Dearly Beloved,
On this Martin Luther King Day, I am inspired and heartened by this call to faithfulness by the Rev. Chris Dorsey, President and CEO of the Disciples Home Missions.
May it inspire you as well, Thandiwe
“When I was a stranger, you welcomed me.”
Those words are hard to reconcile with what we are seeing unfold in cities all across the United States of America. They are particularly hard to reconcile with what we have seen most recently in Minneapolis. The brutal killing of Renee Nicole Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, and the ongoing violence being committed against other unarmed persons in and around the city of Minneapolis is abhorrent. It stands in stark contrast with the values and beliefs that we Christians hold sacred.
Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. It is a day we commemorate the birthday of one of the world’s most strident advocates for human rights. For King, it was the church’s responsibility to affirm, protect, and when necessary, restore the human dignity of all persons, while promoting human flourishing. This is what the Montgomery Bus Boycott was it about, it’s what Selma was about, and it's what the march on Washington was about.
“The Struggle Continues."
While the progress made in this country as a result of King’s work and others during the Civil Rights Movement is to be commemorated and celebrated, we cannot look at what’s happening today and think that all is well. The progress that has been made in some areas is being drastically reversed. Once again, the dignity of vulnerable persons is being threatened and undermined by government agencies and reckless leaders.
One of King's most famous quotes is just as relevant now, as it was when he first declared it: "We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly."
What is happening to immigrants affects us all!
What happened to Renee Nicole Good affects us all!
What is happening to protesters and those standing up for the rights of the vulnerable affects us all!
It is clear to most of us where King’s attention would be focused if he were alive today. As we commemorate the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the accomplishments of the Civil Rights Movement let us keep our attention, our prayers, and our actions, focused on today.
“What is happening in Minneapolis affects us all!”
