Continuing yesterday’s conclusion that solving racial injustice issues is a God-sized task, my son David, living in the Atlanta area, wrote this poignant essay. It’s long but worth the read:

Oh, how I wish we had a leader like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. today.  Someone that can bring people together. Someone that can articulate what needs to be done and how it has to be done.  When he (and many others) carried the heavy burden of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 60s in this nation, they understood they would have an uphill battle.  They understood that based on the disgusting, deplorable, wicked ideas of segregation and racism, they would have a hard hill to climb. In that era, if people of color were to return the hatred, violence, abuse, and discrimination they received with the same, they would be squashed and imprisoned and marginalized even worse.  Dr. King knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that a movement based on peace, non-violence, and uncompromised Christian values would be the only way, the absolute only way, they would see any success.  Some today might say, “Well, they were still imprisoned and marginalized and beaten and abused…” and you would be right.  But Dr. King and the people under his leadership persisted.  They refused to engage in violence and more crime.  They refused to compromise their approach and their values.  They did this for years…. And what happened?  Change happened. But now we need more change…. 

Now, that fight continues.  Racial division and hatred and malice and anger are still winning in many hearts.  Now people of all colors, of all races, of all ethnicities, of all religious (or non-religious) backgrounds must come together.  We must not allow anger and hatred and malice and violence to win the day.  We have an opportunity to carry the torch that leaders like Dr. King passed to us.  I am no civic leader.  I don’t hold any political office.  I don’t have a big important position of any kind, and other than being a dedicated member at my local church, I’m not a part of any community or civic organization.  But I must not be silent.  I must pray for wisdom.  Yes, I pray, and that is a weapon.  I must also speak out, speak up, and ask, “What is my responsibility?” If enough of us ask that question, we might have hope.  I will also pray for leaders.  We need them, too.

I love “grassroots” movements.  But I also believe we will need more.  We need leaders that speak love, grace, unity, and peace.  Leaders that don’t seek to create more division, hatred, and animosity.  Where are the Dr. Kings today?  We need you, we implore you, please rise.  I pray we will listen.  I pray we will hear and act.  I pray we will respond.  And above all, I pray our response will be one of love, grace, healing, unity, and understanding.  The more we return violence for violence, hate for hate, and anger for anger, the longer and deeper and wider the divide will become.  Are you asking the question? Are you going to be silent?  Will you pray that God will show you the way? -David Ewell, Cumming, Georgia, June 1, 2020

The mayor of Atlanta, an African-American woman, has taken a run at being the right kind of leader. If you missed her speech, you can hear it here: https://www.fox5atlanta.com/video/689455. “I saw the murder of George Floyd…These aren’t protests; this is chaos…This is not in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.”

But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream! (Amos 5.24, NIV)

Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. (Exodus 23.2, NIV)

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. (1 Peter 3.8, 9, NIV (1984))