Sunday, May 28, 2017

The Beatitudes of Republican Jesus

As we inch ever closer to a repealed and replaced ACA; as we hear of the millions likely to be left harmed in the wake of both Trumpcare and the Trump 'Voodoo Economics on Steroids' Budget I feel compelled to write the Beatitudes of Republican Jesus. 

Then sayeth the Prophet of Mar-a-Lago unto them:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
but not the poor in pocket

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
but the kingdom of earth is not and they really shouldn’t get too comfy

Blessed are they who mourn,
But not the parents or families of POC killed by the police, because seriously,
they should just have complied

for they shall be comforted. 
Well maybe 'comfort' is the wrong word, but if they’re lucky they’ll get a check, 
though nothing will actually change on the ground.

Blessed are the meek, 
That's right! Be meek! For example, if you want to protest, protest meekly. Do something like kneeling quietly in protest of an obvious wrong. Meek. Unobtrusive. 

for they shall inherit the earth. 
And the just cause you've meekly supported will resonate with others 
(I'd call that inheriting the earth wouldn't you?) 
Also, you won't lose your job bc your cause is just and "your vindication will shine like the noonday sun." Where did I read that?? (Ps. 37:6 it turns out)

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 
for they shall be satisfied. 
But not those who hunger for food, 'cause SNAP and WIC only create dependency.
Instead, let God's people flock to evangelical church every Sunday, where the poor are measured and their worthiness for support is assessed
Feed them a prosperity gospel that seeks a new Gulf Stream jet; demonizes the LGBTQ population and assess their worthiness for my blessings 

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Unless they are drug users or murderers.
We do have to fight the War on Drugs, and  we must execute those found guilty of murder, even if the evidence against them is thin, DNA non-existent and witnesses have recanted.
No room for mercy up in here.

Blessed are the pure of heart, 
for they shall see God. 
Who are these people and do they even vote?

Blessed are the peacemakers, 
and the Saturday Night Specials, and the AR-15's, because
Republican Jesus is pretty sure peace is found at the business end of a gun. 

for they shall be called children of God. 
Sorry, Glock.  The children of Glock.  Or Smith & Wesson. I forget which.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, 
Who are shunned for expressing bitter hatred and threatening violence toward Muslims, immigrants, LGBT people, and liberals, just the way God intended.
Blessed too are those who are made, against their will, to treat others with basic human decency.
That PC nonsense is just wrong.

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Where there shall be no more Soros.
And there's a wall.
Amen! 



Friday, May 12, 2017

Where American Christianity stands

Standing at the nexus of a uniquely American version of patriotism and full blown White supremacy is much of White American Christianity. She stands loudly and proudly in the space between nationalism and naked racism. She straddles that space with pride and grace.

Much of American Christianity - including the version of it spouted in some Black churches I might add - is the spoonful of sugar that makes the nasty medicine of supremacy go down.

Consider, for example, that Mike Pence is a very conservative Christian, who, as a practicing Catholic, used in vitro fertilization to overcome his family's infertility troubles. Yay medical science! But this same individual is one who would vote yes on a law (the AHCA) that would prevent others accessing much more basic and life-saving medical science services than those. Did not Jesus say "blessed are the poor because they don't want health insurance, and they should pay full freight for it if they do?"

Yay, American Capitalism-is-Next-to-Godliness Jesus!

Look also upon Ms. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the daughter of a former Baptist minister, who has spent the last two days lying her ass off for a president who is himself entirely assless, having long ago lied his own off. Or consider how Kelly Anne Conway was referred to by Chuck Todd as "a very lovely woman" and a "devout Christian". Kelly Anne "Alternative Facts" Conway is a devout something, but I leave it to Christ to determine whether it's Christian. I can make no definitive claim one way or the other, but it is worth noting that she seems accepted within the halls of American Christianity.

Praise American Bearing-False-Witness-is-Fine Jesus!
  
I say again, standing at the nexus of a USA! USA! USA!-chanting patriotism, a "Donald Trump will stop you!" screaming patriotism, a "Mexicans are rapists" patriotism, and noxious, unbridled White supremacy is American Christianity. 

This is no ordinary Christianity, but rather the founding fathers' slave-holding, slave-raping, child-stealing, Black pogrom-supporting, Native land-stealing, Chinese immigrant-excluding, Jim Crow-loving, lynching party-having, American Christianity. 

That version of Christianity is the spoonful of sugar that makes the vile medicine of racism, sexism, Islamophobia, misogyny, homophobia and transphobia go down um, um good!


The blond-haired, blue-eyed, White Jesus who somehow came out of brown-skinned, Middle Eastern Nazareth must be so very proud.

As a matter of fact, is it my imagination or do I hear White Jesus now, reframing the Beatitudes?

I can see them going something like this…….

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
(but not the poor in pocket)

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
(but the kingdom of earth is not and they really shouldn’t get too comfy)

Blessed are they who mourn,
(But not the parents or families of POC killed by the police because seriously,
they should just have complied)

for they shall be comforted. 
(and if they’re lucky they’ll get a check but nothing will change)

Can I get an "Amen?"













Sunday, May 7, 2017

Stop demanding forgiveness and do the damn work!


In the aftermath of the recent brutal killing of yet another Black youngster, people of color have, once again, been asked to eschew violence, omit calls for a full investigation leading to the arrest and conviction of the killer police officer, and leap directly to forgiveness.

As I discussed in Columbusing Blackness, “the colonizer mindset (or ytppul ytppuling) is Whiteness moving in the world in the way it best knows how: taking the path of least resistance, typically right through someone else's most sacred of spaces, directly to its destination.” In this particular instance, the destination is the holy space of forgiveness and the path lies directly through the heart of Black America’s grief. Further evidence of ytppul ytppuling; colonizer mindset hard at work.

Why would anyone make such a demand? Emotional survival and avoidance of the pain of their wrong-doing methinks.

Who would have the temerity to make such a demand? Why, the White colonizer of course, accustomed as he/she is to not ever having to actually be contrite for acts committed against others. (cf: the entirety of European colonizer history)

The demand for forgiveness is incredibly odious but what makes it worse is the justification; apparently, Ytppul are making this demand for my benefit! I am reliably informed by good White people that my willingness to forgive White violence and oppression without any evidence of White remorse or contrition is all for my own good! Me. Not guilty White America. No indeed! Those demanding my forgiveness are trying to help me, because I’m too [insert appropriate intellectual or emotional flaw here] to handle the horrors of processing White crimes against Black people. So thoughtful, really. [Gaslighting Level: Expert.]

When you put it that way, how could I possibly refuse? Quite easily, as it turns out.

I certainly appreciate that forgiveness helps me. I get that. I even agree with it. What I do not agree with is any suggestion that I owe anyone my forgiveness on some timeline that works for them. That’s not how this works. Forgiveness is an inside job, worked out according to a timeline determined by the forgiver not the forgivee. External pressure – whether social or emotional – is wholly inappropriate bullshit.

For every NWCL/G (nice White Christian lady or gentleman) who demands that POC forgive yet another murdering police officer I have these few questions:

First, were the late Jordan Edwards a blond, blue-eyed girl, would you demand forgiveness of her friends, her family, and her community before you demanded accountability of the police and a complete explanation of how this dreadful outcome came to be? This is not a rhetorical question.  None of these are.  So, would you?

Second, were the late Jordan Edwards an F student and a general pain-in-the-ass White child, would you say his life should be forfeit before you demanded accountability of the police? A simple "yes" or "no" will suffice.

Third, were the late Jordan Edwards a grown White man with two families and multiple children, a general lay about and drain on the taxpayer, would you say, "Let's wait until we have all the details!" before you demanded accountability of the police? I'll wait.

In any instance where accountability is secondary to the psychic comfort of the perpetrators’ group, privilege is at play, and needs to be called what it is - self-serving bull.....When another Black child has been murdered by the police, and White police at that, White comfort is not the goal of Black forgiveness. Well, to be clear, it’s not the goal for us. Though it obviously is for you. Even as we face the brutal death of one of our children at the hands of your police, in your view your feelings are still the most important thing. Why is that do you think?  

Indeed, if you really gave a crap about the humanity of those who are repeatedly harmed by colonizer Whiteness, you would lean all the way in to the discomfort of my unforgiveness. It might actually change you. But the truth is you have no interest – either real or feigned – in changing yourself. Rather, you want me to change – to contort myself emotionally and spiritually for your comfort. I am resolute however; your comfort is not my concern.

Your adjurations that I forgive may be couched in Biblical terms, but I see them for what they are: a salve to your conscience and an avoidance of the discomfort that the ugliness of racism brings you. You fear a retaliatory response. Welp, you could do something about that couldn’t you? You could learn and behave differently but nope, instead, you demand my silence and my complicity with your violence.

It is the ultimate exercise of White privilege to claim the right to decide who has to forgive and who must be forgiven and worse still, to establish the timeline for same and I am loudly going to call that rubbish out.

Don’t bother to clutch your pearls, reach for your emotional fragility, and wail, "I didn't mean it the way it sounded!". Yeah, you did. You just didn’t think I’d call you on it. Assuming that overly generous Black people will let you off the hook will not work here. Some few may forgive on demand, but many of us are onto your shit now. Many will refuse to allow you ease this time or the next.

Y’all need to sit and stew in your ugliness for a while. Y’all need to worry about backlash, rage and riots. Y’all need to have a come to Black Jesus moment. Y’all need to suffer the torments of the damned and then you need a real repentance moment, not some performative contrition nonsense of the “I’m sorry if anybody was offended” variety.  Nuh uh. The real thing is required.  

Until ‘you people’ are required to experience consequences of your vileness there will be no change in that behavior. The too-quick forgiveness that you invariably demand virtually ensures the behavior will be repeated. If folk walk around feeling like, “Hey, no harm no foul right?!”, “I didn’t mean nothin’ by it!” what impetus is there to do or be better next time around? None.

In the Caribbean, children who suck their fingers are discouraged from so doing so through the liberal application of raw aloe on the offending fingers. Aloe tastes vile and so children learn real quick to stop sticking those fingers in their mouths. America needs some raw aloe.

Don’t demand my forgiveness. Ain’t no Biblical basis for such a demand. Put some aloe on yuh damn fingers and stick them in your mouth. Deal with the bitter taste. Recognize the vileness of your skin kin’s actions. Learn. Grow. We’ll get to forgiveness eventually, maybe right around the time you get around to treating POC like they are equal human beings to your good selves. Here’s an idea: we gon’ follow you there. Lead the way! We will be right behind you.