Something to Talk About

So, the CEO of Starbucks wants his charges to begin conversations about race relations. How quaint, yuppies sipping their $7.50 frosted lattes conversing about race with minimum wage earners. That will certainly be a great start in saving the world. Then we have ELCA presiding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton using her bully pulpit to put in her two cents worth by addressing racial equity, or what the ELCA so often describes as, “white privilege”. From Eaton’s letter to members of the ELCA, “Overt forms of racism are no longer legally sanctioned, but the legacy of racism, sadly, endures. Institutional policies and practices still privilege some while limiting access and opportunities to others. Today, the Voting Rights Act has been weakened by the removal of federal oversight of local voting laws and millions of poor and people of color fill the cells of our criminal justice system.” The emphasis upon promoting racial justice reminds one of former presiding Bishop Mark Hanson’s little two step dance of placing his “so-called” gospel of radical inclusiveness on equal terms with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Let’s address Eaton’s contentions point by point;

The legacy of racism, sadly, endures. Apparently, forgiveness is not considered by the misguided leader of the ELCA. Eaton and her predecessors side with the progressive left and call out any and all perceived slights to anyone of color. When a black man dies at the hands of the police, none of our progressive brothers and sisters notice that criminal behavior initiated the police action. When a black man commits a crime against a white person, even when witnesses report the perpetrator using racial epithets, our justice system determines that it is not a hate crime. When a police officer is targeted, they deserved it. Seems that racism is a one way street in this country. “Hands up, don’t shoot!’ is the rallying cry by the progressive left, even when this is discredited as a false narrative. The legacy of racism endures with the race baiters like Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and the progressive left.

Institutional policies and practices still privilege some while limiting access and opportunities to others. The institutional policies that tend to limit access and opportunities are the same entitlement programs that shackle those in poverty, giving them just enough to survive, but not enough to escape poverty. And these benefits enable the poor to afford a few creature comforts. Yet they remain loyal to the party that panders to them, offering entitlements for votes while they demonize those who succeed as “privileged”.

Today, the Voting Rights Act has been weakened by the removal of federal oversight of local voting laws. Here Eaton evidences her lack of understanding of the law by parroting progressive talking points. The voting rights act was amended due to the fact that the states continue to provide equal access to all to vote. The voting rights act was implemented to stop states that put up barricades to persons of color in an attempt to deter them from voting. Most of those states that regularly violated the rights of persons of color to vote were southern states run by democrats. Funny how history has a way of being remembered the way a person wants to remember it. Voter ID is also decried as a way of subverting the vote and discouraging persons of color from voting. It does nothing of the sort. In Milwaukee County Wisconsin, the 2008 presidential election had more that 5500 more votes tallied than persons that had cast votes. The only thing voter ID will do is make it more difficult for persons to vote illegally.

Millions of poor and people of color fill the cells of our criminal justice system. The question should be, “Why do persons of color commit so many crimes?” We need to diagnose and treat the disease, not simply treat the symptoms. The lack of a father in many poor families, particularly the African American community is the disease. There is a reason that God created them male and female. Jesus said in Mark 10:6-9, “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” A mother and father is how God intended to be a family, and together they would raise their children. Each has a defined role. Eliminate the father and a void exists, often to be filled by joining a gang and/or engaging in criminal behavior. The progressive left wants the government to replace both the father and God in the family. Eliminate the father and God, and everyone looks to the government and is beholding to it. Shame on you Bishop Eaton, you side with those that wish to make you and your God irrelevant.

Perhaps if the leaders of the ELCA would concentrate on bringing the lost to Christ, many of the ills of society would begin to heal themselves. Perhaps if less emphasis was given to social justice, more effort could be spent on preaching the Gospel to the world. Perhaps if forgiveness was not a word that is apparently foreign to the progressive left, we could truly begin to love one another. Jesus said in Matthew 6:14-15, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Let us begin with forgiving others as He has forgiven us. Pray that the Spirit will fill more and more hearts with the love of Christ. This is how we will overcome our many differences.