“Something For Sunday”

Our title is an idiomatic phrase that comes to the fore during periods of chaos and crisis. One has but to look at “our world in 90 seconds,” to know that we are living in desperate times. Wars with the accompanying loss of innocent lives to satisfy the greed of others; natural disasters aided at times by the misuse of purposed resources; terrorist threats and the lack of the promise of meaningful conversation concerning the state of the oppressed by the oppressors, all contribute to desperate times. So, what of desperate measures?

Our flag represents the promise that all of the citizens who live under the shadow of that flag have certain inalienable rights. The right to protest perceived injustice is among these. One of our paid gladiators takes a knee during the singing of the national anthem in protest.

Why? There appears to be a lack of continued conversation on the topic of systemic racism which now manifests itself in police brutality against a particular group of the nation’s citizens. After each killing, there is always the promise of conversation on behalf of the oppressed by the oppressors. However, this conversation has not been made visible, so one can easily assume that it is not happening. A desperate measure – yes; A lack of patriotism – no.

If this act is unpatriotic, then the current political race in this country is also unpatriotic. If the knee is unpatriotic, the killings of unarmed citizens by police persons are also unpatriotic. If this protest is unpatriotic, then the lack of concern for our natural resources is also unpatriotic; the complicity of the code of silence is unpatriotic: the willingness to sacrifice the relationship of communities and those paid by all taxpayers to protect and serve, rather than expose and expel is also unpatriotic.

Proverbially, what can we say then to all these things – if God be for us. But, our trust must manifest itself in holding people responsible for doing what they promise. And, if that means taking a knee, so it must be. Yes, let us understand that these are desperate times indeed and do demand desperate measures.

By: Rev. Gerald Adams, Dallas, Texas & Rick Garland, Cleveland, Ohio

(American Flag, Cushing, Oklahoma) Photo by: Michael Reel/Reel Urban Images