Prayers for Charleston, Prayers for America

Praying for...

...The families and friends of those nine who were the victims of racist terrorism last night. The list of those who have lost a loved one to racism, hate, terrorism and gun violence continues to grow, and so does the chorus of those saying "enough is enough."

...The congregation of Emanuel AME Church, who lost a beloved leader in Rev. Clementa Pinckney and eight other vital members of their worship community. That they may be able to mourn in peace as long as they need, and they begin to heal as a faith community.

...The community of Charleston, who lost an important leader in Sen. Pinckney, someone who has been an inspiring voice for justice and peace in a place long lacking in both.

...Shooter Dylan Roof, that the hatred and racism he is feels and is steeped in may begin to be overcome with relentless, overwhelming love.

...The family and friends of Roof, that they be free from harassment and anger directed at them, and instead be treated with the love and understanding they need as they process the actions of their loved one towards others.

...The state of South Carolina, long a place home to racism, injustice, inequality and hate, that the atrocity last night might be seen as the logical outcome of the state's history and the inflammatory rhetoric of their leaders, all coming under the shadow of a symbol of terrorism flying from the State Capitol's flagpole, a sign of institutional racism and hate. May love and justice flow across the entire state.

...The American south, that love and justice may also flow across a region that has long oppressed an entire race of people simply because of the pigmentation of their skin.

...America, that we may recognize the complicity we all have for the atmosphere that allows such acts to happen. May we begin pursuing reconciliation among all people, in contrast to 18 months of concerted disregard for black Americans by vast swathes of our country. arising out of 250 years of racist policy and institutions that have led us to this point. May we realize that the motivating factor here is merely an extreme form of the same attitudes that lead to Trayvon Martin, Walter Scott, Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Freddie Grey, Martin Luther King Jr, Medgar Evers, Emmitt Till, and many many thousands of others not named here or anywhere. May we realize it's the same attitude that leads us to dismiss the concerns of those marching in Ferguson, in Baltimore, in Oakland and across our country, instead of understanding and working towards solutions. God have mercy on us.

...The gun culture we live in, that it may pass into history books and a new culture of love, respect and trust may replace it. That we may recognize that Jesus spoke the truth when he declared that "those who live by the sword will die by the sword;" that a nation dependent of violent tools to enforce good behavior is one where only bad behavior will happen.

...Our justice system, that true justice may be dispensed; that all those involved in judging Dylan Roof may act out of love, mercy and grace in pursuing a just outcome; that violence may not be done in our name, in the vain hope that killing someone will teach others that killing is bad.

Violence only begets violence.

Healing begins with forgiveness.

With grace.

With mercy.

With love.

Amen.

Why Respect for the Courage of Caitlyn Jenner and War Veterans Isn't Zero Sum

Caitlyn (formerly Bruce) Jenner made her first public appearance this week, on the latest cover of Vanity Fair. If you've been through the checkout line of a grocery store at any point in the last six months, you surely have seen her face and been able to keep up with her transition via magazine cover. Now that she is going public, America's finest and most intolerant are making their disdain well known via social media.

One theme I keep seeing specifically is a take on the "Jenner isn't a hero, wounded veteran X is a real hero." Digging deeper, there seems to be special outrage reserved for Jenner's winning the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at the upcoming Espys, over a paraplegic veteran who is now a sprinter. Because the Ashe Award is so terribly important, and we can all name last year's winner off the top of our head.

I got into it with several folks on Facebook earlier over this specific grievance. Here's my basic point: why are we treating respect and admiration as a zero-sum game? Why does the praise Jenner is receiving for being willing to step out publicly, put her image, career and business on the line and receive withering amounts of criticism, mean that others deserving of our respect and praise are now being sucked dry of all said recognition? This particular tack really frustrates me because it is a sham, a front to hide the real opinion being held: rampant and virulent homophobia, non-acceptance, disrespect and hate of this woman specifically, and trans people in general for being icky and confusing.

As Christians, we are called to love others as we love ourselves, as we love Jesus, as God loves us. Wrapped up in that love is respect, tolerance, acceptance, non-judgement, comfort, among many, many other things. To get on Facebook, hiding behind a keyboard and a feigned concern for injured veterans, is to act in a way that is not loving. It is disrespectful to Ms. Jenner, and it is disrespectful to the decorated veterans who are being used as a shield to conceal the commenter's intolerance. In a word, it's un-Christian.

Caitlyn Jenner deserves our love, our respect, our acceptance of who she is, our welcome with fully open arms. We should praise her courage, and admire her journey of self-discovery and fulfillment. She doesn't need our judgement, and we are in no place to judge her for anything.

Wounded veterans also deserve our love, respect, acceptance of who terrible war has made them, and a welcome home in honor and comfort. We should also praise their courage, their sacrifice, their hard work, while caring for their hurts, both physical and mental. We should not judge them for the unjust situation they were unwittingly sent into, nor should we condemn them for doing their job competently and fully.

Showing love, respect, honor, welcome and comfort for all these people is possible. To give it to Ms. Jenner is not to take it from veterans, or anyone else. It simply injects more love into the world, instead of dividing up a finite resource. We should never shy away from praising everyone who deserves it, and never begrudge those who rightfully receive it. God's love, and our reflection of it, is infinite and always a good, holy thing.