Joseph Sold into Slaveryby Raphael (Art.com)
The first legislative body in America is set to vote for the Commonwealth of Virginia's official "regret" for its involvement in the slave trade.
Aien't that nice y'all.
I have been inundated today with political correctness and I must say I am a bit nauseous. NPR's talk station was all about political correctness and the idea of banning the use of certain words. Then in USAToday I read that Virginia is going to "apologize" for slavery, but the carefully worded "apology" expresses "regret" rather than "responsibility" and should squeak by the lawyers who hope to benefit from "reparations".
Some of you may be saying that I deserve an upset tummy for listening to NPR and reading USAToday. But, I have a serious issue that bothers me profoundly.
We spend so much time in this nation trying not to offended each other, and we are all too eager to apologize for what our great great grandpa's did. But, all the while injustice is rampant in the world and as a nation we ignore the plight of the downtrodden (unless of course they happen to be sitting on a large oil reserve).
The State of Virginia could move unilaterally, or with a coalition of states and nations to affect the current slave trade in Africa and child sex labor in Southeast Asia. Instead of blowing smoke the state could lead nations in demanding that child labor and slave trade in Africa and Asia be stopped. They could use their power and influence as a state to send emissaries around the world to promote an end to slavery and injustice. They could develop trade policy as a state that encourages developing African and Asian nations to outlaw the current slave trade and discrimination against religious minorities. Far from expressing cheap "regret" the state could lead the world in a campaign of positive actions rather than half-hearted words.
Historically in the democratic West it is the people, not governments who move to end injustice. Governments simply respond to the demands of the people. It was leaders in the Christian Church (http://www.wilberforcecentral.org) that first demanded an end to the slave trade. Where are those leaders today? Sadly we leave social reform to extremists in favor of having our best life now. Expending our energy on laws that would ban sin rather than actually doing something with our power and money to help the weakest.
Aien't that nice y'all.
I have been inundated today with political correctness and I must say I am a bit nauseous. NPR's talk station was all about political correctness and the idea of banning the use of certain words. Then in USAToday I read that Virginia is going to "apologize" for slavery, but the carefully worded "apology" expresses "regret" rather than "responsibility" and should squeak by the lawyers who hope to benefit from "reparations".
Some of you may be saying that I deserve an upset tummy for listening to NPR and reading USAToday. But, I have a serious issue that bothers me profoundly.
We spend so much time in this nation trying not to offended each other, and we are all too eager to apologize for what our great great grandpa's did. But, all the while injustice is rampant in the world and as a nation we ignore the plight of the downtrodden (unless of course they happen to be sitting on a large oil reserve).
The State of Virginia could move unilaterally, or with a coalition of states and nations to affect the current slave trade in Africa and child sex labor in Southeast Asia. Instead of blowing smoke the state could lead nations in demanding that child labor and slave trade in Africa and Asia be stopped. They could use their power and influence as a state to send emissaries around the world to promote an end to slavery and injustice. They could develop trade policy as a state that encourages developing African and Asian nations to outlaw the current slave trade and discrimination against religious minorities. Far from expressing cheap "regret" the state could lead the world in a campaign of positive actions rather than half-hearted words. Historically in the democratic West it is the people, not governments who move to end injustice. Governments simply respond to the demands of the people. It was leaders in the Christian Church (http://www.wilberforcecentral.org) that first demanded an end to the slave trade. Where are those leaders today? Sadly we leave social reform to extremists in favor of having our best life now. Expending our energy on laws that would ban sin rather than actually doing something with our power and money to help the weakest.
I am under no illusions that we will end racism, poverty and injustice. But, as Christians we are to love mercy and do justly. Our love is not to be in words only, but in deed and truth.
Words are cheap Virginia. Doing something about current injustice is costly. How I wish that the great grandsons of plantation owners and the great grandsons of slaves would join together to bring justice to the developing nations. Virginia wants to set precedent as they "express profound regret", how I wish they would set precedent by actually doing something about current injustice. As a free, wealthy and democratic society we have some level of responsibility to the downtrodden. Why do we wait for the Federal Government to set the agenda?
Words are cheap Virginia. Doing something about current injustice is costly. How I wish that the great grandsons of plantation owners and the great grandsons of slaves would join together to bring justice to the developing nations. Virginia wants to set precedent as they "express profound regret", how I wish they would set precedent by actually doing something about current injustice. As a free, wealthy and democratic society we have some level of responsibility to the downtrodden. Why do we wait for the Federal Government to set the agenda?
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1 comment:
Thank you for that perspective; I couldn't agree more. One of my biggest pet peeves with the modern church is the ineffective obsession with legislating morality so we can be more comfortable in our health and wealth lifestyles. All the while, we turn a blind eye to the injustice and suffering in the world. How often do we ponder what it truly means to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God?
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