I have been reading Parting The Waters (America In The King Years 1954-63) by Taylor Branch, and am struck by the respectability politics that were at work within the Civil Rights Movement. Lawyers and advocates decided whether they would or would not take a case, or to what extent they would challenge unjust charges or racist laws based on how perfectly the defendant might present to a certain audience. Factors to be considered were history, demeanor, relationship status, character, appearance, etc.
I understand the calculation. There was an imbalance of weights on the scales of the justice system they were constrained by and working against.
They had to make clear cut cases so that sides could be drawn and chosen, arguments presented. If a perfect case could not be made, potential advocacy might be withheld even where it was warranted.
This piece expresses some of the tension that to some extent still carries over into today when one thinks to address systemic issues or injustice in general.
As more and more data is surfaced to make the case of systemic injustices in the macro, society-wide scale, that reliance on exonerating evidence carries over into the micro, individual instance. At least I have hesitated to address when someone is a victim of violence until an air tight case can be built for their exoneration.
Among those claiming Christ this shouldn’t be.
One of the greatest gifts we receive from Christ’s birth, life, Crucifixion, and Resurrection is the freedom, and even the anointing to love first. The power of the Cross brings freedom from sin through confession and submission, but first it speaks to an unearned and unearnable love. We love because He first loved us.
The Cross is unearned and unearnable advocacy.
I think that that beauty frees us to not have to justify our valuing and advocating for the value of human beings made in the image of God.
There are some specific names and faces and stories from the last few months that come to mind: Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Jacob Blake, Elijah McClain. You could add Patrick Warren Sr.
These were Image bearers who were killed by guns registered to the State, loaded with bullets purchased with what we citizens in part render unto Caesar, and Image bearers who were considered nothing more than suspects in the final moments of their lives, or in the moments before life was changed forever.
Christ followers longing to see unjust systems dismantled should indeed go about gathering data, building cases, and presenting evidence of systemic injustice, unjust scales, and discrimination where it exists, but that is not a prerequisite for lamenting over lives taken or broken by the State, or any system or person in society.
Really it goes beyond those instances. Our hearts should also break for those citizens hit by guns with no paperwork and no serial numbers and no receipts in our streets too. For Abels who met Cains in the field unsuspecting, for cousins who dialogued their deeply held or newly acquired concepts of bravado and insecurity with force, and their understandings of capital and consolidated wealth and empire and manhood with gunpowder claps and dry, sore-throat-swallow knives in flesh.
No proof of worthiness or value for them as Image bearers should be required. No proof was needed when Christ purchased our freedom and advocated for our value.
It is beautiful to be free to just start there.
With that in mind, I’d recommend nobigdyl. “Sweet Dreams, Breathe Easy”. I think the song is amazing, but hesitated to suggest it sooner because of the very tension this piece addresses.
Andy Mineo’s “Uncomfortable” resonates so much on this one too. Lecrae’s “10 Toes” and Hulvey’s “OTHERSIDE” round it out pretty well.
Image via https://pixabay.com/images/id-918459/.
Festival of Booths 
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