(I’m in information overload about Ferguson right now. I can’t sort out my thoughts, which is rare, but I have an overriding feeling: GRIEF)
I grieve for those who think justice was served.
I grieve for those who think justice was ignored.
I grieve for those who lost property.
I grieve for those who destroyed property.
I grieve over death (every death).
I grieve for Ferguson.
I grieve for those confirmed in their opinion about black people.
I grieve for those confirmed in their opinion about white people.
I grieve for those who don’t feel they can trust our justice system.
I grieve for those who are in our justice system.
I grieve for those who do not want to understand the need to grieve these things.
I grieve for those who understand the reasons all too well.
I grieve for those who think they understand.
I grieve for those who know they don’t.
I grieve that often it seems Black lives don’t matter.
I grieve that often the police see Black Men as enemies rather than citizens.
I grieve that often Black Communities see the police more as occupiers than servants.
I grieve because it is often thought that just because a police force is integrated this will make it trusted and trustworthy for a Black Community.
I grieve that White people often only SEE the anger
but don’t seek to UNDERSTAND the anger of the Black Community.
I grieve for Mike Brown and his family.
I grieve for Darren Wilson.
I grieve that I am not sure if I am even grieving the right things.
I grieve that I can’t trust my grief and I dare not to.
I want to grieve as Christ grieved in the Garden of Gethsemane, over Jerusalem, how he still grieves for the whole world.
3 replies on “Grieving For Ferguson and Beyond”
[…] terms of white voices this post by Geoff Holsclaw is a good response from a position of privilege that is seeking to be open to move beyond […]
That pretty well covers it. it’s not just Ferguson. Cleveland Ohio a couple of weeks ago, Beavercreek Ohio last week— 2 people shot brandishing pellet guns after people in the neighborhood and local area seeing a threat has made for devastating losses for families, communities and anyone with a heart. Hearing all the sides of the story with all the perceptions, misperceptions, convictions and clinging to one’s personal views –of who has the best ideas to “fix” things, or what needs to be overthrown for something new and better– still leaves us with so much anger and loss of community on so many levels. These are sad days and only God knows and shares the weight of all the grief we rightly dare not trust.
Thank you, Geoff.
[…] GRIEVING FOR FERGUSON AND BEYOND […]