June 28 - Racial Justice
Deborah Laforet Matthew 5:1-11
June 28, 2020
“Peacekeepers or Peacemakers”
I was listening to a podcast a couple of weeks ago called the Deconstructionists. They were interviewing Drew Brown. Drew Brown is a musician who lives in Milton, a Christian and worship leader, and a racial justice activist. In his interview, he talked about peacekeepers and peacemakers and specifically, he talked about how Jesus blessed the peacemakers.
Now, I did not grow up in Canada, but I’ve lived here half my life. Over that time, I have heard Canadians talk with pride about their peacekeepers, and with good reason. Dating back to the 1950’s, Canadians have sent more than 125,000 Canadians on UN peace operations. At one time, there were over 3300 Canadians deployed on peacekeeping operations, but this number has dropped significantly. In 2019, it was at 150, mostly because of scandal and failed overseas missions. But what is peacekeeping and how does it differ from peacemaking?
Peacekeeping is keeping the peace. Keeping the peace means smoothing the waters, settling disagreements, mediating, and bringing some calmness and serenity. I can imagine that peacekeeping was about preventing people from hurting one another, keeping the vulnerable safe, and preventing an escalation of conflict. What it didn’t do or what it tried not to do was bring conflict to the surface, shake the boat, or side with one party over another.
Now the problem is that sometimes, in order to make peace, you have to take a side. Sometimes you have to watch a conflict grow worse. You have to let people get angry, shout their pain, express their frustration and disappointment, and grieve their losses. Peacemaking is messy. Peacemaking will make it worse before it gets better. Peacemaking brings chaos, and this is scary. I don’t know many who say that they love conflict and that they can’t wait to get into a fight, for things to get messy and chaotic. Most of us would be happy to sweep conflict under the rug, to be nice, to make sure no one gets hurt, and to just, in general, keep things rosy. But do they every really stay rosy? Is no one really getting hurt? Is being nice enough to bring about the change that is needed to make peace.
Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” The difference between a peacekeeper and a peacemaker reminds me of the current conversation around what it means to be non-racist or anti-racist.
Canadian are know for being polite, for being nice people. I think this ties in with the peacekeeping idea and it ties in with being non-racist. Being non-racist is when we hear a phrase like colour-blind or when people wonder why we all can’t just get along or if people would just stop being so angry and sensitive then we could go back to a peaceful existence. When one is colour blind, there is an inability to see that people are treated differently because of their colour. If we’re not seeing someone’s colour, we are invalidating the experiences of people of different races. We are ignoring the fact that white people have a head start in this world over everyone else and we are ignoring the idea that a black person, an indigenous person, or any person of colour, have very different experiences. Because our society and culture is so based on the colour of our skin, by ignoring this we are closing our minds to the idea that the colour of our skin makes such a difference to who we are and what we experience.
I’ve just begun reading Ibram X Kendi’s book on “How to be an Anti-Racist.” I like the distinction he makes between being a racist or an anti-racist and being racist or anti-racist. He sees is as a state of being. He takes non-racist completely out of the equation and says that throughout our lives, no matter our colour, there are times when we are racist and other times when we are anti-racist. It’s not a label you can tack on someone, like mother, teacher, Canadian, black or white, because it changes all the time, even throughout one day.
Being anti-racist is really difficult for us white folks because it’s easier for us not to think about it. White people can go a whole day without thinking about the fact that they are white, but this isn’t the experience for others. Us white people swim in the waters of white privilege and it’s difficult to imagine the life of others outside of that privilege or even our own lives outside of that privilege. Because of this, it’s very difficult to be anti-racist, to be always aware of the unfair and unjust policies that cause disadvantages to black, indigenous, and people of colour. Because of white privilege, these polices are an advantage to white folks so it’s hard for us to speak against them. It takes a lot of work just to notice them. It’s why we think just getting rid of bad cops will solve the racism in the police force, or when we think that just being nice to each other will stop riots or when we think we’re not racist because we have a black friend or because we believe everyone should be equal. Racism is so complex and takes so much patience and learning to unwrap the history, the unjust policies, and the privilege of white people all over the world. It’s why listening to people who are black, indigenous, and of colour becomes particularly significant and important.
We don’t want to just keep the peace. We need to make peace; and in order to do that, we white people have to see our white privilege, and we all have to know when we are being racist, and when we have to work hard at being anti-racist. This most recent uprising against racism began with the knee of a police officer on the neck of a black man, cutting off his breath, and causing his death. “I can’t breathe!” is what he was saying as he died, and “I can’t breathe!” has become a phrase used metaphorically to describe how black people feel under the oppression of racism and we have to stop ignoring this cry.
In saying that, it’s time for me to stop talking. It’s time to hear black voices from our United Church of Canada. This is a message from the Black Clergy Network.
Friends, may we continue to listen. May we continue to learn and grow. May we continue to fight for justice, to fight for equality, and to fight against racism and be anti-racist, to be peacemakers, because blessed are the peacemakers for they are children of God. Go out into the world and make peace. Amen.