Ever have one of those moments when the Holy Spirit appears to tap you on the shoulder?
I had one last week in the middle of an extremely busy afternoon on deadline. Immediately, I laid aside my other work and followed up on it.
I picked up the phone and called six black male pastors I had interviewed over the years and asked them one question: What are your thoughts regarding the death of George Floyd and the events that followed?
Four picked up the phone right away and talked a lot. Some talked loudly, some talked rapidly, some chose his words very carefully, not in any sort of political correctness way, but because, and I could hear it in his voice, think about the best way to express what he was thinking and feeling.
One called me back and set up a time to talk the following morning. And he talked for over an hour, which turned into a bit of dialogue between us
One never called back, although, to be fair, I didn't leave the question on the voice mail, just a requst to call me back.
Why did I call them?
Because they are leaders in their church communities and will have to continue addressing this issue, so I knew they could communicate the sentiments well for the readers.
Because they are objective enough to see all sides.
Because they are both rational and spiritual.
Because racism affects their lives and the lives of people they know.
And because since everyone seems to have something to say right now, I felt somebody ought to ask them what they thought.
Here are the responses, which, instead of one story, turned into five.
‘Truth will get you into trouble; truth will get you killed’
Joliet pastor challenges people to listen to each other
https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/07/truth-will-get-you-into-trouble-truth-will-get-you-killed/a9ljyp0/
'I have never gotten so frustrated that I felt like burning down Target'
Will County Board member says two wrongs don’t make a right
https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/02/i-have-never-gotten-so-frustrated-that-i-felt-like-burning-down-target/ajk1yux/
'At the end of the day, we're all broken people, right?'
#Joliet pastor says people need to take responsibility for racism
https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/05/at-the-end-of-the-day-were-all-broken-people-right/agucfft/
'Black people have been in an unhealthy domestic abuse relationship with America'
#Joliet pastor said the oppressors need to fix the problem
https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/04/black-people-have-been-in-an-unhealthy-domestic-abuse-relationship-with-america/aov3ksg/
'It's kind of like open season on the African American male'
Clergyman says real issue is flaw in judicial system
https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/02/its-kind-of-like-open-season-on-the-african-american-male/awfyaai/
I had one last week in the middle of an extremely busy afternoon on deadline. Immediately, I laid aside my other work and followed up on it.
I picked up the phone and called six black male pastors I had interviewed over the years and asked them one question: What are your thoughts regarding the death of George Floyd and the events that followed?
Four picked up the phone right away and talked a lot. Some talked loudly, some talked rapidly, some chose his words very carefully, not in any sort of political correctness way, but because, and I could hear it in his voice, think about the best way to express what he was thinking and feeling.
One called me back and set up a time to talk the following morning. And he talked for over an hour, which turned into a bit of dialogue between us
One never called back, although, to be fair, I didn't leave the question on the voice mail, just a requst to call me back.
Why did I call them?
Because they are leaders in their church communities and will have to continue addressing this issue, so I knew they could communicate the sentiments well for the readers.
Because they are objective enough to see all sides.
Because they are both rational and spiritual.
Because racism affects their lives and the lives of people they know.
And because since everyone seems to have something to say right now, I felt somebody ought to ask them what they thought.
Here are the responses, which, instead of one story, turned into five.
‘Truth will get you into trouble; truth will get you killed’
Joliet pastor challenges people to listen to each other
https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/07/truth-will-get-you-into-trouble-truth-will-get-you-killed/a9ljyp0/
'I have never gotten so frustrated that I felt like burning down Target'
Will County Board member says two wrongs don’t make a right
https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/02/i-have-never-gotten-so-frustrated-that-i-felt-like-burning-down-target/ajk1yux/
'At the end of the day, we're all broken people, right?'
#Joliet pastor says people need to take responsibility for racism
https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/05/at-the-end-of-the-day-were-all-broken-people-right/agucfft/
'Black people have been in an unhealthy domestic abuse relationship with America'
#Joliet pastor said the oppressors need to fix the problem
https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/04/black-people-have-been-in-an-unhealthy-domestic-abuse-relationship-with-america/aov3ksg/
'It's kind of like open season on the African American male'
Clergyman says real issue is flaw in judicial system
https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/02/its-kind-of-like-open-season-on-the-african-american-male/awfyaai/
Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage."
Interestingly, this illustration occurs at the end of the book, which leads into the third book. "Staked! deals with the theme of righting wrongs.
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