Racial Justice:
What would Jesus want us to do?

"Black lives matter" is not the answer to the question, "Which lives matter?" It is the answer to the question, "Do Black lives matter?"

It is not a single organization. People in the movement act as individuals committed to racial justice, with varying beliefs on politics and policies.
( Wikipedia )

It is a legal theory, dating from the 1970s, that "racial inequality, because of the country's history of chattel slavery, Jim Crow and other overt racist practices such as redlining, continues to be seen in many facets of American society, including lower educational attainment and home ownership for minority communities, income inequality, and disproportionate arrest and incarceration rates for Black men." It grew out of a field called "critical legal studies" which examined how the law and legal institutions served the interests of wealthy and powerful people at the expense of the poor and marginalized."
( Explainer: What critical race theory is — and is not )

White privilege refers to the everyday conveniences that White people don't need to think about but that are denied to people of color.

• Some are trivial, like bandages that match White skin tones, not Black ones. But even the trivial ones can send a subtle message of "Black people don't belong."
• Some are critically important, like trusting that if you are pulled over for a traffic stop, you won't end up dead, like Philando Castile or Sandra Bland.
• Some are systemic, like knowing that your skin tone won't make you less likely to be hired or to be given a mortgage.

White people don't generally notice these small and large privileges, but not having them imposes a huge burden on people of color.
( White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh)

In the words of Dr. Anneliese A. Singh in The Racial Healing Handbook, "You need the intentional mindset of Yep, this racism thing is everyone's problem-including mine, and I'm going to do something about it."

It is an attitude of, "If you see something racist, say something," even if it causes discomfort. Seek clarity, speak your truth, and search for common ground.

It means uncovering your own biases, because everyone has them.

It means working to stamp out racism by opposing racist policies and racist political candidates.

This varies, depending on who is saying it.

• A small number of people mean it literally: eliminate all police.
• Some mean that a particular police department is so immersed in racism or corruption that the only solution is to dissolve it and start anew, hiring a new police force.
• Others mean that funds should be reallocated so, for example, a call about a person running naked down a street is answered by a team of mental health professionals, backed up by the police only if necessary.
• Others mean that police should not be assigned to schools, and that a playground fight should be handled by school principals, not by police and the criminal justice system.

( 6 reasons why it's time to defund the police by Mary Zerkel)

The entire economy of the southern states up to the mid-1860s was built upon slave labor, with tremendous wealth passing to plantation owners.

After the Civil War, former slaves were promised a mule and 40 acres, but few of them actually received it. Instead, many were forced into tenant farm agreements, which, economically, was little better than slavery.

The Compromise of 1877, which made Rutherford Hayes president, ended federal protection for Blacks in the South. "Jim Crow" laws ensured segregation in schools, housing, and commerce, separate and unequal.

Intimidation, including lynchings of over 4,000 Blacks between 1877 and 1950 made Black men powerless to protect their families from White predators and made it dangerous for them to vote or achieve political power. "For a 30-year period from 1885-1915, on average every third day a black person was brutally and savagely and publicly murdered [lynched] by white mobs."

In "The Great Migration" between 1910 and 1970, many Blacks abandoned the South to find better opportunities in the North. Still, they contended with segregated housing, inferior schools, and limited career paths.

In the early 20th century, White mobs rioted, killing blacks and destroying their property in cities such as Atlanta, Omaha, Chicago, Tulsa, and East St. Louis. Whites, especially recent immigrants, feared for their jobs

The G.I. Bill was of limited use to Blacks. They were barred from many universities, so the education benefits were not available. Similarly, many neighborhoods had legal covenants prohibiting Blacks from buying property (e.g., Scientists Cliffs), so they were confined to neighborhoods "redlined" by banks who refused to issue mortgages there. Unequal access to education and housing has caused a huge wealth gap between Whites and Blacks.

Today:

• Blacks still face discrimination in hiring, because people tend to hire people who look like themselves.
• Blacks are cautious, even fearful, in dealng with police because of the long history of violence and injustice.
• And Blacks face frequent "microagressions" that challenge self-esteeem.

Reparations would be intended to compensate for these past and present inequities.