#Justice4Jamar - it's personal

One of the things that has been circulating through my head throughout this week is that when fighting for "a cause" it is often easy to forget that we are talking about people's lives.  This is WAY bigger than any one person.  AND, it is composed of a whole bunch of one-person's.  And there is a reason that people are fighting for what they are fighting for, and it often has a very personal component.

We all have our reasons for engaging (or not engaging) in the protest that has been going on outside the 4th precinct in Minneapolis in light of an unarmed young black man being murdered by a cop.  The overarching goal is quite simply justice.  The immediate demand is that the officer who shot Jamar Clark be prosecuted, and that the people be allowed to see the evidence that is being hidden.  The personal reality is that individuals are grieving, hurting, afraid, angry.  This is hugely personal, particularly for the black people here, and all people of color here- because they live in the reality of systematic racism and oppression every day.

When I arrived this afternoon, within minutes a young man brought pizza over and asked if I wanted some.  (Side note- the way that the community has stepped up BIG TIME in all of this has been AMAZING.  Food, coffee, tents, winter gear, firewood... the list goes on and on.  It's just freaking beautiful.)  In a moment of incredible vulnerability, the young man offering me pizza said, "It was my brother..." and just hung his head.  "That was your brother??"  "Yeah, I'm the baby.  I just can't believe it..."  This is not only a social justice issue.  It is that- it is huge.  And... This is family mourning.  This is friends grieving.  This is a 10-year-old who watched the murder traumatized.  This is a community tired and pissed off.

So my request is this: when you are reading stuff, watching news, speaking about all this- remember that you are talking about real people, who have real feelings.  Remember that this is personal- what is said about individuals (on both/all sides) probably affects them and/or their loved ones much more than we imagine.

And, remember to pray.  Learn, dialogue, protest, be present- YES.  And, pray.  People are hurting.  Don't forget to pray for them.  No matter if you align with what they say and do or not, just pray for them.