Racial Heresy | Making Racial Reconciliation a Spiritual Practice

We act like whiteness doesn't hurt or change us. Perhaps, whiteness, white blindness, white supremacy hurts "others" but we like to believe that it doesn't damage our faith. We're wrong, of course. We are blinded to so much by the socialization of whiteness, by the heavy curtain of culturally required assumptions to peacefully in white-dominated society. We aren't even allowed to see what's right in front of us, printed on the page no less. Maybe you know the lesson of the Ethiopian Eunuch. Maybe there is so much more... We Choose What We See Do we even know what history is in the room? Can we feel the weight of hundreds of years of Western-centered world-view highlighting Phillip's "salvific" actions, shifting our focus, shaping our mental image? Our learned presumptions of whiteness are so thick, so deep that only that which fits exactly our Western paradigm, only that which confirms our white notions of faithfulness, only that which affirms our narrow interpretations gets through. We Reserve Judgement What passes for faithfulness in our white world? What constitutes discipline and discipleship in following white Jesus? Who do we see and claim to be acting and acted upon - it's all there in Black and white. Phillip is assumed to be acting faithfully, in part, because in most of our minds he's a white, straight, cisgender, heterosexual man acting on the will of God to bring salvation to "the ends of the earth." Anything that doesn't quite fit that paradigm is lost to us. We can't even, won't even see details and evidence of God doing something different than what we've ordained to be true. White Blindness Misses More than Faithfulness We miss so much. We miss out on so much. White blindness limits our world and warps the boundaries we place on faith. Who can do the will of God? Who can serve our Lord? We decide who can incarnate Christ and work to bring saving faith to a broken and needy people, because we're not the needy people, right? Watch, listen, and explore all of this and more... https://youtu.be/sQMbp3NWdQY Working toward Beloved Community. There is so much more to say and much more to discuss - come to the Racial Heresy group to be a part of the conversation. If you're not already a member of our Racial Heresy Facebook group, click the banner below.

We've been White Too Long for way too long. Our white church, our white faith, and our white identities are way too Fragile. What will it take to change the church? Robin DiAngelo, PhD, returns and joins Robert P. Jones, PhD, and the Racial Heresy Team to explore what it will take to move the needle and get white Christians to work against systemic racism in our institutions. Will We Listen? "White Fragility" and "White Too Long" have captured the imaginations of white Christians across denominations and geography - and still we have no stamina for the work of undoing the white supremacy that undergirds our faith! When will we listen? How can we face the reality of our own internalized white superiority and change the church? Will We Prioritize? White supremacy is pervasive. White fragility compels us to compartmentalize. We are working on race, though, right? We have lots of things we have to do but we also do racial justice work, so that's good enough? But it's not. What will it take for the white church to see and act on racial justice and ending white supremacy as the fundamental issue which influences everything? The Dilemma of White Self Interest We have been unwilling to change in order to save Black life. We've been unwilling to change for the sake of justice. We have been unwilling to change in obedience to our Lord, Jesus Christ, and his commands of love. What will it take, then, to move us to repent? White self-interest is one strategy for advancing the work of racial justice but can it be trusted? Is it the right path? What alternative do we have to change the church? Gonna Have to Sit with It for Awhile We want to act. We want to do. We want to make it better but we can't be effective advocates for change until we encounter the depths of our reality. We are fragile people who have used our power to create the strongest possible bulwark of systemic injustice. Our faith perpetuates the very sin we decry. We are not only complicit in violence, trauma, and death, the structures of our lives depend on it. We have to sit with that. Watch, listen, and sit with us as we explore all of this and more... (some audio & video is broken but the content is worth it!) https://youtu.be/hcter-uqOXI Working toward Beloved Community. There is so much more to say and much more to discuss - come to the Racial Heresy group to be a part of the conversation. If you're not already a member of our Racial Heresy Facebook group, click the banner below.

Racial Heresy engages with Dr. Robert P. Jones, author of “White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity,” to explore beyond the damning statistics to the future of our faith, trying to find a way to extricate white supremacy from our faith. Beyond Hope White Christian America can, to paraphrase Jones, pass onto our children either the faith of our fathers or a salvific hope for the future but not both. Can white faith be saved? Can white people be saved? Perhaps not in the white church or by white faith. We have been white too long. White supremacy is supported, maintained, and sustained by mainline Christian churches across the political, denomination, geographic, and racial spectrum. If you are white and Christian you are nearly twice as likely to hold racist views than non-Christian white Americans - TWICE as likely! How, Then, Can We be Saved? We had Moses and the prophets and we haven't listened. We had MLK and Malcolm X and we haven't listened. We had Ida B. Wells and Billie Holiday and we haven't listened. Now we have quantitative sociological research to prove what generations of BIPOC have been saying since the church landed on this rock - white supremacy is our religion. Now, will we listen? White Self-Interest or Prioritizing Black Life? White people must accept that we are not in right relationship with God. We can't be. We can't love God whom we cannot see while hating our siblings, sisters, and brothers whom we can see. If we won't stop our violence for the sake of Black Life, will we finally submit in humility to the Justice of Jesus Christ for the sake of our own souls? Watch and find out. https://youtu.be/ytNaQ-gzlCs Working toward Beloved Community. There is so much more to say and much more to discuss - come to the Racial Heresy group to be a part of the conversation. If you're not already a member of our Racial Heresy Facebook group, click the banner below.

We recorded this episode on the MORNING of Jan 6th, 2021, before an armed mob of angry white folks stormed the United States Capital. So now what? Repentance & Reclaiming our Authority Does the white Church have a role in these violent times beyond comforting white people? Can the white Church exercise any authority when we've remained unrepentant, continuing to prop-up the white supremacy status quo? You tell us. https://youtu.be/4wQCHaRSGyk Working toward Beloved Community. There is so much more to say and much more to discuss - come to the Racial Heresy group to be a part of the conversation. If you're not already a member of our Racial Heresy Facebook group, click the banner below.

Are you dreaming of a white Christmas? Yeah, us neither. But we hope you enjoy this Christmas mini-album! https://youtu.be/9vsNDMlN1CY Working toward Beloved Community. There is so much more to say and much more to discuss - come to the Racial Heresy group to be a part of the conversation. If you're not already a member of our Racial Heresy Facebook group, click the banner below.

Are you dreaming of a White Christmas? Just like the ones you used to know? The ones that made America Great? Neither are we. https://youtu.be/9vsNDMlN1CY Working toward Beloved Community. There is so much more to say and much more to discuss - come to the Racial Heresy group to be a part of the conversation. If you're not already a member of our Racial Heresy Facebook group, click the banner below.

Black identity is under attack, once again, in the Georgia runoff. White allies are tired from the "hard work" of getting Trump out of office. We're ready to return to normal. Will the white church find the courage to advocate for the right of Black leaders like the Rev. Raphael Warnock to retain their faith? Or will we join the calls to white wash the prophetic voice of the Black Church? We continue to deny the full expression of humanity made in the image of God when we refuse to accept identity, call, and vocation in the life of Black women and men. We deny God's authority to incarnate prophetic witness in anything other than a white body, white culture, or white-ness. How can we claim to believe the very incarnation of Jesus - a life of prophetic witness lived in a brown body? Advent is a time to prepare for Incarnation. More than 2,000 years ago, Incarnation came in the most unlikely of people, in the most unlikely of places - an unwed teenage mother. Where will the incarnation of white advocacy for Black identity come from today? https://youtu.be/Wte_mOmCis0 Working toward Beloved Community. There is so much more to say and much more to discuss - come to the Racial Heresy group to be a part of the conversation. If you're not already a member of our Racial Heresy Facebook group, click the banner below.

St. Paul admonishes us to be on our guard and warns us about savage wolves that will come to pull away the faithful. The book of Jude (yup, it's in the Bible, keep looking...) warns us of the dangers of false teachers, but what do we do with heresy? Are we listening? Really, "heresy"? Hasn't the white church surrendered ANY and ALL legitimacy around heresy? When we weaponized that word to justify murder, patriarchy, anti-semitism, genocide, and more, we lost our authority to engage with heresy. We need to just put the "heresy" label down and step back a few paces. But we don't. We don't step back and get some distance or perspective on our actions, our history, our choices. We don't see our wrongs and so don't see our need for repentance. Perhaps we'll try reconciliation, but repentance would mean changing... We've manipulated theology to justify heinous violence. We might even admit we erred or strayed and that we need to understand our faith a little bit better. Even then, we won't repent of our heretical position, reexamine our theology, doctrine, and discipline. We won't undo the heresy of white supremacy because we would have to surrender our power to do it. Power, Repentance, and Heresy Repentance means changing our power structures. Repentance means less money, privilege, and influence. We'd rather hold onto our status and control than right the deep wrongs of our systems. The church moved from supporting slavery to segregated balconies, from segregated balconies to hiring black staff just not clergy, from hiring clergy but not listening to their guidance nor following their leadership. We might change our behavior but we don't undo the heresy. We just find a new way to express it. Is our faith really all and only about grace? Does God really not care about our repentance? In the face of our continuing monopoly of power and resources, of our refusal to repent, of our unwillingness to undo the foundations of white supremacy that sustain us, what do you do with heresy? https://youtu.be/l9Ggi6Orkqs Working toward Beloved Community. There is so much more to say and much more to discuss - come to the Racial Heresy group to be a part of the conversation. If you're not already a member of our Racial Heresy Facebook group, click the banner below.

On the morning of November 4th, 2020, Racial Heresy went LIVE! For the first time ever, events were so pressing, the pressure so great, and the Spirit was moving so that we finally took to Facebook Live to process the results of the election (such as they were in that moment). Listen as we explore lament, courage, history, lethargy, guilt, shame, faith, hope, and Christ as part of our reactions to the presidential election as of 11:00am, 2020. https://youtu.be/5bWgO_1xUfA Working toward Beloved Community. There is so much more to say and much more to discuss - come to the Racial Heresy group to be a part of the conversation. If you're not already a member of our Racial Heresy Facebook group, click the banner below.

When will we start listening to God and when will we start listening to Black experience? If white people are serious about reconciliation, then we should one day find ourselves reconciling with white supremacists. If white people really listen to Black leaders, thinkers, friends, family members, clergy, organizers, writers, poets, musicians, theologians, historians, authors, and speakers, then our work will take us beyond ourselves and into the lives of others. But I Have Been Listening... Maybe you've been listening already. Maybe you've listened and read and listened some more. I have. I've listened to all manner of incredible preachers, professors, and mentors but if you looked at my life could you really tell? What impact have I allowed them to have? If I haven't changed, have I really been listening? How Can We Listen When We Haven't Done Our Work? We say we want Black leadership in the Church. We say we want to appoint and elect Black clergy and lay leaders to our boards. We say we want to have "diversity" that represents all of our church in all that we do. But are we willing to work for it? Are we willing to do the work that would make us safe to work with? Will we do the work that can move us beyond tokenism and trophies? White Comfort & "Safe" Black Leaders Or will we reenact what centuries of systematized power has taught us and gravitate to those we judge to be safe? Just like we do with God. What to Do When We Don't Repent? How long do we expect someone to stay in an abusive relationship? We never require someone to stay with a partner or parent or family member who harms them. When will we start listening to Black experience and believing Black people? How long will we expect Black people to stay in relationship with White America as we continue to do violence and show no sign of repentance? If We are Listening, Why are White Christians Still Here? It's a better question, in many ways, than "why are Black people still here?" Why are we still here? What is keeping us at the communion table with our siblings, sisters, and brothers whom we continue to hurt? What do we believe about God that lets us continue to approach the Altar of the Lord as if our siblings have nothing against us? How can we behave as if we're doing the best we can - when we're not. When will we start listening to God and to our neighbors? https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=umlNVo1Kj2I Working toward Beloved Community. There is so much more to say and much more to discuss - come to the Racial Heresy group to be a part of the conversation. If you're not already a member of our Racial Heresy Facebook group, click the banner below.

How should a person or a people respond when their sisters and brothers are trying to kill them? How can the church watch the murderous intent of white supremacy and our society continue everyday shielded by the law? Is separation, isolation, excommunication our only option? Jacob & Esau Jacob challenges Esau's identity. Jacob exposes Esau's flaws. Jacob shows Esau and the rest of the family how little the birthright means to Esau. So Esau wants revenge and Jacob is left with the choice to flee and live or stay and face the possibility of death at the hands of a powerful enemy-family. Jacob and Esau echo through the fears of 2020. White America has Sold Our Birthright Practical Theology teaches us that we can look at the actions of a people to see what that people actually believes. Looking beyond the stories we tell ourselves and the words we've written, what witness do we give by our actions toward our BIPOC siblings, sisters, and brothers? Do we believe in democracy? Do we believe in justice? Do we believe in Love? Do we believe in anything other than what works best for us; what gets me mine; what helps us feel secure? Do we believe in a God or do we believe in us? Esau Loses his Murderous Intent & Finds Beloved Community Somehow Esau's heart changed. Somehow he surrendered his murderous intent. Somewhere along the way, he discovered that life was more than material gain. Was it his total separation from his brother? What happened to Esau? What changed his heart? I wish I knew. We must continue to work for change - for our own hearts and in the lives of all of God's children. And we must continue to live in this world as we do. So we must embrace a level of accountability we've never seen before. We must listen to Black rage. We must overcome white fragility. We must accept the challenge to the identity we've built for ourselves. We must find and cherish the glimpses of Beloved Community we already have, nurture and care for them that they might take root and change the world. Esau must be changed. Jacob must find a home. https://youtu.be/aZbYe8tnX74 Working toward Beloved Community. There is so much more to say and much more to discuss - come to the Racial Heresy group to be a part of the conversation. If you're not already a member of our Racial Heresy Facebook group, click the banner below.

Our churches, our communities, and our organizations need institutional humility as much as any of us as individuals need humility; and our churches, communities, and organizations must support strong Black identity as much or more than any one of us does on our own. But whose job is it within our institutions and how does a church behave with humility? Institutional Humility? White people, white institutions, and white power continue to operate from within our fragility, in part, because we create a world in which we never have to encounter a strong Black identity. Using money, structure, rules, and process we ensure our fragility encounters only encouragement and support, rather than challenge and confrontation. When will we not only allow ourselves to encounter a strong Black identity but also celebrate it, support it, encourage it, and to LISTEN to it? When will our church be willing to hear the Gospel proclaimed and understood by our siblings, sisters, and brothers who lives embody a strong Black identity? White power tries to force BIPOC people to choose between fundamental affirmation of the imgao dei in them and excommunication or even martyrdom. Layers of Violation and Identity. We are working against white supremacy but only the vitriolic kind. What about the gentile forms, the velvet glove covering the iron fist? What will it take for the white church to realize these traumatic layers? It's more than violence. It's more than history. It's more than violation of Black and Brown bodies. We are forcing people to present themselves within a narrow band of acceptable being in order to safely inhabit our spaces. Seeing our sin. Living with Discomfort. We have slashed the number of HBCUs we support. We work for the appearance of anti-racism rather than the substance. We try to prove we're good people and that we're better than "that." Yet when we encounter a strong Black identity, we immediately push back. We get defensive. We get offended. We cry. We enact compassionate displays of care and concern for Black mental health. We don't listen and let it change how we are. A Strong Black Identity in the Church? What could it look like if the white church stopped keeping Black organizations under the control of white budgets? What could it look like if the wealth our church built off of stolen land and stolen people was directed by and for the needs of Black and Indigenous people? https://youtu.be/AkGD0C_hWzo Working toward Beloved Community. There is so much more to say and much more to discuss - come to the Racial Heresy group to be a part of the conversation. If you're not already a member of our Racial Heresy Facebook group, click the banner below.

We need a way to justice, equality, but when white people try to "DO" the right thing, we take over. When white people try to just "BE", we hardly ever change enough to make a difference. But maybe this time is different? White people and white power are submitting to Black authority, right? We're showing up at Black-lead protests and trying to do what BLM and others want us to do for Black people, right? Except we still haven't truly accepted that not only are Black lives at stake, but also that white salvation may be in peril as well. In the midst of our periodic empathy with Blackness, while we've been trying to understand Black experience, we haven't stopped to examine how our own whiteness is keeping us and our communities from Beloved Community, from the Kingdom of God. We need a way to humility. Whiteness tells us that we always know something. Whiteness in our leadership, in our church, in our communities, in our politics and power structures, whiteness in our mythology and identity is keeping us from God. We need a fast from thinking we always know something useful to someone in every situation. And our problems go even deeper than that... We need a way to a new concept of God. Our very concept of God is wrong....and if our concept of God is wrong then there is no way forward for us. We are so afraid to confront our faith, to examine White Jesus, to risk losing what we have in the hope of finding something more. We need a way to confront our fears. We need a way out of whiteness into abundant life in Christ. https://youtu.be/z6H9jwXCom4 Jesus can make a way where there is no way. We can count it all as loss - all that we have and all that we've build and all that we believe ourselves to be - and find faith in our fear. We can find faith that points to the one who is just, the one who is love, the one who can bind us all together in Beloved Community. Working toward Beloved Community. There is so much more to say and much more to discuss - come to the Racial Heresy group to be a part of the conversation. If you're not already a member of our Racial Heresy Facebook group, click the banner below.

The violence of White Supremacy continues on brazen public display... Leaders of government, of communities, of religious institutions are fanning the flames of racial discord. But with violence being brought to light and white people paying attention in new ways, even showing up in the streets, how can the Church be a voice for change? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiWwSdysSrQ We the Church - especially the liberal, progressive, conscientious White Church - like to call-out the shortcomings and failings of our public institutions, even some of our public leaders. As well we should. Isn't that the prophetic role of the Church? We want Black life to matter! We want to see change! We want to make a difference... ...but what are we really willing to do to help make that change a reality? What are we willing to recognize and excise in our own life, our own lives to help make that change a reality? What are we will to admit, expose, and confess in our selves and in our church to help make that change a reality? Admitting white supremacy in our relationships? Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, “Let me take the speck out of your eye”, while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye. - Matthew 7:3-5 What about "church" makes us willing to be silent about the behavior, attitudes, and impacts of our sisters and brothers while we denounce the same behavior, attitudes, and impacts in the world? What about our faith makes us willing to be silent? What about our God? Has white supremacy reached so far? How credible is our witness? We want to know, how can we, how do you (re)claim authentic Christian witness? What do you do to engage the people of your church? How do you bring sight to the blind amidst the revealing of racial discord in our country? There is much to say and much to discuss - come to the Racial Heresy group to be a part of the conversation. If you're not already a member of our Racial Heresy Facebook group, click the banner below.

Our history is messy and broken. It is painful and traumatic. How do we learn, confront, remember, deal-with, integrate, and overcome our history? How can our history inform our faith and help keep us in communion as we all journey towards becoming Beloved Community? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA8VkLZb4Dg "Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying, ‘Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before me.’ But Jonah set out to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid his fare and went on board, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord." - Jonah 1: 1-3 Too many times in my life I've known where I'm supposed to go, I just don't want to go there. Like Jonah, God's call at those moments is clear, and, like Jonah, my response is resounding, "Hell, no, I ain't doing that!" I run the other way. I stay silent. I sit on my butt and wait for others to do the work. I tremble in my fears and succumb to the rationalizations and lies I tell myself about how everything will be alright...especially when racism, White Supremacy, and all their associated violence are concerned. What is keeping me in the belly of a whale when I should be marching to Nineveh? What is keeping us, the Church, silent when we should be speaking God's truth? The Lord has told the church, especially us White members of the Church, to speak God’s truth in Love to those in the grip of the systemic sin of White Supremacy. But, like Jonah, we don’t want to go there. We “struggle” with upsetting White Comfort. We “struggle” submitting to Black Power. Over and over again, we center whiteness in our church, our communities, our stories. We ignore or rewrite our history and we succumb to our fears.  The Lord has told us where to go and what to say. It’s time for us to step out onto the Road to Nineveh.  This season on Racial Heresy, we confront the barriers, excuses, and reasons, both mine and the church's, unpacking what is keeping us out of Nineveh and how we all might transform our inner Jonah into a Racial Heretic.

I'm afraid. I'm afraid of failing my Black sisters and brothers. I still want to do the "right thing" but I keep living my life out of the socialized White Supremacy I've been taught. How do we move, grow, change, and transform? How do we live a Gospel life of repentance and reconciliation despite our fear? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPvMOlXL0YM "Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying, ‘Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before me.’ But Jonah set out to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid his fare and went on board, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord." - Jonah 1: 1-3 Too many times in my life I've known where I'm supposed to go, I just don't want to go there. Like Jonah, God's call at those moments is clear, and, like Jonah, my response is resounding, "Hell, no, I ain't doing that!" I run the other way. I stay silent. I sit on my butt and wait for others to do the work. I tremble in my fears and succumb to the rationalizations and lies I tell myself about how everything will be alright...especially when racism, White Supremacy, and all their associated violence are concerned. What is keeping me in the belly of a whale when I should be marching to Nineveh? What is keeping us, the Church, silent when we should be speaking God's truth? The Lord has told the church, especially us White members of the Church, to speak God’s truth in Love to those in the grip of the systemic sin of White Supremacy. But, like Jonah, we don’t want to go there. We “struggle” with upsetting White Comfort. We “struggle” submitting to Black Power. Over and over again, we center whiteness in our church, our communities, our stories. We ignore or rewrite our history and we succumb to our fears.  The Lord has told us where to go and what to say. It’s time for us to step out onto the Road to Nineveh.  This season on Racial Heresy, we confront the barriers, excuses, and reasons, both mine and the church's, unpacking what is keeping us out of Nineveh and how we all might transform our inner Jonah into a Racial Heretic.

How do we maintain and retain power in whiteness in the Church? How do we dethrone the standards of whiteness as the measure by which all other experiences are judged? What will it take to bring Black voices to the center of our Faith? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNuJsKlOFAo "Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying, ‘Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before me.’ But Jonah set out to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid his fare and went on board, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord." - Jonah 1: 1-3 Too many times in my life I've known where I'm supposed to go, I just don't want to go there. Like Jonah, God's call at those moments is clear, and, like Jonah, my response is resounding, "Hell, no, I ain't doing that!" I run the other way. I stay silent. I sit on my butt and wait for others to do the work. I tremble in my fears and succumb to the rationalizations and lies I tell myself about how everything will be alright...especially when racism, White Supremacy, and all their associated violence are concerned. What is keeping me in the belly of a whale when I should be marching to Nineveh? What is keeping us, the Church, silent when we should be speaking God's truth? The Lord has told the church, especially us White members of the Church, to speak God’s truth in Love to those in the grip of the systemic sin of White Supremacy. But, like Jonah, we don’t want to go there. We “struggle” with upsetting White Comfort. We “struggle” submitting to Black Power. Over and over again, we center whiteness in our church, our communities, our stories. We ignore or rewrite our history and we succumb to our fears.  The Lord has told us where to go and what to say. It’s time for us to step out onto the Road to Nineveh.  This season on Racial Heresy, we confront the barriers, excuses, and reasons, both mine and the church's, unpacking what is keeping us out of Nineveh and how we all might transform our inner Jonah into a Racial Heretic.

Can a Black man tell the White Church anything that we'll hear? What scares the the White Church about Black Power? How do our socialized "progressive" views of power, neediness, charity, and race interfere with honest, mutually supportive relationships accross racial lines? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ph-H-blp4I "Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying, ‘Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before me.’ But Jonah set out to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid his fare and went on board, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord." - Jonah 1: 1-3 Too many times in my life I've known where I'm supposed to go, I just don't want to go there. Like Jonah, God's call at those moments is clear, and, like Jonah, my response is resounding, "Hell, no, I ain't doing that!" I run the other way. I stay silent. I sit on my butt and wait for others to do the work. I tremble in my fears and succumb to the rationalizations and lies I tell myself about how everything will be alright...especially when racism, White Supremacy, and all their associated violence are concerned. What is keeping me in the belly of a whale when I should be marching to Nineveh? What is keeping us, the Church, silent when we should be speaking God's truth? The Lord has told the church, especially us White members of the Church, to speak God’s truth in Love to those in the grip of the systemic sin of White Supremacy. But, like Jonah, we don’t want to go there. We “struggle” with upsetting White Comfort. We “struggle” submitting to Black Power. Over and over again, we center whiteness in our church, our communities, our stories. We ignore or rewrite our history and we succumb to our fears.  The Lord has told us where to go and what to say. It’s time for us to step out onto the Road to Nineveh.  This season on Racial Heresy, we confront the barriers, excuses, and reasons, both mine and the church's, unpacking what is keeping us out of Nineveh and how we all might transform our inner Jonah into a Racial Heretic.

How do we make the shift from a calculus of White Comfort? If comfort means "with strength," then how do we send people forth in the strength of the Gospel to become Beloved Community? How do we fill people with courage instead of leaving them in the brokenness of White fragility? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dajfzXr6xN0 "Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying, ‘Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before me.’ But Jonah set out to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid his fare and went on board, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord." - Jonah 1: 1-3 Too many times in my life I've known where I'm supposed to go, I just don't want to go there. Like Jonah, God's call at those moments is clear, and, like Jonah, my response is resounding, "Hell, no, I ain't doing that!" I run the other way. I stay silent. I sit on my butt and wait for others to do the work. I tremble in my fears and succumb to the rationalizations and lies I tell myself about how everything will be alright...especially when racism, White Supremacy, and all their associated violence are concerned. What is keeping me in the belly of a whale when I should be marching to Nineveh? What is keeping us, the Church, silent when we should be speaking God's truth? The Lord has told the church, especially us White members of the Church, to speak God’s truth in Love to those in the grip of the systemic sin of White Supremacy. But, like Jonah, we don’t want to go there. We “struggle” with upsetting White Comfort. We “struggle” submitting to Black Power. Over and over again, we center whiteness in our church, our communities, our stories. We ignore or rewrite our history and we succumb to our fears.  The Lord has told us where to go and what to say. It’s time for us to step out onto the Road to Nineveh. This season on Racial Heresy, we confront the barriers, excuses, and reasons, both mine and the church's, unpacking what is keeping us out of Nineveh and how we all might transform our inner Jonah into a Racial Heretic.

White fragility... The knee-jerk reaction Whites get in momentary racially stressful situations. Some people might want to deny the existence of White fragility, but if you take time to hear it - you'll begin to recognize it for yourself. If you want to test your fragility to see if you can read some of the systemic moves of Western Christianity to institutionalize racism & supremacy, read this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGM6SVwcvm0 I (Fr. Jabriel) really do think the problem is this binary good vs. evil dichotomy we have for racism. Where Whites don't engage racial issues because of the perspective that if they find racism among them, then they are bad people... Since they don't want to be condemned, they simply bury their heads in "good deeds" that ignore the gushing wound. We're worried about whether or not this or that thought makes us good or bad people... When there really is nuance... And that nuance is even more challenging.   You see, the nuance is where we meet the unintended consequences...the toxic charity. It's where we find the paternalism and cravings for power. It's where the systemic injustice and terror are normalized and given Christian sanction. The nuance is where we find the collusion... Where White liberals and progressives are really challenged to admit and struggle against their inherited racism... Where they realize the costs of their silence...their apathy...the convenience of their choices... And how those choices really function in society.   Robin DiAngelo is a profound intellectual who unpacks some very challenging social theory on the behavior of White people. Any person in antiracism and racial reconciliation work, that is engaging White audiences - or themselves as White persons, should really get to understand White fragility and become familiar with Robin's work. Any Black person engaged in this work of reconciliation would also benefit from some insight on why White folk react as they do. Not to feed that behavior. But to point out that behavior, when it occurs, so we can hold one another accountable to become Beloved Community. Her book releases on June 26, 2018. You should preorder your copy! Click here... In this episode, we discuss how White fragility works to protect racism. We examine how silence functions and Robin challenges you to confront your own silence, as White people... After you spend some time considering that silence we discuss, hop over to the Facebook group and chime in on the discussion. If you aren't a member of the group yet, click the banner... And if you want to test your fragility to see if you can read some of the systemic moves of Western Christianity to institutionalize racism & supremacy, read this. Resources for this Episode: White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism - Dr. Robin DiAngelo The Color of Fear

White Liberals are often assumed to be allies to the struggle for equal rights and justice. They are supposed to be the friends of People of Color...the only ones we can trust. But does that position ever become merely a badge of honor? And what are the signs that should let everyone know that a White Liberal might not be your ally? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5oLsIspyDU I - the Black guy - Fr. Jabriel, encountered something intellectually interesting and practically disconcerting... Intellectually interesting because I'm often amazed at how pride works. It truly is the mother of all vices. And in the Western dynamic, pride is incredibly hard to escape.   That becomes even more confounded by race. And when White liberals are confronted by race...even if especially if #AccidentalRacism. (OMG That song was ridiculously lame and shortsighted...)   Anyway...   In this work of racial reconciliation, no one should expect anyone to get everything totally right, 100% of the time. But we should be able to expect humility...   But White Power prevents White Liberals from being humble, when Black people are involved ...Or other People of Color, I'm sure... And that reality leads some White liberals to do incredibly offensive things, like what we discuss in this episode.   I call it Nigger-Gate...   Check out our discussion and let me know what you think? How should this issue have been handled? How should it be handled? Do you think it will ultimately be handled in a way that brings about true healing...why or why not? We'll take up that discussion in our Facebook Group... If you aren't a member, click the banner below to complete the application If you want to test your fragility to see if you can read some of the systemic moves of Western Christianity to institutionalize racism & supremacy, read this. Resources for this Episode: Ta-Nehisi Coates has an incredibly clear explanation for why white people shouldn’t use the n-word An Almost-Sermon on Starbucks, sanctuaries, conference room tables

The war machine is returning to public view... You know, it never went away. It just went virtual...drone strikes from remote locations right here in America. But with our war-footing on the rise, we ought to reconsider our positions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYJ8SS9pQN4&feature=youtu.be We like to live in grey area on war... We want to have our patriotism and our Christianity...our love of Country and our love of God. But can we hold the two in tension without abandoning one or the other? It's kinda profound what we uncover as we explore that question in black an white... Or with Black and White lens... War and Patriotism Shaped by Racial Experience I mean...Fr. Cayce was a Marine! IS a Marine... ...I know brother: "once a Marine, always a Marine!" And despite the legacy of military service in my family, I did not...would not...could not serve. Do you care enough to understand why? And to consider how that "why" shapes my perspective? How do we Reconcile Patriotism and Faith? We want to know your perspective on the two. What do you do with the tension? And how do you keep your Christian identity from being corrupted by your American identity? These are deep questions - if you let them be - so, come into the group to discuss! If you're not a member of our Facebook group, click the banner below

Good Christian Virtues are hard to come by...especially these days. So, we have to hold on to the appearance of good. Even to our own detriment... Even if it means embracing trauma to oppress ourselves... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7g8Gge--D-E We have to uphold the (false) image of our good Christian virtues...of the good Christian virtues of American society. I mean: that's what makes us a great nation, right? That we're good...and Christian? So, we cannot allow anything to sully that image - especially not the truth! A few weeks ago I (Fr. Jabriel) had a crazy experience. Well...in my mind it was crazy. I'll tell you about it in this episode, and you can judge the experience for yourself... Anyway... It got me reflecting on how White supremacy infects and affects the human psyche at such a deep level that we'll do incredibly strange things. Clearly, the effects of White supremacy are long-lasting. As Fr. Cayce said, it's an artificial intelligence that's supremely adaptive. The exploration we share in this episode will present another point of contention with American Christianity. And in this Easter season, I think it's critical to consider how we are going to walk in newness of life, as people of faith. So what to do with the Good Christian Virtues of White Supremacists? What do you think of the idea of celebrating White supremacy? Especially praising it in church...most especially when it's done by non-Whites? That's the discussion for our Facebook group. Are you a member? If not...click the banner and fill out the membership application. This group is a safe space for transformative dialogue across color lines. We learn, we grow... Resources for this Episode: Black Power: Our God-Given Call to Make America Great Founding Fathers and Slaveholders History of Steel Pan Music Rising Stars Youth Steel Orchestra You can watch and listen to some of that sweet pan music, here... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zyl6xga5WTQ

Challenging White supremacy is something we must do at all times and in many different ways. The thing is - White supremacy is so prevalent that we are always presented with opportunities for challenging the power structure. #ThanksBeToGod On the side, Fr. Cayce is a photographer... If he were Black, I guess that'd be his "side hustle." But as a White man, it's just his hobby! LOL Anyway... As a bootleg (very good) photographer who's a theologian, he stumbled across the gem presented in the featured picture of this post. What are your first thoughts when you look at it?     Did you see the White folks standing around watching a lynching? No...? Look again...   Some say I see race everywhere... Well, it is everywhere - thanks to White supremacy. So if we want to not see race everywhere, we have to put in the work. Not just avert our eyes. Hence our emphasis on challenging White supremacy In this episode of Racial Heresy, we are sharing a first! For the first time, Racial Heresy was recorded with a live audience... We had the pleasure of being invited to Convergence Church to share in a series they were doing on race. The focus on art is of particular interest, especially with the discussions about what churches should be doing with Confederate stained glass windows and other racially charged artwork. Now, we're inviting you to join in the discussion on the images of White supremacy in Christian art. Join our safe space for dialogue... What do you think about the place and power of art to confront racism?   Here are some more of Fr. Cayce's "hobby" work! LOL

What has Racial Heresy been up to?! We've been hard at work praying, thinking, arguing, and PUSHING the BOUNDARIES of racial reconciliation to explore redemption & humility - What White and Black folks need before we can be reconciled... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucOXd2LJecQ White Supremacy works to keep White folks deluded into thinking they are above their sisters and brothers. White Supremacy works to keep Black folks confined to a position of inferiority. How then can we reconcile? "But I don't believe that I'm superior to anyone!" and "I don't believe I'm inferior to anyone!" - you might not, but our culture certainly does. How can we reconcile one with another when our society tells White people constantly that they're better? How can we reconcile our culture reminds Black people constantly of their subordinate status? Jesus' Gospel of humility challenges White people to surrender the idolatry of Whiteness. Christ calls on us to reject White superiority and White privilege. Jesus' Gospel of redemption assures Black people of their fullest identity as beloved children of God made in the image of God. Only when White folks step-down and Black folks step up can we begin the deep work of reconciling as equals. In this episode, we engage a deep conversation and exploration on themes that need to be embraced in order to achieve true and lasting reconciliation. We need tangible ways to lead our society into reconciled relationship. And these are some of our deepest thoughts toward that end. Yet they still need fleshing out, and that's where you come in...seriously! So, take a listen to this episode then add your thoughts. What do you think about the role of redemption and humility in reconciliation? How do you think we get humility to be part of the lexicon and praxis of White people.   Join the Conversation on Redemption & Humility!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s95xrwINCtM We have a habit in America of celebrating progress. It's the hallmark of an exceptional society. The great example of this habit is how we talk about racial progress in America. To be the great nation we claim to be, we have to pretend as if everything is getting better and moving in the right direction. But is that really the case? Are we moving in the right direction? We're supposed to trust the racial progress as evidence that America is moving in the right direction...that while racism still exists, America is not as racist as it once was. And if anyone suggests that America is a racist society, that person is looked at with scorn. At this point, I'm thinking I (Fr. Jabriel) should have had the White man write this... Certainly, the thought flashed through the minds of a few of you: "man he's racist!" But bear with me...because if you think that statement was bad, wait till you hear what I say about Brown v. Board of Education. LOL As we come up on 50 years since the state sponsored assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., what should we think about the racial progress we've made as a country? Shouldn't we at least examine things closely and consider the evidence? If we can do this, there's a chance we can indeed become the great nation I believe is possible. If we can do this, we can indeed become the Beloved Community and a More Perfect Union. But in order to do so, we must consider the things we discus in this episode of Racial Heresy. Where do you stand on America's Racial Progress? Let's start with the baseline that we still have work to do. But, do you think we're heading in the right direction? And more importantly, how do you view the dynamic between toxic charity or flat out deception? Join us in the sanctity of our private Facebook group, and let us know what you think!

The "forgotten man and woman" in America isn't just the typical Trump supporter. There's also a forgotten, forgotten man and woman...rendered somewhat invisible as Ralph Ellison suggested. Yet if we find empathy for them, we find that our faith is shaped by the work and that our faith shapes the work of reconciliation. Raising Bertie as an example of this dynamic, we'll learn how to create bridges of trust that make this work possible. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5X7yUboee4 Bertie County, North Carolina, presents one of those interesting dynamics for exploration. With all of the issues facing rural America that contribute to the sentiments of feeling forgotten by the Nation, Bertie reminds us of those who remain forgotten - even in the midst of our newfound focus on rural life. Why is this the case? And how do we enter into those spaces? This is the focus of our conversation with filmmaker, Ian Kibbe. Raising Bertie is a documentary about three Black boys in Bertie County as they become men...using their lives as a lens for viewing the particular issues that face Black rural America. Rural space isn't regularly part of the discussion in American Society. Much less part of the discussion are the Black sections of rural America. Through our discussion with Ian, we dive into that dynamic and explore ways to engage deeper. Ian share deeply - so deeply that we had to schedule a second part! There was so much more to explore and we know that you will benefit greatly from the discussion. So we invite you to share in the discussion! Join the Facebook group and enter a safe space for working out the issues that prevent us from creating Beloved Community. Then share your thoughts: What would you like to hear more of in part two? How aware are you of the issues of Rural America and of Black Rural America? How do you respond to Ian's questions for the Church? Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Raising Bertie (Documentary) Raising Bertie (Educational Materials) Vivian Sanders: Bertie County Hive House Ian Kibbe

Racist American History is a thing we can agree exists, right? And with all the talk about Confederate Monuments and what to do with them, it's appropriate to explore the divergent answers that each hope for reconciliation. Then we can see how best to achieve the goal of Beloved Community. A while ago, Fr. Cayce & I (Fr. Jabriel) recorded an episode that we never released. I don't know why we never got around to releasing it...I guess so we could release it now! LOL But it's timely now. Our Country has been in a recent uproar about Confederate Monuments. Most on the Right have made it clear that we need to honor those who took up arms against America. Most on the Left have made it clear we need to deface that history altogether. Which of these is the solution? Or is there an alternative? In this episode, we're not talking about Confederate monuments. We're actually discussing the institution of slavery and how to effectively teach it in schools - if at all. I think you'll be surprised by our discussion! So, we want to share this with you as a foundation for discussion. And we invite you to share your responses in our Facebook group. What do you think is the appropriate solution and approach to these issues? And how does that solution bring healing? Also, please take a moment to write a review for our show!

White supremacy has come out the shadows to reveal itself as a present force in America. If you thought this was a thing of the past, you know have proof otherwise. What should be the Church's response to the White Supremacist violence we've seen? How does the Church become a force for good in these times? What do you want/need to see from the Church, in the face of racism? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQGMKA7F1No In the wake of Charlottesville and the defenses of White Supremacy, we use this episode of Racial Heresy to consider a possible response from the church that is more than just platitudes. We tried using BeLive.tv for this episode, but the quality of the service was spotty in the intro. So please bear with that piece...it gets better. But in the episode, we speak about the forgotten tool of excommunication and discuss how it might help us to create Beloved Community. But we want to know what you think! Become a Racial Heretic & Share Your Thoughts! So what do you think...what are your questions about excommunication? And do you think it's a tool we should become skilled at using in the face of White Supremacy...and other egregious sins? What do you think of the explanation on how excommunication is to be used?

Boldness is not something mainline denominations are known for. We tend to tip-toe around issues, trying not to offend the diverse perspectives held by those in the pews. But the Episcopal Church, in its most recent General Convention, determined that Racial Reconciliation was going to be the focus of the church. Some parts of the church embrace that call. Many parts of the church play lip-service with it...others still ignore it as anathema to the Christian mission (huh?). I (Fr. Jabriel) myself was told by a Diocese that I "am a polarizing figure" because I make White folk uneasy by "always bringing up racial issues." In his "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," Dr. King had to chide White Christian Clergy for their penchant for gradualism. He too made White folk uneasy by "always pushing the race issue." The more things change...the more they stay the same. So, the question in my mind (that I've infected Fr. Cayce with) is: what must the church do to have boldness for racial reconciliation? Well, it just so happens that I have a relationship with "America's Reinvention Expert," Steve Olsher. Steve hosts a weekly podcast (actually a few days per week) on reinventing oneself so you can live boldly into your calling. No - he's not clergy...he doesn't work for the church. So, this episode won't be deeply theological. Yet, he's helped me develop Blacks with Power, and I thought he would have some helpful insights to answer this question of boldness in the church - especially as it pertains to racial reconciliation. So, what do you think about Steve's guidance on how the church (and churches) can embrace boldness for their commitment to racial reconciliation? What do you think you can do differently...should do differently...in your ministry to live out the Baptismal Covenant? We'd love for you to share your answers and questions with us. We've created a safe space for these dialogues, that you can join by visiting here. Resources Mentioned in this Episode: What is Your What? Becoming Beloved Community

Sometimes you connect with folk who have a knack for profound conversation that leaves you joyously speechless. Melanie Delva is one of those persons. As the new Reconciliation Animator for the Anglican Church of Canada, Melanie Delva is charged with helping the Canadian Church dive deeper into the mystery of racial reconciliation. We've had some engaging conversations with guests on our podcast, but you have to hear what she said that left us without words! Like really...no words, just speechless and grateful for that silent space. I think it's an episode that will move you in wonderful ways. It will trouble you. It will challenge you. It will convict you. And ultimately, it will invite you into the healing practice of racial reconciliation in a meaningful way. If you want to learn what it means to be a Racial Heretic and how you - personally - can engage the ministry of reconciliation in a deeper way, then you want to listen to this discussion. Then, we want to hear from you! How do you respond to this dialogue? How were you challenged? What particularly moved you? We look forward to your thoughts and questions... Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Maclean's Magazine on Winnipeg as Canada's Most Racist City Winnipeg's response to this dubious designation Indian Residential Schools Truth & Reconciliation Commission The Legacy of Nutritional Experiments in Residential Schools Anglican Church of Canada's Apology for Residential Schools Repentance & Bankruptcy of Canadian Diocese 1000+ Missing Indigenous Canadian Women  

Michael Curry is the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church. Every Bishop has a Canon to the Ordinary…think Game of Thrones and the “Hand of the King.” Michael Hunn has been representing Bishop Michael Curry for 10 years. He served Bp. Curry in the Diocese of North Carolina and continues to do so at the Church Center. And to be with Michael Curry for this long must mean that Michael Hunn is an equally compelling figure. I became acquainted with Canon Hunn as Bishop Curry was beginning his transition to Presiding Bishop. Cn. Hunn and I continue to build relationship as I serve as a Member of Executive Council. Every time we have a conversation, one or the other of us – or both – finds ourselves saying: “We have to have a deeper conversation about that!” This was the first of those “deeper conversations,” and I am excited to share it with you so you can also learn: how compelling Michael Hunn is as an individual why Michael Curry determined Cn. Hunn had to be by his side what this relationship has added to his perspective on & commitment to racial reconciliation In the 2015 General Convention, the Episcopal Church has committed itself to racial reconciliation. Why should you embrace that? Why should you work with the Church on that? And how do you invite those who are not part of the choir to join in on this ministry of reconciliation? All of this and more, we cover with Michael Hunn in this episode of Racial Heresy. What are your thoughts? Are you a member of the Racial Heresy Group on Facebook? Apply for membership today! Click Here to get started!

The peaceful transfer of power is the discussion as we prepare for the Presidential Inauguration. According to pundits, it’s one of the hallmarks of American Democracy. It’s one of the things that makes America great. But, how should we look at this peaceful transfer of power? In this episode, we will examine this peaceful transfer in order to determine how it applies for Christian people. How should Christian people view this peaceful transfer of power? And, what does this peaceful transfer ultimately mean? Once you hear this, we’d love to know your thoughts. Text RACIALHERESY to 44222 and get resources to help you make racial reconciliation a reality in the world around you. Resources Mentioned in this Episode: History of the Peaceful Transfer of Power House Minority Leader Pelosi on Peaceful Transfer of Power   Have You Joined Racial Heresy on Facebook? Become a member of the Racial Heresy community by submitting your application today. Click the Link to begin.

It’s curious how we, as a people, give some people the benefit of the doubt while others get none of that. Some people are innocent until proven guilty, while others are guilty even when they shouldn’t be “on trial.” What is that about? As we watch the Trump Administration take shape, we are faced with prime examples of this reality. If we examine it, we have a chance to change our Society for the better…for all of us. But if we continue to ignore this reality, how will we survive? Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Why We Can’t Wait – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. About Steve Bannon & the Alt-Right Jeremiah Wright Goddamn America Sermon context   Are You a Member of the Racial Heresy Community? Submit your application and join us as we turn racism on its ugly head!

(updated 03/2017) Colin Kaepernick decided not to stand for the Anthem…he did it because of his conflict with the words of the Anthem and the image the Anthem represents, against the backdrop of the experience of Black and Brown people in this Country. The NFL has responded to his kneeling by seemingly locking him out of the League. Their action reinforces the issues we uncover on this podcast. But what do we do in the face of such racism? Even if we’re not sports fans…is this something people of God should consider? Now, I (Fr. Jabriel) have spoken in another podcast about ways Black people can be authentic to themselves amidst the complexities of American mythology. But, Colin Kaepernick doesn’t have to agree with my point in order for me to see the peculiarities that he’s now facing as a result of his protest. In this episode of Racial Heresy, Fr. Cayce Ramey and I explore the strange relationship we Americans have with the Flag, the Pledge and the Cross of Christ. What do you think? How do you respond to the racial doctrine we uncover and the way it needs to be resolved? We’d love to hear your thoughts! Are You A Racial Heretic on Facebook?   Click the image and start your application over on Jahbread.com to become a part of the solution to the racial divide in America. We look forward to having you join us on this journey! Now, here’s the episode:

White Fragility is a concept unpacked by Dr. Robin DiAngelo, to explain the knee-jerk visceral reactions of White people when issues of race & racism are being discussed. You've noticed that right? You've experienced it? White Fragility infects the (White) Church too Christians like to claim to be one...they like to claim that their faith in Christ reconciles them. But, when confronted with the topic of racism they respond in ways that break communion rather than strengthen it. How do we overcome that? In this episode of Racial Heresy, Robin DiAngelo joins us to discuss how White Fragility impacts the Church and what we can do to overcome those issues so that racial reconciliation can be real. What do you think? How do you respond? Join the Racial Heresy Facebook Group We want you to engage with us and with others around the issue of racial reconciliation. We want to invite you to a deeper level of engagement. If you want to make racial reconciliation a part of your spiritual practice, then we would love to have you as a member of our group! Apply for Membership Today! Resources Mentioned in this Episode: What Does it Mean to Be White? White Fragility

"I'm not racist!" That's the quick response many Whites make to support a narrow-minded stance. It's usually followed by: "I have Black friends!" The question then becomes: If you're not racist then why are you silent? Why are you not vocal about the oppression being broadcast to you daily on the evening news? We post this as the news unfolds of two Black men killed by police in less than 48 hours. With this in mind, and with the title leading us, we share this episode:

This was originally published a year ago, and we wanted to revisit it for a couple of reasons. We have some big things coming up next month (our first guest Dr. Robin DiAngelo) and one of us needs more time to prepare. The other of us has generations of experience having to work multiple jobs! LOL. It’s been eerily silent in the public sphere. The problems the sparked social unrest haven’t been addressed, but there’s very little coverage…very little civic engagement. It’s like we’ve returned to the “comforts” of life. We thought this piece was timely. And since many of you weren’t listening to the show a year ago, we wanted to point out what you’ve been missing! :p Listen and let us know: has peace come too soon?