very recently that body cameras came out, that a police officer’s word in court or in a police report has always been taken as true over the report of the black person in question. This isn’t to say that the black person is right and the police officer is wrong, but it does show a systemic injustice where dirtbags like this Cincinnati cop can go around killing black guys at will with no chance of accountability or justice. So even if that’s 1 in 1000 police officers, the system needs to be changed so that stops happening. And voices need to speak out to bring this justice to the oppressed, especially because this isn’t a new phenomenon, we just finally have the video technology to capture something that’s been going on for centuries. To deny this is to say that black lives don’t matter and/or that black people are liars and so are their grandparents. I know you’re not saying this, I just think it’s really important to show that balance of both sides, both of which are really important, you are very right in that. And I’ve probably swung too far to the one side, compensating (potentially overcompensating) for the side that has been voiceless for so long.
As things slow down a little, it does feel like a pendulum where there’s an overeaction one direction that is counter-productive and hopefully all of us, most importantly to our conversation here, myself, find that middle ground where we can call out injustice without painting innocent and stand-up people (police officers in this case) as wicked, when they aren’t.
I appreciate your honesty and wisdom, I really do. I’m going to wait for some more posts to come in with more wisdom and feedback like this. Then I’ll write a new post that attempts to bring balance and that references this post. I’ll change the title of this post for those who find it in the archive. And I’ll put a paragraph at the beginning of it that lays out the progression of this conversation, including the original post title, why it was titled that, and why it was changed. –Just brainstorming but that’s what developing so far.
And, to be clear, I do appreciate you saying that it is important to swallow pride, and that it is essential for maturity, learning, and growth. I guess the bigger question that I run into biblically, (especially as just this week I’m reading through Timothy, Titus, and more) is whether or not a public ‘hot’ response (on any subject) is the wisest/best move for a believer and/or a shepherd of the flock to make?
Believe me, I understand processing via writing/talking. It’s one of my most basic communication needs. However, I keep 90%+ of it private, as my processing can be messy. When I come to a conclusion that I’m reasonably willing to put out for public consumption, then I will often blog it, but consequences for my messy, sort-it-out thinking are minimal, when kept between me, the journal page, and the Lord, or perhaps a trusted friend…they’re a lot more ensnaring when I set it out for public consumption.
I do NOT say this to mean that Christians don’t speak out on controversial issues…I am SO thankful for those who are willing to examine culture in light of Scripture in its entirety, not just the ‘popular’ stances, and who write thoughtful, self-examination provoking, biblical responses to the things that are a part of this world. I’ve said before that I’ve appreciated your writing as doing that in the past, both on the subject of the human race and its interactions, and other topics as well. I just keep being reminded (in my own life) that the purpose of my life should be to point people to the cross of Christ, and their need for Jesus as Savior and Lord…and I need to be very careful of what I set out as a public issue and how I go about the process of so doing.
Hi Deborah, that is definitely a valid challenge. It reminds me of James 1:19-20, “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”
One hazard of the job when blogging about controversial issues is that this ends up happening now and again. I don’t want my blog to be another puppy and butterfly blog, there are plenty of blogs, both Christian and non, like that and it’s just not what I’m called to. I want to talk about homosexuality, race, abortion, pornography and all kinds of other things that people are already talking about and struggling through on a regular basis. With that, I realize my batting average is not going to be 100%. My hope is that (even if it takes 3 months!) via a community of mature conversation, I will be humble enough to admit when I’m wrong and not just pridefully shout the same thing over and over, something you see all too often online. And I think there’s a teaching merit even in being able to model this.
So in conclusion, I think it’s a both/and. I think yes I do need to pause and wait and use more discernment and keep some things private, but I also need to keep putting it out there from the heart, not being afraid to make people uncomfortable and pushing people to think and learn, not just keep the status quo. Honestly, the more I’ve blogged, I think it’s been 3-4 years now, the better I’ve “gotten” at this. As in, every time I have to eat humble pie, like in this case, that taste helps me use more wisdom and discernment the next time around. Does that make sense?
Hey Noah, I hope you do change the title because it doesn’t reflect what’s in the post, and does it in a way that closes conversation. Reading your title, it isn’t your feelings and frustration that come through, what comes through is the standalone accusation that white cops want to murder black men. This isn’t an accurate or fair comparison, but it’s the best one that comes to mind. When they’re holding signs saying “Pray for more dead soldiers” and “God hates dead soldiers”, I can’t hear anything else Westboro Baptist is saying. They could be reading Jesus’ words from the Bible. It’s not a fair comparison since WB really wants more dead soldiers, and you don’t believe most white police want to kill blacks.
When I returned to your blog in the weeks after my last comment to see your other posts and videos, finding that title still here triggered so many things and colored everything else here and over time I had to stay away. You have so many good things to say about Jesus, about social issues, about culture. I don’t think it’s the record of the genuineness of your feelings that’s at stake in changing the title, it’s your voice and the good things God’s given you to minister to others. You can change the title and be true to your feelings. “Too many black men are murdered by white police officers” expresses outrage and is true. I’m impressed that you’re even considering this. It’s that part of you that looks like Jesus that makes what you say so worth listening to. I need such grace.
Responding to blog comments is probably low on the list of pastor responsibilities and probably should be, but 3 months makes conversation hard. I remember this movie set in a time when long distance communication was by mail carried by ship, and these two guys played a chess game by mail, it kind of worked but it was kinda weird. Conversation’s good, brother. Much grace Noah.
The issue is that black people dying due to needless escalation of violence in situations that are non life threatening. Arguing that some cops can be good does nothing to correct that issue.
That’s a great issue to raise because it is no way near resolved. The author’s call for body cameras on all patrolmen would go a long way to make things better for everyone. Since police have the right to use force, they bear the greater responsibility to insure no one is harmed or harassed. Too many blacks unfairly and unjustly live with fear and expectation that their most basic human rights will be violated.
What isn’t great or helpful is headlining that discussion by accusing all white police officers of murdering black men. If I flipped it and it read, “Dear Black Men, Please Stop Murdering White Police Officers” that would offend too and it should. It isn’t true. And if I added, “Not all black men are villains” have I walked back my original claim much at all? But that was the only thing offered in the original post, “not all cops are villains.”
Arguing that some cops can be good does nothing to correct that issue. True, but neither does arguing that most white cops are murderers.
The killings of Tamir Rice, Sam Dubose, Michael Brown and too many others were tragic and unnecessary and wrong. But so were the killings of Officers Sean Bolton, Scott Lunger, Darryl Hamilton and others in the past few weeks. Just because it happened in the line of duty doesn’t make their deaths any less tragic, unnecessary and wrong.
Police Officers Benjamin Deen and Liqori Tate were shot and killed May 9th while making a traffic stop. Occupants in the vehicle opened fire as the officers approached. All I had asked for in my original comment was that in the rush to condemn white police officers as murderers, that maybe a mention could be given to the courage and heart it takes to do a job that most of us would refuse to do.
You said this perfectly and much more concisely than I was able to do; thank you James. I quoted your comment in my follow-up post: http://www.atacrossroads.net/4-essential-points-misunderstood-by-whites-in-the-blacklivesmatter-movement/
Also, one of the trending things I see in racial issues is an inability from white people, this is coming from a white male, to see the point of view of a minority. The people that seem to reject the idea of racial inequality seem to be the people that believe it can’t exist because they personally haven’t experienced it. Even when talking to a minority, they still try to filter any experience that seemed racial that a minority has had through a non racial lens. I don’t think it’s malicious in nature usually but it doesn’t help the conversation when discussing racial issues.
For those following this thread, I just posted a follow-up post: http://www.atacrossroads.net/4-essential-points-misunderstood-by-whites-in-the-blacklivesmatter-movement/ Thank you for all of the interaction on this post
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) in the most recent report on 2013 stats on local police forces ( http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/lpd13ppp_sum.pdf ), there are approx. 477,000 sworn officers with general arrest powers in approx. 12,000 local police departments. 128,790 (27%) are racial and ethnic minorities, leaving 348,210 (73%) white officers with arrest powers.
Simple question: how many of those 348,210 white police officers are you saying want to murder black men?
Dear Anonymous,
catching up on my blog comments sorry for the delay. I’d like to refer you to this same conversation thread from this post, to a comment from M.C. and my response. M.C. was able to show incredibly tact, (more than I am typically able to show!) and help me see the other side of this. It probably also helps that I read his post 3 months after he wrote them, 3 months after the initial emotions died down. Here’s my response to him, which I’d also extend to you:
Hi M.C., sorry for my delay, catching up on my blog comments. I really appreciate the tone and helpfulness of your comment here. As I reflect on what I wrote, and on your points here, I can’t help but fully agree with you. I ask this as a genuine question for help, do I got back and change the title of my post? Do I add a disclaimer at the beginning? The reason I ask is because a part of me feels that changing the title of the post would be disingenuous to the conversation that has developed up to this point and disingenuous to those feelings I was feeling at the time of watching that video. While not helpful in a blog title, they were true feelings. I always want to be genuine, both with what I was feeling then as well as what I’ve learned through the conversation surrounding that post and those feelings up to this point. So I’m wondering your help in how to be genuine with both of those things? Thank you!
One thing I’ve learned from blogging about the types of hot button topics that I do is that it is a great place for me to grow, learn and be humbled as well. Which I welcome! It’s never easy to swallow pride, but for the sake of maturity and learning it is well worth it.
Last comment, promise.
Pastors and police officers have serious work that’s important, each in their own way dealing with life and death issues. It’s not helpful making comments that minimize that important work; if I made any comments that weren’t helpful to you, I’m asking for your forgiveness.
For the record, I don’t believe you are against the police, and even though I would have chosen a different title, I admire your passion for justice.
Maybe you saw the recent story of the white detective in Alabama, saw a car driving erratically, made a traffic stop and told the black driver to remain in his car until backup arrived, Instead the driver got out, became aggressive & used the officer’s own gun to beat him unconscious. Bystanders didn’t help the officer, they posted pics of him lying unconscious.
The detective said he didn’t use force because of negative media, ” I hesitated because I didn’t want to be in the media like I am right now.”
CNN’s story is titled, “Pistol-whipped detective says he didn’t shoot attacker because of headlines”
http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/13/us/alabama-birmingham-police-detective-pistol-whipped/
And yet you’re still promoting your headline on Facebook. Are you sure you can live with it?
28 Aug 2015
HOUSTON, Texas — A Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy was shot execution style at a gas station while reportedly in full uniform. The deputy was filling up his patrol car. This tragedy comes within days of a group of Black radicals calling for “lynching whites and killing cops.” Witnesses said that the shooter was a black male.
Two teenage girls told Breitbart Texas they saw the shooter fire one shot into the back of the head of the deputy who was simply getting gas for his vehicle. After the deputy fell, they heard three or four other shots. According to the first witness, those shots were fired into the deputy’s back.
The first witness showed the reporter a photo of the deputy with his children. He was highly emotional as he was speaking. “He was the best guy you can imagine as a friend,” the witness said. “He was always coming to me and asking if he could do anything for me.”
“Dear White Police Officers, Please Stop Murdering Black Men”
Another one of those murdering white police officers. Oh wait…
I am going to be changing the title of the post after some very helpful advice from others who understood the value of the post, but how the title detracted from it, and were able to communicate that to me lovingly and tactfully. I don’t get the sense that you value the content of the post, based on the tone of your comment, but I might be misreading that. In any case, a recent post I did about how the violence of black NJ teenager is being used to justify the violence of a white SC deputy speaks well to what you are bringing up here, so I hope it’s helpful content to develop this conversation for you: http://www.atacrossroads.net/defending-whiteness-violence-of-nj-teen-used-to-justify-violence-of-sc-deputy/
“In a video posted to YouTube on Tuesday, a Black Lives Matter activist declares that it’s now “open season” for killing white people and police officers and talking about “picking off” police officers. “We will witness more executions and killing of white people and cops than we ever have before…It’s open season on killing white people and crackers.”… Recently, Black Lives Matter protesters were recorded chanting, “pigs in a blanket, fry ’em like bacon,” a clear call for violence against police.”
“Dear White Police Officers, Please Stop Murdering Black Men”
Oh wait…
A handful of rogue loudmouths do not represent the entire Black Lives Matter movement. Imagine if that mindset were applied to Martin Luther King’s movement! “Oh MLK is full of crap because there was some black teens at the market today who shouted that they hated white people.” Don’t lose the message based on some fringe ignorance.
They do not, indeed.
That being said, MLK was also very quick and clear in his message of non-violence. That message has not been nearly as clear, nor quick in coming from the current movement, and while any rational person should know that not everyone claiming affiliation with a movement is speaking for the movement itself, the messages contrary to calls for violence have not been reached nearly the same audience.
In full disclosure, as I wrote earlier, however: “I don’t assume that all the people of almost ANY particular group agree with the actions of their fringe, and keep in mind, those who make headlines in any group, are a fringe of some sort. Those who do the daily, faithful work almost never make headlines, although they are the overwhelming majority, by any measurement.”
I *do* wish the decrying of those calling for violence were given as much headline space as the calls themselves.
One of the reason the rogue / fringe statements like “fry them in a blanket” go viral is because they are rogue and fringe. If that was the norm of the movement, it wouldn’t make news.
And the media does love to highlight the negative and the sensational. (And readers love to read it, thus the media continues to highlight it). It’s the same argument given to the local news stations for a long time that all they report on is murder and crime and not any of the good stories.
And I agree, there needs to be more decrying of those calling for violence, the question is: is the decrying happening and it’s just not going as viral? I’d say that is probably the case. But it’s still a sad state that it’s not in the public conscience more, regardless of the reason.
One weakness of the BlackLivesMatter movement is that there is no central authority to it, like a central MLK figure who can publicly say “that isn’t of us.” This is also a strength in some ways because it allows for more ownership to more people, but the weakness is evident in situations like this.
Agreed, definitely.
It’s more than a month later and nothing’s changed, has it? Your second post didn’t apologize for your headline, you only excused it. You could have revised it, you could have said you didn’t mean it, instead absolutely nothing.
It’s not just that it was in your heart to call out all white police as murderers, you didn’t just think it or write it in your post, you really owned it and made it your headline. And after reasonable pushback from Deborah and others as to why it is egregiously offensive, you defended it and you continue to promote your headline on Twitter and Facebook.
I don’t know if there are any white police officers who go to your church or any family of white police officers, but I can’t imagine having to explain to my son or daughter why their pastor believes that their uncle or grandfather or father wants to murder black men.
I’m done here, no more posting of accounts of blacks targeting white police or of activists calling for their killing, but as long as that headline remains, what other conclusion is there other than either you still believe it or you don’t care?
Since you are posting anonymously, I do not know if you are the same person who has posted anonymously elsewhere on this post. I will say that the anonymous posts typically involve much less tact, respect and helpful conversation than the ones where someone puts their name, or at least a name, where we can have helpful productive conversation with mutual respect for one another. Many props to M.C. who displayed great tact and maturity and helped me see that I need to change my title. I’ll refer you to that thread and extend my invitation to you that I extended to him:
Hi M.C., sorry for my delay, catching up on my blog comments. I really appreciate the tone and helpfulness of your comment here. As I reflect on what I wrote, and on your points here, I can’t help but fully agree with you. I ask this as a genuine question for help, do I got back and change the title of my post? Do I add a disclaimer at the beginning? The reason I ask is because a part of me feels that changing the title of the post would be disingenuous to the conversation that has developed up to this point and disingenuous to those feelings I was feeling at the time of watching that video. While not helpful in a blog title, they were true feelings. I always want to be genuine, both with what I was feeling then as well as what I’ve learned through the conversation surrounding that post and those feelings up to this point. So I’m wondering your help in how to be genuine with both of those things? Thank you!
One thing I’ve learned from blogging about the types of hot button topics that I do is that it is a great place for me to grow, learn and be humbled as well. Which I welcome! It’s never easy to swallow pride, but for the sake of maturity and learning it is well worth it.
I left the stats and news stories above. Your title is so unfair in its broadbrushing all white cops and made me really angry. Considering that and how broad the accusation was, posting facts and news stories was the most respectful and helpful thing I thought to do. Not that these few stories evens things out at all, but maybe they give a little perspective when calling out all white cops. Listen, your content was good, cops that murder should be accountable, and those that lie about it should lose more than their jobs. That makes me angry not only because of the injustice but because you expect better of the police. But I expect more of pastors than unfairly broadbrushing any group. It will improve the post when you change the title.
My last comment came from frustration that you didn’t seem interested in conversation, helpful or otherwise. I think the points are valid but could have been said better. You’re not the first to tell me that tact’s not my strong point. If it’s worth anything, for what it’s worth, it’s the first post I think you really screwed something up.
It’s only been a little over a week and you have better things to deal with than 3 month old blog posts, but as I’ve checked in this past week to see what you came up with I realized that everything your title brought up is still current for me. I need grace to deal with the baggage I bring to this, but I can’t check in anymore.
Last word to you is continue speaking out for justice for blacks. I can imagine but can’t know what it does to the soul of a people to be treated as a commodity, and then denied rights and standing, and have my culture ridiculed and marginalized for so long. It takes strong voices like yours who can articulate and help us face our blind spots and predjudices. Maybe if the rest of us can put those to death will there finally be life and genuine hope for blacks in this country.
May God give you abundant grace in your ministry Noah.
Thank you commenters for helping me grow and mature as a writer, learner and person through the process of this article. Special thanks to Deborah and M.C. Here’s the postscript I just added to the beginning of this article and you’ll notice the title has been changed:
Postscript of this article: I first wrote this article after viewing the video of Officer Ray Tensing shooting and killing Sam Dubose at point blank range. It’s title was “Dear White Police Officers, Please Stop Murdering Black Men.” My emotions flared at such on obvious case of black lives not mattering and how if it weren’t for body cameras, yet another white police officer’s word would be taken as dogma and he’d be let off the hook for murdering a black man, off the hook to go murder more. My post was not balanced and it unintentionally threw all white police officers under the bus, as if they were all like Ray Tensing. As far as the progression of the article, it began with very little to say positively about the many good police officers that are out there. After readers pointed this out in the comment section, I went back and added in and emphasized good things about the good police officers who are out there. It was too little too late from me. I want to thank my readers for helping me see this (you can read the comment progression in the comment section of this post) and I also want to apologize for white police officers that I disrespected. This has been a very helpful journey for me as a writer and a learner. Emotions are tricky and mine got the best of me. My first title was inappropriate and inaccurate. I wrote a new article that talks about the need for balance when it comes to race issues, here is the link to the new article. Trying to find balance is never an exact science and we all can do better at finding it. Thank you to my readers who showed me truth and grace in helping me find mine.