Justice or Just Us: Where Do We Go From Here?

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” -Martin Luther King, Jr. 

 

All this week, I’ve been wrestling with the complexities of this moment. As a student of history, my mind wanders back in time as I recalled my Grandparents stories from the sixties and the blatant hatred and anger ignited during that era. This week, countless people all over our cities saw the video of another Black man killed ruthlessly in front of our faces. Other reports have continued to come in and now millions are frustrated, angry and some unfortunately, violent. 

Unlike years ago, because of technology our world has become a village and our cell phones a microphone. Giving us access to these atrocities first hand and not just through traditional news outlets. We have become instantly apart of the trauma and grieve instantly while grabbing our young men and praying for their safety and survival. While there are many solid, respectable officers in our nation, this issue of injustice makes me nauseous as I ask myself, “Are we really any different today than my Grandma’s generation? Was not the blood of Emmett Till enough to allow us to see the disparity that exists amongst our own people?” 

This past February, our church hosted a Justice Summit. Our theme was, “Black Lives Matter or Do They?” I was shocked by the response. We received threats, brutal hate messages on social media and ridicule. Shockingly, although the event was impactful and thought provoking, our attendance wasn’t near what we had anticipated. We hosted several community organizers and leaders who contributed to the discussion and have their insights. Unfortunately, it is not until something massive happens that everyone wakes up to something that many are fighting on a regular basis. Mass media is big business and strategically knows how to sell a story. Therefore rather than us knowing the truth of how many lives are lost regularly, we are lulled to sleep by entertainment than speaking truth to power. 

Every night I tried to go to sleep, I woke up thinking about some of my worst incidents dealing with the police here in my neighborhood of Brownsville, Brooklyn. 

The first, was taking out of my garbage while letting the handyman out of my house. I had on a bathrobe, pajamas and slippers. Before I could throw my trash into the can, the cops walk up to me on my porch, say that they’re doing questioning around the neighborhood and stop and frisk me with my hands up in front of my porch. I couldn’t get my ID because it was in my house! And my neighbors started walking towards my house to tell them I’m a young pastor and an author and don’t get into any trouble. I DID NOTHING WRONG.

The second, when my grandfather was ill I preached three services almost every weekend and ran home in between my morning services to grab one of my Bibles. A cop pulls up to my house and starts screaming about a garbage can being too close to the curb when it was CLEARLY next to my house. He starts yelling in my face while I have a full collar on and a coat and says, “You trying to get smart with me?” I pleaded with him that it was a misunderstanding and he threatens me and writes me a ticket. I had a good relationship at the time with my precinct and I called immediately and they said they didn’t send any cars out that Sunday and did I get badge info. Of course I didn’t. I wasn’t going to attempt to pull out a piece of paper or pen with a screaming officer in my face. I prayed ran back to church and preached, NEVER heard back again concerning that officer.

Third, I’m coming off of the L train and walking home minding my own business and walk into the park. The sun was going down and it was a small neighborhood park so I quickly walked in to get out and go across closer to my side. I’m walking in and these cops stop me. Stop me, ask for my ID, and begin questioning. “What’s in your bag?” Books. I just came from Barnes and Nobles. “What do you do?” I help people, I replied. What are you doing around here? I don’t live far from here sir. Really? Yessir. I am a reader and I’m going home to enjoy these books. Okay. Well have a nice night then. And I walked off while I knew they were still watching and at first following me. I began to pray and walked straight home.

What am I saying?

Yes I understand that things do happen and I’ve heard all the political answers. Bottom line, Black men in America are an endangered species and if you’re doing the right thing you’re constantly questioned and almost given a strange look for living right! I NEVER expected to get stopped and frisked outside my house. And now as I’m older could only imagine what would have happened if I had resisted. This man was a father and had a family and to see their dad murdered on every screen in America will be something etched in their memory forever.

We have a responsibility to inform empower and educate our men to fortify themselves in an environment that does NOT see them for who they really are.

Anyone who cannot see how serious this is, I question if you really care about life. We’ve seen nothing but bloodshed in recent weeks and it is time for the men to RISE UP, Be BOLD and embrace their identity. MEN, ARISE! Stay Woke! 

The following are a few ideas to get the conversation started on how we can move from anger to action at a very local. We are going to host a Town Hall meeting at our church within the next week discussing some of what is outlined here. I would also love to learn and hear from you as well. 

Heal the Land Campaign (HTL)™

2 Chronicles 7:14
A. Gatherings 

“Where there is agreement, there is power.” 

-Prayer Rallies

-Strategic Access Points, hosting open prayer meetings throughout our city, where blood has been shed and lives lost. 

We could also band together and host a Solemn Assembly, where we repent for the atrocities of our nation. First of all, repenting for the hatred and killing of ourselves and the brutality of the present genocide by others killing us. 

B. Discussions

-Open Town Hall meetings.

People are hurting, angry, and wounded. They need to be heard, listened to and understood. We’re going to host several at our local church and with other pastors and community leaders. 

Encourage those in your network to write letters and create dialogue and relationships with: Congressmen/Senators, City council representative, State Assembly, Mayor/Governors, and others with municipal influence. 

If you cannot reach the individual, build a relationship with someone in their office and ask for a meeting or a contact email to voice your concerns as a constituent under their administration.

C. Execution/Retribution

If we want to really show were not playing, STOP feeding into it! STOP buying high priced sneakers, unnecessary items and supporting companies that do not advance your interests.

Economic Disruption through Reading and Listening. I’d recommend reading and watching the following: 
Dr. Claude Anderson, Powernomics 

Keith Cameron Smith, The Ten Top Distinctions between Millionaires and the Middle Class 

Thou Shalt Prosper by Rabbi Daniel Lapin.

We have to understand that Blacks consume over $1 trillion in spending and OWN nothing.

Which is a major contributor to gentrification and other major social dynamics. We own nothing in the community and expect them to agree with us just because we patronage them.

We must create systems of wealth and recirculate the dollar beyond our present liquid money ideologies.
This will cause an economic disruption.

We can also host Spending fasts and 

Boycott major surplus holidays. Instead, teaching our people to contribute to their own community and the needs that they see in front of them. 

We must also teach budgeting, investing, and saving for rainy days. 

Another critical component is the 7 Mountain or Channels Strategy. Developing Millennials to understand worldview, our responsibility to influence culture: religion, business, education, arts and entertainment, government, family, and media. Check out Change Agent by Os Hillman for this. 

We have to Challenge the people to think and become agents of transformation in their communities, cities and nation.
We also have to have HONEST conversations between the community, the clergy, and the officers. Where they can hear the TRUTH about they feel and then they can also hear their heart. People need to be able to express how they feel. This trauma is overwhelming! 

Teaching our citizens to get to the POLLS and host Voters Registration drives and emphasize community involvement with local Community boards and their block association besides just hosting a Block party.

These changes cannot happen overnight but with effort and coming together, we can do SOMETHING and SOMETHING is BETTER than NOTHING!

To every Mother, don’t LOSE HOPE! For every Pharoah, God raises a Moses and for Herod, God sent his Son. Be not dismayed at what we see, God always has a plan! Speak life over your sons and daughters and model a life of character and integrity. 

These are just ideas. I’m open to anyone’s suggestions and I salute everyone for not being SILENT in a moment that matters! 
D. A. Sherron is the founder and senior pastor of Global Fire International, and the convener of the Global Alliance in Brooklyn, New York. His messages are broadcasted weekly with a digital audience of over 75,000. A bridge builder, his ministry blends theology, history, and technology into a creative Kingdom enterprise. He recently his new book, Color Outside The Lines this Winter. For more information, visit http://www.dasherron365.com (http://www.dasherron365.com/).