We Watch, We Call? I hope that ain’t all!

aka "Welcome to my block move RIGHT or I'll call my glock!"

Across North Minneapolis a wave of signs are popping-up in various neighborhoods.

They proudly declare “WE WATCH, WE CALL” under the by-line “For Safe Neighborhoods” and carry the logo for the 4^th Precinct CARE Task Force. http://wewatchwecall.com/

I applaud the desire to help bring community members together and I support efforts to fight crime. I have worked for over 20 years to help make my neighborhood a safer (and friendlier) community.  My wife and I frequently Watch and Call.  However helping to create a strong community needs more than threats to call the police, consider the statement one North Minneapolis resident posted on the “We Watch We Call” web site.

“I’ve seen a number of these signs pop-up in the neighborhood, and I can’t help but notice that, with few exceptions, they are in white homeowners yards. “We call” obviously conveys “we call 911″ and that the police are on our side. The message, as simple as it is, draws a line in the sand and puts more then just ‘criminals’ firmly on the other side. It puts anyone with hesitation about police involvement in a threatened position. Regardless of how outstanding much of the 4th precinct police force is, you can’t ignore 1) the historical abuse of power of police in Minneapolis and nationwide against the black community and 2) the recent cases of police abuse specifically in Minneapolis. These signs are nothing more then a threat of police power, a firm acknowledgment that there is a division in this community, not unity. Consider a rewording that conveys that we engage with our neighbors, we know the kids down the street and we can call their parents when they are being too loud, that we are a unified community and neighborhood.”

I wondered why I felt uncomfortable about the signs when I first saw them, now I’m able to articulate it.  I agree with this letter writer.  The signs are about a threat, not an invitation to community, they are about sustaining divisions, not about creating unity.

Over the years we have learned the best crime fighting technique is to get to know the names and faces of your neighbors, and for them to learn that you are a neighbor and desire to be a friend who respects them and expects to be respected in return.  When that isn’t possible and crime is occurring – call the police!   I usually call 911 two – three times each month, however I talk to neighbors (and may even confront the behavior of potential criminals) daily.

Yet, many of the new wave of gentrifying North Minneapolis folk seem to be so afraid of their neighbors they call police when they should just walk out the door and be a neighbor!  I say that because last summer that was the problem on our block.  This crisis of relationships was somewhat resolved when “concerned homeowners” and the “problem” youth met face to face and the parents of the youth said “here is my number, if my kid disrespects you call me – don’t just peek out the window and call the police.”

There is already enough sense of separation and isolation in our community; there are already enough “one glance judgments” (a.k.a. stereotypes and prejudice).  I don’t believe signs that pit the people in their homes against people on foot or in their cars will help us create a better neighborhood.  I’m not advocating for foolishness, I’m just saying “Be a neighbor, not a threat.”

Becoming Beloved Community via Active Neighboring

I am humbled, and truly appreciate the opportunities I’m given at Sanctuary to preach.  The preaching experience is a sacred trust I never want to take lightly; to communicate the word of God in a way that connects His timeless truth with our present experience is a blessing and a challenge.   I want to be faithful to the task God has given me.

Usually by the time I preach, I have so many thoughts and ideas that God is stirring in me that I have a difficult time.  How do I take this big idea and swirling ball of thoughts and fit it into the reasonable time limit I have to preach?  What are the key points I must make?  What are the key illustrations I should tell in the time we have?

My hope is that in this blog we can have a forum where we can discuss deeper issues raised in this sermon. (11/29/09)  I want to sort through questions, be challenged by any objections or concerns, so that we can all grow closer to  being the Beloved Community Christ calls us to be.

Injustice – Past and Present.

At City Matters Class this week we discussed the issues of Justice and Injustice. Time after time the Old Testament prophets declared to Israel and to Judah that their IDOLATRY was proven in their lack of concern for the poor and oppressed. In Matthew 23:23 Jesus scolded the Pharisees:

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.

We then had an exercise where we learned about historical injustices that have impacted our history, but unknown to most of the group we were experiencing real injustice in the way the class activity was being conducted. I’ve invited the class to share their experiences and conclusions.

Immigration – the official resolution of the National Association of Evangelicals

the following can be found at http://nae.net/resolutions/347-immigration-2009  

The National Association of Evangelicals released this in October as a response to the National debate (as well as confusion and rancor) on the topic.    

Last week I posted some thoughts on the topic on facebook and was dismayed at the attitudes many Americans hold against immigrants.   I will re-post some of these comments later.  But what are your thoughts? 

IMMIGRATION 2009- 
The significant increase in immigration and the growing stridency of the national debate on immigration compel the National Association of Evangelicals to speak boldly and biblically to this challenging topic. The complexity of immigration issues provides an opportunity to mine Scripture for guidance. A biblically informed position provides a strong platform for the NAE to make a contribution in the public square that will be explicitly Christian. Out of commitment to Scripture and knowledge of national immigration realities comes a distinct call to action. 

Biblical Foundations     Discussion of immigration and government immigration policy must begin with the truth that every human being is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-28). Immigrants are made in the image of God and have supreme value with the potential to contribute greatly to society. Jesus exemplifies respect toward others who are different in his treatment of the Samaritans (Luke 10:30-37; John 4:1-42).

The Bible contains many accounts of God’s people who were forced to migrate due to hunger, war, or personal circumstances. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the families of his sons turned to Egypt in search of food. Joseph, Naomi, Ruth, Daniel and his friends, Ezekiel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther all lived in foreign lands. In the New Testament, Joseph and Mary fled with Jesus to escape Herod’s anger and became refugees in Egypt. Peter referred to the recipients of his first letter as “aliens” and “strangers,” perhaps suggesting that they were exiles within the Roman Empire. These examples from the Old and New Testaments reveal God’s hand in the movement of people and are illustrations of faith in God in difficult circumstances.

Migration was common in the ancient world. Outsiders were particularly vulnerable. They stood outside the kinship system that regulated the inheritance of property. They did not have extended family to care for them in case of need. The Law recognized their helplessness and stipulated measures that served as a safety net. The motivations behind this generous spirit were that the people of God were not to forget that they had been strangers in Egypt (Exodus 22:21; Leviticus 19:33-34) and that God loved the foreigner (Deuteronomy 10:18-19). The New Testament adds that all believers are spiritual sojourners on earth (Phil. 3:20; 1 Peter 2:11). Christians should show compassion and hospitality to outsiders (Rom. 12:13; Heb. 13:2).

The Bible does not offer a blueprint for modern legislation, but it can serve as a moral compass and shape the attitudes of those who believe in God. An appreciation of the pervasiveness of migration in the Bible must temper the tendency to limit discussions on immigration to Romans 13 and a simplistic defense of “the rule of law.” God has established the nations (Deut. 32:8; Acts 17:26), and their laws should be respected. Nevertheless, policies must be evaluated to reflect that immigrants are made in the image of God and demonstrate biblical grace to the foreigner.

National Realities   –  Immigration is a worldwide phenomenon. People migrate due to economic globalization, armed conflicts, and a desire to provide for their families. The United States of America is a country founded by immigrants, and its history has been characterized by waves of immigrants from different parts of the world. Immigrants will continue to be an essential part of who we are as a country.  Our response to immigration must include an understanding of this immigrant history and an awareness of the positive impact of multiple cultures on national life over the last 250 years. The challenge today is to determine how to maintain the integrity of national borders, address the situation with millions of undocumented immigrants, devise a realistic program to respond to labor needs, and manifest the humanitarian spirit that has characterized this country since its founding.

The problems related to immigration are many and complicated. In many instances the arrival of a large number of immigrants has compromised the border. Some communities now struggle with significant stress on infrastructures in education, health care, social services, and the legal system. At the same time, many jobs and industries rely on immigrant workers. Current quotas do not grant enough visas to meet these needs, nor does federal immigration law provide sufficient opportunities to others who also come seeking gainful employment. Many immigrants who obtain legal entry yearn to be reunited with families, but backlogs under family-based immigration law result in excessive periods of family separation.

Due to the limited number of visas, millions have entered the United States without proper documentation or have overstayed temporary visas.  While these actions violate existing laws, socioeconomic, political, and legal realities contribute to the problematic nature of immigration. Society has ignored the existence of an unauthorized work force due to the economic benefits of cheap immigrant labor. Without legal status and wary of reporting abuses, immigrants can be mistreated and underpaid by employers. Deportation of wage-earners has separated families and complicated the situation for many. Most undocumented immigrants desire to regularize their legal status, but avenues to assimilation and citizenship are blocked by local, state, and federal laws. This has generated an underground industry for false documentation and human smuggling.

These quandaries offer fresh opportunities for the church.  Immigrant communities offer a new, vibrant field for evangelism, church planting, and ministry. Denominations have launched efforts to bring the gospel to these newcomers, establish churches, and train leaders for immigrant believers. Millions of immigrants also come from Christian backgrounds. These brothers and sisters in Christ are revitalizing churches across the country and are planting churches and evangelizing. Their presence is a blessing of God. These spiritual realities remind evangelicals that an evaluation of recent immigration cannot be reduced to economics and national security issues.

Call to Action –  Motivated by the desire to offer a constructive word for the country’s complicated immigration situation and guided by the Scripture, the National Association of Evangelicals calls for the reform of the immigration system. We believe that national immigration policy should be considerate of immigrants who are already here and who may arrive in the future and that its measures should promote national security and the general welfare in appropriate ways. Building upon biblical revelation concerning the migration of people and the values of justice and compassion championed in For the Health of the Nation: An Evangelical Call to Civic Responsibility, we urge:

That immigrants be treated with respect and mercy by churches. Exemplary treatment of immigrants by Christians can serve as the moral basis to call for government attitudes and legislation to reflect the same virtues.

That the government develop structures and mechanisms that safeguard and monitor the national borders with efficiency and respect for human dignity.

That the government establish more functional legal mechanisms for the annual entry of a reasonable number of immigrant workers and families.

That the government recognize the central importance of the family in society by reconsidering the number and categories of visas available for family reunification, by dedicating more resources to reducing the backlog of cases in process, and by reevaluating the impact of deportation on families.

That the government establish a sound, equitable process toward earned legal status for currently undocumented immigrants, who desire to embrace the responsibilities and privileges that accompany citizenship.

That the government legislate fair labor and civil laws for all residing within the United States that reflect the best of this country’s heritage.

That immigration enforcement be conducted in ways that recognize the importance of due process of law, the sanctity of the human person, and the incomparable value of family.

Top 10 Reasons I Usually Don’t “Dress Up”

People who know me accept how I dress. But occasionally I get some flack about why I don’t “dress-up” more.  So this is my list:  some light – some heavier.  Some personal  and some philosophical. 

 

10.   My momma taught me to never tie things around my neck.  It’s dangerous and I still don’t like the feeling.

9.  I only wear coats if I’m cold, and I’m almost always hot.

8.   You never know when you may need to fix something, play catch, or wrestle.  Dress accordingly.

7.  Why do I want to dress in away that associates me with money and power?   … and who decides what is our formal uniforms and what is casual wear.

6.   My shirt buttons look fine, and do not need to be covered up with a $20 piece of cloth rope.

5.    Our dress expresses something about the people we want to accept us, I’m usually not too worried about what the “habitually–dressed-up” think – and when I have to kiss-up I got a suit for that. 

4.  The way I dress opens many doors for me in my community that “traditional dress-up” would close.

3. If people are so judgmental about how others dress – does it not make you wonder about what else they are prejudiced?

2.  Dressing up rarely makes me feel “special” and usually just fake.

1.   My style assures I can’t forget my friends and community, where I come from and where I’m called to go.

Calloused Hands and Calloused Hearts

As I got out of the shower the other day I looked at my hands. I guess I wanted to make sure they were clean, but all I noticed was the callous I had developed in Honduras was now just a faint trace. Like a mark made by some invisible ink it was only noticeable when wet.  

At one time in my life, a week of digging would not have given me a blister – that was when I was used to manual labor. But today my fingers do key strokes and rarely grip a shovel or pick for more than a few minutes. So friction created heat, a blister formed to protect my sensitive skin, and then it burst. The sore scarred over to create a mini-armor guarding my hand against more abuse.

But as I thought about the disappearing callous on my hand I was struck with fear, was the callous on my hand being replaced by a new one on my heart? Like a callous on the hand, heart calluses also form armor that keeps things out that could trouble a sensitive heart.

As a callous on the hand begins to fade,
a new one on the heart is easily made.

If lessons in the flesh can’t penetrate my heart,
Then I’m safe from change, no new course to chart.
If I can make a new friend, next week forget his pain,
My hard heart has done it’s work so I won’t go insane.

I’d lose my mind from solidarity with a brother in oppression
If a comfort-seeking is my boss and has me stressin’
If I refuse to loose my life – to find my soul
Then I must forget his struggle to stay whole.

If Yah speaks to me, but I do not obey
Heart hardening follows with out delay

A callous on the hand fades when the work is done
But on the heart they’ll make sure it’s not begun.

I’m convinced this is one reason most “so-called-Christians” would rather argue about theology than love their neighbor in need. Talk is cheap – love is costly.

1 John 3:16 – 19This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This

 then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence.

America Needs Immigration Reform: Without fear and with Godly motives.

I know too many people caught in the gears of a broken immigration system.  I’ve seen first hand the struggle for immigrants here in America and their families in Latin American Countries.  Moral Immigration reform is a pro-life and biblically mandated concern.

I liked what I saw here and want you to take a look at:

 Reform Immigration for America | About 

Home from Honduras: Day 3

As I climbed the stairs to go to my clean comfortable bed last night, I couldn’t help but think about where I had slept just 4 nights before. As much as I loved getting home my wife and family, I have resisted pushing the “reset button” on my life and going back to normal. Our Honduran experience continues to push me to question “normality” as commonly understood.
I had the blessed opportunity to sleep in cramped and uncomfortable conditions. Six of us shared four 3 inch foam twin mattress that were laid out on a two-day old concrete floor. We were in a small room that was filled with all the tools, wheel barrows, and the generator in order to protect them from thieves. Myself, along with another from our group, had been given the opportunity to spend the night on the mountain at the coffee farm (and budding community center) overseen by Carlos and Melissa. The Honduran workers, who had stayed there all week, had requested our company in this half-completed shack without plumbing or electricity and only openings for windows and doors. Carlos had agreed to our stay, but I believe he made it on the condition that a door be built to the room in which we were to sleep. Later that night a pile of lumber was transformed into a beautiful door that was built and hung.

I saw it as a blessed and sacred opportunity. Even as Jesus took on flesh he was able to go and experience things he had only observed before (as God) but never felt personally (as a man). In a similar (yet so insignificant) way we were invited to share and experience in the lives of Octavio, Daniel, Cristian, and Rolman. All week we labored and sweated together; we had dug septic tanks, mixed concrete, laid water lines, and moved blocks. We had laughed, talked, cried and prayed side by side. We had earned a right to enter into this place. As we ate, drank, laughed and talked that night they shared hopes and doubts, and we reciprocated. The Lord was present and through these relationships his love and hope were communicated.

the morning after....

In Honduras the average worker makes the equivalent of $5 a day. And like much of Latin America, most children cannot afford to stay in school after elementary or middle school. School costs money and the family needs the child to work. The financial situation between North Minneapolis and Siguatepeque are beyond comparison, yet the core problems facing young men, women, children, and families are quite similar: Hopelessness from isolation.

My observations show me that youth on the low end of the economic ladder (from wherever) often are isolated from healthy relationships through broken homes, broken promises, and lack of opportunity. Often this social isolation and brokenness leads to deepening hopelessness, and life without hope can set the stage for a drama of self-destruction.

Back to my night at the shack, the question nagging me is, how do I repay the blessing of experience and community with my Honduran brothers? A brother of mine from South Africa has taught me about the concept of solidarity. He wrote “In this movement, [solidarity] the I and the other enter into a sacred space of commonality. In the sacred space we understand that we are different, but our difference cannot divide us in pursuing the liberating message of the good news.”

Whether in Honduras or North Minneapolis people need more than stuff, they need to know their life matters. Physical needs must be met, but mere handouts fall short without a relational exchange.

Share experiences.
Build commonality.
Give what you can.
Receive what you need.
Repair brokenness.
Plant seeds of hope.

The above recipe is foreign to a culture in which the individual is the master of her/his own destiny. To live the above and know solidarity with others will cost us all “normality” as commonly understood. Furthermore, this biblical recipe will liberate all if we come believing we are not our own but tools in the hands of a loving God.

Police, Justice, and a “Just” America

Last month Pastor Efrem Smith posted the following the arrest of Dr. Gates.  

I’m With Dr. Gates and You Should be Too.

this is in response……

Only about 10 – 15 years ago I always felt a check in my spirit every time I heard an African-American complain about police harassment. I mean, we all know, “the police are our friends” and we have no reason to fear them unless we “did something wrong”.

 

I used to believe this, and felt it deep in my soul, until my soul became co-mingled with non-whites. I have experienced and observed first hand the kinds of police abuse both Pastor Efrem and Dr. Gates have experienced, only because of being with African – Americans (latinos, or others) and because we share community and live in solidarity.

 

It is racial, it is class, it is unjust.

 

A few examples:

I have been cuffed, and put in the back of a police car for no reason – and later given no apology, (even after my car had been riffled through).

I have been victimized by police who stopped a friend and I (again for no reason). They yelled in our face and threatened “GET BACK IN YOUR CAR, BEFORE I PUT YOU IN THE BACK OF MY CAR” – when I was just going to work with my black co-worker.  

I have also seen how I, or my son (also white) can drive our can for months with one headlight out, but the night I loan the car to an African-American friend he gets stopped and harassed.

 

Police do play an important role in society, I usually appreciate their sacrifice and service. I do not excuse everything Dr. Gates did, but I can easily understand loosing one’s cool when you see so many officers misuse their power so frequently.

If I were in the wrong place, on the wrong day, I could be the one being arrested. A few weeks ago in one of the situations described above I said to myself, “If they think they can tow this car on an illegal stop, they will have to take me with it.” They didn’t tow it. I didn’t get arrested. But do I serve a Jesus who overturned tables in the temple to point out gross injustice.  

 

Part of the problem is that many police officers do not normally see minorities (and their communities) in a positive light. I served for over 13 years as a police chaplain, I was constantly shocked at how well the police knew of the evil in my community, but seldom knew about all the good neighbors and great places. They always claimed to know where drugs were served, but did not seem have a clue who watched out for neighbor kids in trouble. Finally, just because Officer Crowley teaches diversity training does not mean that he couldn’t fall into prejudice anymore than a pastor who preaches against adultery could not wind up cheating on his wife.

 

Many of us euro-americans cannot believe police would be anything but fair as they represent the values of a country based on fairness and justice. But then, has America always represented fairness and justice to all? No? Perhaps this is the deeper reason many can NOT, (on emotional and philosophical grounds) accept that the police could be unjust: If police can display a lack of fairness and justice, then perhaps the myth of a perfectly fair and just America begins to disintegrate.

 

Perhaps, as Christians we need to trust in a just GOD and not in a just society. Perhaps, we need to be as the body of Christ, a reflection of justice and not an extension of the political rhetoric we absorb.

 

Perhaps, we need more beer summits and less political demagogy?

Now that a Wise Latina is a Supreme Court Justice. . .

Early next Saturday morning I will board a plane with my daughter to spend a week in Honduras.  While there, we will be coming along side and under the direction of Hondurans who are developing a free trade coffee co-op to empower their impoverished community.  We will also do educational, social, and spiritual outreach as led by our hosts. 

I have, in the past,  been on similar trips to my adopted community on the fringe of Monterrey, MX.  My sons and my wife have also participated.  From past experiences, I am confident that on this trip my daughter and I will be able to learn lessons from wise Latinas and wise Latinos that we could not have learned from others with out similar experiences.  There are countless lessons I have learned from Latino/as, African-Americans, Hmong, Koreans, Native Americans, Africans, Europeans, and others.  The lessons they taught me were specifically rooted in the life experiences they had had. 

 I congratulate our newest Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. However, I was frustrated listening to all the controversy that arose from some who wished to conserve the old order of things.  As I European-American “white” male I wondered, “why were so many white males so threatened by the thought that someone other than they might come-up with a “better” conclusion?”  Looking over the history of the court I can see plenty of times when various backgrounds might have help this country avoid some of their horrible mistakes. 

Perhaps a wise Latina could have offered the court a dissenting voice on the Indian removal acts.  I’m sure a wise Latina would have viewed the Dred Scot case differently.  I even believe a wise Latina could have helped some white men better understand the real issues of sex, pregnancy and parenthood in the case of Roe v. Wade. 

 I believe the deeper issue is not that Justice Sotomayor said (and even somewhat tongue-in-cheek) that wisdom could come from the experiences of a wise Latina.  The deeper issue that chaffed so many white men (mostly Rushites) is that her wisdom and experiences could give her better insights, at times, than white males.  Those who are used to holding the reigns of control are frequently hostile at the thought of giving up such control.

Now it is true, had a white male said the reverse it would have been a racist comment and would have blown up in the media.  Why?,  because that statement would have only supported the racist status quo of the past 220 years of American history.  For most of our history it has been tacitly, and explicitly, stated that wisdom to make social and political decisions lies solely in the hands of white men with wealth.

 Is it fair that a Latina woman can say something a white man can’t? 

Let me ask a few deeper questions: Are we seeking fairness or justice? 

For the sake of “justice for all” why should we even care? 

I know many of my readers are Christians so to them I ask, following the example of Christ are we not to “lay-down” our rights to power in order to empower others with the gift of God’s love?

Sometime in order to get to real “fairness” we must first sacrifice some control and seek justice.  This is the way of reconciliation and love.