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I want to begin this post with the reminder that, according to the most recent available research, for every nine people executed in the United States, one innocent person has been exonerated. As Bryan Stevenson has said, we wouldn't accept that rate of error in anything else. Why do we accept it in administering the death penalty? Though Rodney Reed will not be executed on Nov. 20th, there are many people like him who did not have fair trials who are still on death row. Are we moved to compassion and action that seeks justice by this truth?
Now, the main reason I am writing this bonus post is because, as you know, nationwide rallies took place to #freerodneyreed because even though there was a stay of execution, Rodney Reed remains imprisoned without a fair trial. The rallies were meant to highlight the fact that Rodney Reed is still behind bars, and we were advocating for full release and repayment for the over 2 decades of suffering he has experienced.
At the rally in Rock Hill, there were 7 adults present, and while some may think that I would or should be discouraged by that, I’m not. And here’s why. Stephen and I are late in joining the fight for racial justice and equality, and this was our first rally. In addition to it being our first rally, it was the first rally for the other 5 adults who showed up, and I think that is worth pausing to be thankful that 7 first-timers came out, made signs, walked up and down the street, and chanted, “Know justice. Know peace. Help free Rodney Reed. No justice. No peace. Help free Rodney Reed,” while families ice skated at the outdoor covered skating rink downtown and cars passed by with many people slowing down to read the signs. And something I don’t want to diminish is the fact that the 7 children present were able to see an example set by the adults in their lives that we are to care for the oppressed, no matter how old or young we are. Those 7 precious children chanted with us with all their might, and they learned a valuable lesson: they each have a voice that they can use to unite with all the other voices being raised to seek justice.
I also wanted to write about why I participated in this rally. The biggest reason is because I really believe Jesus when He said in Luke 4:18-19, "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor." I really believe that the good news releases physical captives. I pray the Lord’s prayer and say, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,” and I don’t believe there are chains and cages in the kingdom of God. I don’t think there is retributive justice in the kingdom of God. And if those things are not present in the kingdom of God, they have no place here and now.
Also, I really believe Jesus when He calls His followers to identify with the imprisoned when He said in Matt. 25:36 and 40, "I was in prison and you visited me...And the King will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’" It is my belief that the way in which Jesus strongly identifies with the imprisoned is enough for me to strongly identify with the imprisoned. I think that since caring for black lives, desiring to abolish the death penalty, fighting to end mass incarceration, and seeking justice that is transformative and restorative are seen as radical and liberal by the white church, this shows how far off the white church is from the heart of God.
Since the days of slavery, the white church has had a disconnect between orthodoxy and orthopraxy regarding what it looks like to really love your neighbor, particularly black neighbors, not just in word but in deed. During Jim Crow, Martin Luther King, Jr. expressed his disappointment for the white moderate and the continual command from the white moderate to wait in his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” I also think of Michelle Higgins on a "Mailbag Episode" of Truth's Table saying she is pro-life from womb to tomb, and I think that the only way to truly be pro-life is to care about every life. For so long, much of the white church has boasted of being “gospel-centered” when what this often means is “gospel-only,” as Thabiti Anyabwile explained in the blog post “Only Preach the Gospel?” I don’t want my kids to grow up thinking that attending a rally to support someone who is innocent and unjustly imprisoned is a nice thing to do if they have time but unnecessary for the Christ follower. Standing in solidarity with the marginalized is something I want to model for my kids and anyone else who knows me.
These words are not meant to shame. Latasha Morrison, in her book Be the Bridge: Pursuing God’s Heart for Racial Reconciliation, wrote that shame and guilt are powerful motivators that keep us from telling the full truth, but it doesn't have to be that way. Austin Channing Brown posted a clip from The Next Question web series where they were speaking with Brené Brown and Brené Brown quoted Audrey Lord saying, "For the master's tools will never dismantle the master's house.” Brené Brown explained that shame is not an effective social justice tool because, though it may motivate temporary change, shame is a tool of oppression, a tool of supremacy. My desire is for love, not shame, to inspire others to join the work that has been happening for centuries to ensure the freedom and flourishing of all people.
I want to close by saying that we also learned some lessons for next time, because there will be a next time to push back against the rampant injustices endured by many. One, we will commit sooner. We wavered between whether or not to organize a rally in Rock Hill or to simply attend the rally in Charlotte. Saturday, the day before, Stephen decided he would organize a rally for Rock Hill. Though we posted on IG and Facebook, and he texted various people, we knew that it was short notice for many. I’m glad he decided to organize a rally in Rock Hill, though, because the Charlotte rally was canceled, so a few people who had originally planned to attend the Charlotte rally came to Rock Hill. The second lesson we learned was that we need to get better connected to organizations and churches that care about social injustices. We thought about the local chapters of Black Lives Matter and the NAACP. We also thought about black churches with members who are rooted in the area and have relationships throughout the city. If we were financially supporting these organizations and were involved, we could have supported someone else who wanted to organize the rally who has more experience and connections in the city. We could have handled some of the social media, purchasing supplies, etc. while placing ourselves under the leadership of black women and men who have the wisdom and insights necessary to plan and assemble a larger rally. We regret how we failed to think of this sooner and want to do better next time.
Thank you for reading my posts. I send so much love to you all. Grace and peace.
#rodneyreed #abolishthedeathpenalty #justiceforrodneyreed #rodneyreedisinnocent #evidencematters #testthedna #justiceforrodneyisjusticeforstacey #blacklivesmatter #endthedeathpenalty #endmassincerceration #justice #restorativejustice #transformativejustice #seekjustive #lovemercy #walkhumbly #raiseyourvoice #loveyourneighbor #lament #repent #repair #empathy #equality #reflection #action #blog #blogger #newblogpost #challengethenarrative #broadeningthenarrative
I want to begin this post with the reminder that, according to the most recent available research, for every nine people executed in the United States, one innocent person has been exonerated. As Bryan Stevenson has said, we wouldn't accept that rate of error in anything else. Why do we accept it in administering the death penalty? Though Rodney Reed will not be executed on Nov. 20th, there are many people like him who did not have fair trials who are still on death row. Are we moved to compassion and action that seeks justice by this truth?
Now, the main reason I am writing this bonus post is because, as you know, nationwide rallies took place to #freerodneyreed because even though there was a stay of execution, Rodney Reed remains imprisoned without a fair trial. The rallies were meant to highlight the fact that Rodney Reed is still behind bars, and we were advocating for full release and repayment for the over 2 decades of suffering he has experienced.
At the rally in Rock Hill, there were 7 adults present, and while some may think that I would or should be discouraged by that, I’m not. And here’s why. Stephen and I are late in joining the fight for racial justice and equality, and this was our first rally. In addition to it being our first rally, it was the first rally for the other 5 adults who showed up, and I think that is worth pausing to be thankful that 7 first-timers came out, made signs, walked up and down the street, and chanted, “Know justice. Know peace. Help free Rodney Reed. No justice. No peace. Help free Rodney Reed,” while families ice skated at the outdoor covered skating rink downtown and cars passed by with many people slowing down to read the signs. And something I don’t want to diminish is the fact that the 7 children present were able to see an example set by the adults in their lives that we are to care for the oppressed, no matter how old or young we are. Those 7 precious children chanted with us with all their might, and they learned a valuable lesson: they each have a voice that they can use to unite with all the other voices being raised to seek justice.
I also wanted to write about why I participated in this rally. The biggest reason is because I really believe Jesus when He said in Luke 4:18-19, "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor." I really believe that the good news releases physical captives. I pray the Lord’s prayer and say, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,” and I don’t believe there are chains and cages in the kingdom of God. I don’t think there is retributive justice in the kingdom of God. And if those things are not present in the kingdom of God, they have no place here and now.
Also, I really believe Jesus when He calls His followers to identify with the imprisoned when He said in Matt. 25:36 and 40, "I was in prison and you visited me...And the King will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’" It is my belief that the way in which Jesus strongly identifies with the imprisoned is enough for me to strongly identify with the imprisoned. I think that since caring for black lives, desiring to abolish the death penalty, fighting to end mass incarceration, and seeking justice that is transformative and restorative are seen as radical and liberal by the white church, this shows how far off the white church is from the heart of God.
Since the days of slavery, the white church has had a disconnect between orthodoxy and orthopraxy regarding what it looks like to really love your neighbor, particularly black neighbors, not just in word but in deed. During Jim Crow, Martin Luther King, Jr. expressed his disappointment for the white moderate and the continual command from the white moderate to wait in his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” I also think of Michelle Higgins on a "Mailbag Episode" of Truth's Table saying she is pro-life from womb to tomb, and I think that the only way to truly be pro-life is to care about every life. For so long, much of the white church has boasted of being “gospel-centered” when what this often means is “gospel-only,” as Thabiti Anyabwile explained in the blog post “Only Preach the Gospel?” I don’t want my kids to grow up thinking that attending a rally to support someone who is innocent and unjustly imprisoned is a nice thing to do if they have time but unnecessary for the Christ follower. Standing in solidarity with the marginalized is something I want to model for my kids and anyone else who knows me.
These words are not meant to shame. Latasha Morrison, in her book Be the Bridge: Pursuing God’s Heart for Racial Reconciliation, wrote that shame and guilt are powerful motivators that keep us from telling the full truth, but it doesn't have to be that way. Austin Channing Brown posted a clip from The Next Question web series where they were speaking with Brené Brown and Brené Brown quoted Audrey Lord saying, "For the master's tools will never dismantle the master's house.” Brené Brown explained that shame is not an effective social justice tool because, though it may motivate temporary change, shame is a tool of oppression, a tool of supremacy. My desire is for love, not shame, to inspire others to join the work that has been happening for centuries to ensure the freedom and flourishing of all people.
I want to close by saying that we also learned some lessons for next time, because there will be a next time to push back against the rampant injustices endured by many. One, we will commit sooner. We wavered between whether or not to organize a rally in Rock Hill or to simply attend the rally in Charlotte. Saturday, the day before, Stephen decided he would organize a rally for Rock Hill. Though we posted on IG and Facebook, and he texted various people, we knew that it was short notice for many. I’m glad he decided to organize a rally in Rock Hill, though, because the Charlotte rally was canceled, so a few people who had originally planned to attend the Charlotte rally came to Rock Hill. The second lesson we learned was that we need to get better connected to organizations and churches that care about social injustices. We thought about the local chapters of Black Lives Matter and the NAACP. We also thought about black churches with members who are rooted in the area and have relationships throughout the city. If we were financially supporting these organizations and were involved, we could have supported someone else who wanted to organize the rally who has more experience and connections in the city. We could have handled some of the social media, purchasing supplies, etc. while placing ourselves under the leadership of black women and men who have the wisdom and insights necessary to plan and assemble a larger rally. We regret how we failed to think of this sooner and want to do better next time.
Thank you for reading my posts. I send so much love to you all. Grace and peace.
#rodneyreed #abolishthedeathpenalty #justiceforrodneyreed #rodneyreedisinnocent #evidencematters #testthedna #justiceforrodneyisjusticeforstacey #blacklivesmatter #endthedeathpenalty #endmassincerceration #justice #restorativejustice #transformativejustice #seekjustive #lovemercy #walkhumbly #raiseyourvoice #loveyourneighbor #lament #repent #repair #empathy #equality #reflection #action #blog #blogger #newblogpost #challengethenarrative #broadeningthenarrative
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