Remembering Ferguson: My Response as A Christian Black Man

There is another side to this article.

I’m white, but the truth is –

If, like Michael Brown, I fought with a police officer, I’d probably also get shot.

If, like Sandra Bland, during a traffic stop I failed to cooperate with, and had a cussing match with a police officer, I’d probably also go to jail.

Black Lives Matter; All Lives Matter

http://gulfcoastpastor.blogspot.com/2015/10/black-lives-matter-all-live…

Right now, we have on our church sign, “All Lives Matter.” Even more important, an area black church has the same on their sign.

David R. Brumbelow

David,

Let me answer your comments point by point.

#1 For many African-Americans that I know, much of the problem with Michael Brown situation was the lack of due process. The Grand Jury fiasco was a complete disaster. Here is an article from Thabiti Anyabwili that sheds more light on the issue. https://blogs.thegospelcoalition.org/thabitianyabwile/2014/11/26/why-i-…

#2 With Sandra Bland, the police department disciplined the arresting officer for violating her constutional rights. And when the grand jury indicted the arresting police officer for perjury, they fired him.

#3. As for the Black Lives matter and all lives matter conversation, even the BLM movement (which personally I have some issues with) have gone on record and stated that all lives matter too. However, because of certain systemic racism that still that still exists today within the criminal justice system and the public incidents of violence against blacks, many in the African-American community have taken up the slogan “Black Lives Matter.” I find it interesting how so many white people can be so overly sensitive when a person states that “black lives matter” and then somehow read into that statement to think that they are really saying that somehow black lives matter more.

If Jesus would’ve delivered the sermon on the mount and the beatitudes in the 21st century, I wonder if someone would’ve responded to his “Blessed are the poor in spirit” with “All lives should be blessed, Jesus!”

Also the author of this article mentions the 12 year old Tamir Rice, who was shot immediately without warning (which you can see on video) Again very poor due process because a grand jury refused to bring it to trial. The author also mentions John Crawford who was shot in a Walmart because he was holding a BB gun (that he was probably going to purchase) while on his cell phone. The police came in guns blazing and shot him without giving enough warning. In the case of John Crawford, a customer accused him on the 911 call of pointing the gun at customers, and the Walmart video tape following him the entire time showed that he never once pointed it at anyone. Again, the grand jury refused to bring it to trial.

My point is that we should have some empathy for our African-American brothers and sisters in Christ who are regularly profiled and really do fear for their lives.