Charlottesville VA events

I had a pretty busy week last week.  I spent much of it working with someone whose life was falling apart - who's now homeless, battling addictions, and a whole number of other things - still.  

But this was for sure balanced out by the return of our German (host) daughter last week as well.  She completed her sophmore year of High School with us, and has been gone a year - we loved seeing her and her family again!   

During all this, my only real news source last week was NPR radio.  I'd heard about what was going on, but hadn't seen any images of what was happening in Virginia; no pictures, no videos, nothing like this... just radio reporting.   

Then Sunday morning as I was preparing for church I saw an e-mail from someone who was there in Charlottesville, semed to be on the Alt-Right side.   I have to say, that really threw me. 

I felt I had to respond somehow.  I had a sermon already prepared.   Since my only news was through radio, I had an idea of what was happening- but remember... no images!   Pictures paint a thousand words, right.    

So when I got to church I re-did everything I planned to say and talked about us needing to listen first.  In situations of conflict and change, I’ve often found some guidance in the question – “What would a healthy family do in this situation?”  I still think the non-violent response should be first.  And the best non-violent response is to listen. 

Ostensibly, this protest in Virginia was a response to the removal of a statue of Confederate leader Robert E. Lee.   But it did not take much deeper digging to see this had a much deeper and darker purpose.  
  After church I went to YouTube to learn more about the organizers of this protest, Jason Kessler and Richard Spencer.  I wanted to get a fuller picture of what they stand for.  And they stand for the opposite of what we as a Americans an Christians to stand for.   I honeslty cannot understand the deep fear and anger a person must have to beleive what they believe.   

Yes, it's better to talk than to hate.  Yes, its better to listen than to fight.  But what I have seen recently has challenged me to my core.  I have been wrestling with what to say about this for two days now.  Yes, I beleive White Nationalist/Nazi ideology is wrong.   Yes, people have a right to speak... even if we detest what they say.  Yes, Jesus calls us to love those who hate us.  Yes, there is a clear biblical prophetic voice calling people to justice and rightness - and to call out injustice!   Yes, Martin Luther King fought the "sweltering heat of oppression" with love and patience and non-violence.  Yes, Deitrich Bonhoeffer, the Lutheran pastor and theologian felt it was his duty as a Christian to be part of a (ultimately failed) plot to assassinate Hitler.  And it is true sometimes one cannot negotiate with extremism.     

I struggled... what do I say?   What do WE say?   How do we all respond?    
Truth is, we all need to figure out for ourselves what to say and how to respond. 
  
I struggled what to say...  until I saw this video I am posting below.   
   
I have to warn you --- it is deeply disturbing.   Yes, there is foul language.    

But the most disturbing thing is not the language, it's the views the Alt-Right, White Nationalist, White Power espouse, believe and hold to.      

It is indeed distrubing.    
But everyone needs to see this!        






Do what you can to keep this from growing...     

Pray
            Speak
                             Act
     Write
                                          Listen
                  Hope
                                                        Love
          March
                                 Sing
                                                   Chant
    Believe in Goodness
                             And pray some more.   

Pray