Enraged: to be filled with anger.
Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
(Acts 10:34–35)
I'm a white Canadian male living on a small island on the southern tip of Nova Scotia. I don't know what it means to be black, I don't even know what it means to be a white American male, for we as Canadians are much different than our friends to the south. I'm not qualified to share much about personal experiences when it comes to racism, but I'm fully qualified to speak of personal experiences when it comes to rage.
The images on my screens have instilled a sense of rage. Rage towards a white man murdering a black man. Rage towards a black community (the media is only showing the black community) destroying and stealing. Rage towards US leaders and their imbecile statements. But as I step back a moment, I see how the media has been manipulating my feelings. They show what they show, and it's rarely the truth. They portray the looters and fire starters as the protesters, fueling both hate and empathy towards the black community. They are playing both sides, dividing people. But, these reports don't appear to be an honest portrayal of the protesters. I've seen other images (I hope you have as well) of the protesting community working together with the law enforcement community, showing love towards each other. These images are not being shown (on mainstream news), and each of us must ask ourselves, Why? Perhaps the media does not want reconciliation, for chaos is what fuels their viewership.
Have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
(James 2:4)
The incident – in and of itself – is horrific. A 9-minute video (which I refuse to watch) of a white policeman strangling a black man to death with his knee. It should fill us with anger. The question is, what do we do with that anger? I'm not sure, for I've not been filled to the brim with anger as some are (for they have experienced racism, and I haven’t). I may not know what the answer is, but I do know what the answer is not. Is it justice to destroy a small business that an elderly couple poured a lifetime into? Is it justice to burn a single mother’s car? Is it justice to throw a brick into the face of a horse, simply because a police officer is in the saddle? Is it righteous to make up excuses for these actions?
Thou shall not steal.
(Exod. 20:15).
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
(Rom. 12:19)
As a Canadian, it brings up questions of why our attention is drawn south of the border, yet there is little outrage of racism on our own soil. We rage at the racism by the US government, yet here at home, our government refuses to provide clean water for the Native Peoples. Do we believe they are "a lesser people" than black and white Canadians? Is it because they are slowly dying off-camera instead of dying in 9-minutes video clips? Should our communities bond together and storm parliament in protest against the racism against Native Peoples? Is it because we prefer to have our attention drawn to the south so we can ignore what is going on at home? This, too, is systematic racism – or at the very least, ignorance – but "who cares? They are only natives and it's not on TV." Where is the same outrage for these Canadians as there is for this one American?
Maybe it's because we're witnessing an international incident? So, what about the tens of thousands of black children dying from starvation every day? Why doesn't that cause outrage in North America? Should that be an international news story? Is it because they are black children in a different "world?" Would the lack of outrage over this injustice be considered racism? Is it because that's old news, and we need our “fast-food” media fix? How long before this US killing becomes old news? I have so many questions that cause so much confusion.
I don't know what the answers are, but I know what the answers are not. Allowing the media to manipulate our emotions is not the answer. Finding excuses for the horrific murder is not the answer. Empathizing with looters and destroyers of property is not the answer. Maybe we should be formulating our answers from God’s Word? Whether you believe it to be God’s Word or not, the wisdom is there for all of us. Below is some of that wisdom. Do with it what you will. My hope is that your rage is – in some way, somehow – redirected.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
(Gal. 3:28)
Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.
(John 7:24)
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
(John 13:34)
Cain’s blood cried out for vengeance. The blood of Jesus speaks of grace, mercy, and forgiveness. Whose blood will you listen to?