Not Guilty

Not Guilty.

I'll be honest. I wasn't that surprised when I heard the verdict read. I had either watched or listened (on SXM radio) to most of the George Zimmerman trial. And I really thought that the defense did a much better job at presenting it's case than did the state. Now I'm not commenting on whether justice was actually served but more about the execution of the case by either side.

And as a new resident of Florida I was paying particular attention because it affected the area in which I'm trying to serve.

But what I was surprised by was the deep emotion that has spilled over into our nation ever since. I have sat and watched the news and have seen the protests, the calls for justice and the sadness gripping a community I am largely not a part of.

When the trial concluded I thought about blogging about it but didn't because I didn't really understand the turmoil taking place. I couldn't reason why so many thousands of people took to the streets in defense of this young man. And to a large part I still can't wrap my head around it.

Then I read this post from Eugene Cho, founder of One Days Wages, a non-for profit that combats the evil of extreme poverty:
http://eugenecho.com/2013/07/16/if-our-black-brothers-and-sisters-are-hurting-why-cant-we-just-shut-...

It wasn't until this post that I remembered the words of Jesus recorded in the book of Matthew, "Blessed are those that mourn, for they will be comforted." I don't want to get preachy here but the idea is for us to be heartbroken for our sins and the sins of our nation. But it doesn't end there. The comfort he speaks of only happens when we allow that deep emotional pain to drive us to action. Our comfort comes from the knowledge that we are part of the solution not just the problem.

These men and women and students have taken to the streets because their life experiences have caused them to grieve over this trial in a way that I couldn't possibly understand. My family had it's struggles growing up but racism or racial profiling wasn't one of them. I have never been followed around a store because I'm white. I have never been pulled over for being white. I have never had people see me walking down the street and cross to the other side because I'm white.

But I know people who've had that happen because they're black. I also know people that are white that have been targeted because of the clothes they wear, or the look they went for. But by and large those experiences are the exception. And nor do whites share a common history where this behavior was the norm.

So as I read that post by Eugene Cho I began to understand my role in this. We are a divided nation, divided by politics and by race. At some point in time we have to lay aside our differences and begin to dialogue. We have stop living with preconceived notions and take the time to understand the why.

As a follower of Jesus I am called to mourn with those that mourn. Why would he say this? Because Jesus understood the brokenness that comes inherit in humanity. He understood that people don't care what you know until they know you love them.

I'm tired of all the political rhetoric and shouting. I'm tired of living in a place where people are so afraid of the PC police that we can't have an honest discussion. I'm tired of being divided.

I'm ready to listen.

I'm ready to try and understand.

Even if I never fully comprehend what this means to African Americans at least I can say that I was part of the solution, not just the problem.