Summer and the Moon of Justice (saw the crescent Moon of Justice with Venus on Thursday morning. One of the most beautiful sights in the sky. To my eye.)
Saturday gratefuls: Downtime. Vacation. Finishing the reorganization of the loft. Finally. Well, mostly. Kate’s weight up. Scott Levin, regional director of the ADL. His seminar on racism yesterday. Kate energized by the gospel service at CBE. (on zoom) Ribs from the Smokehouse. The quiet. Leaning into managing prostate cancer as a chronic disease.
Taking a break. Wondering why I didn’t do it sooner. Going head down, staying in it. Sometimes necessary to get through a rough patch, but tiring, even exhausting if it becomes a permanent response to daily life. That would be me over the last few months to two years. I need to reset my day-to-day attitude. Doing it.
Looking forward to regular writing hours, picking up the paint brush, the sumi-e brushes. Needing to create, not only respond. Hikes. Gotta those going. Gonna try albuterol before going out. That plus my camel pack will at least let me get some distance into the forest, up the mountain.
CBE sponsored a seminar by Scott Levin of the regional Anti-Defamation League. I’ve been involved, as I think I’ve mentioned here, with civil rights since early college. Led a couple of marches in Muncie, Indiana, a very racially divided city. Got death threats. I was 19.
The Tillman anti-racism seminars in seminary. Twice, once with class mates in Minnesota, once with students from Morehouse College in Atlanta. Robert Terry workshops. Dumb ups, smart downs. Prepared a video based training curriculum for anti-racism training for clergy and congregations.
Worked on several initiatives with both Latino and African-American clergy and communities. Sin Fronteras, without borders, was an organization created with Latino activists to pay for the application fees for green card hopefuls. Helped create a “grandmother” ministry in the Powderhorn Neighborhood, led by a Lakota grandmother, Bea Swanson. Went out to Wounded Knee with food during the occupation by A.I.M.
Not any work here in Colorado. Yet. CBE plans to engage more. Maybe I’ll get involved. Harder with not being a reliable attender to meetings.
The Scott Levin seminar was dispiriting in some ways. A lot of liberal nonsense, at least one conservative ostrich, no problem, not here. Scott himself has a good understanding of systemic racism though he didn’t go very far into it. A few folks who understand the linkage between bigotry and power that produces and reinforces systemic racism. That was heartening. More such folks than I’ve encountered in a religious community before. (a white religious community)
Racism was, and remains, our original sin, starting with Columbus, continued by the English settlers, enshrined in our constitution with the 3/5th’s compromise, continuing even after the civil war with Jim Crow, segregation, barriers to voting, employment and housing discrimination. And, yes, police violence. Violence has, since the days of slavery, been used to keep people of color down. Look at the ICE holding centers right now.
This is the time to support the movement. There is a chance for real change with racist Donald in charge and making sure the nation stays riled up. That’s good for the prospects of deep and lasting change. Especially since it’s an election year. Marrying street activism with a Democratic sweep of Congress and the Presidency could set the stage for a new day in race relations. May it be so.