Pineridge Blog

I don’t know any Nazis—Neo or other wise.  Nor do I want to. One thing I have no doubt of us that Nazism is based on hatred, violence and a false sense of supremacy. Defeating Nazism in Europe in the last century cost 60 million lives in the Greatest Generation.

I was hoping for a stronger condemnation from the President about the violence in Charlottesville, VA, inspired by a Neo-Nazi rally. However, I admit it is far easier for me to criticize politicians, many of whom always seem to be angling for future support, than face the ugliness of racism in the U.S. and in myself.

I grew up in a small town in central Missouri fifty years ago. Looking back I had a great childhood and my family was determined to instill in me that we are all God’s children, despite skin color. Both of those things have shaped my life for which I am grateful.  But I also have to admit that while Jim Crow had been declared legally dead by the time I came along in the 60’s in my town, he was on life support. And there were lots of good Christian people who were praying hard for him to pull through.

I did not realize until I lived in Chicago in the 1980’s in a very diverse culture that the that the stench of racism had gotten into my clothes triggering in me an almost instinctual response as a white man—fear and suspicion of the other, and I am ashamed to admit, a false assumption of superiority.

I want to turn away from hatred played out in Virginia that led to the horrifying killing that has been called “Domestic Terrorism” by the Justice Department  and the questions about what role the symbols of the Confederacy mean in the 21^st Century.

But at the end of the day, I am reminded that it is not criticism of the President or the South that makes any difference, it is screwing up my courage to help build the kind of community of which I want to be a part.  One of diversity, tolerance, love and joy.

The artwork was done last Sunday in worship by an artist in our congregation who placed this drawing in the offering plate.  May we each offer ourselves to live in peace with everyone!

Peace+,
Jim