I was listening to a program out of the Constitution Center in Philadelphia yesterday that had a panel of three retired judges talking about the courts. Their perspectives spanned a wide spectrum of ideologies and opinions, but the thing they agreed on was that democracy in America is at a dangerous point, and fair courts are necessary to save it. At one point, they talked about Judge Frank Johnson, who was, “A Republican whose rulings in the 1950s and 1960s helped end the era of Jim Crow segregation in buses, schools, parks, and restaurants. Johnson’s rulings led to threats against him and his family and made him an outcast in Montgomery. A cross was burned on his lawn, and his mother’s home was bombed.” (from the Alabama Registry website). Johnson was white, and he and his family were kicked out of their church for the courageous work he did. More psychopaths pretending to be people of faith. Fighting for Justice never ends.
I think about what is happening in America today as antisemitism rises, especially among left-leaning Americans. And while I didn’t learn about Justice Johnson in school, I learned plenty about Nazis and Americans who have carried on this disgusting legacy of hate. I watch as people who I am politically aligned with in many ways support terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. I want to be clear that I support Israel’s right to exist and defend itself. I don’t always agree with that country’s leadership, and I feel terrible sorrow and loss at the death of so many innocent people in Gaza and Israel. This kind of disagreement should never, however, translate into anti-Semitism or anti-Islamic beliefs. We can work towards justice and peace without hatred. No person who espouses Nazi ideas or wears Nazi or White Supremacist clothing, tattoos, or symbols should have access to political power.
Racism is not over, and neither is hatred based on religion or culture or gender or sexual orientation. It is exactly when we believe we have cured this kind of hate that those ugly biases renew themselves. Hatred isn’t confined to one party, nor does it belong to one race. People of good will and high morals and ethics need to band together against extremism, no matter what form it takes. I am a Christian, and I am an American. I think that means that I am free to practice my faith while standing against people who would destroy people’s rights. Democracy is fragile, and at its best, it gives all of us equality and responsibility. At its worst, it is one-sided. None of us can sit by and watch as groups are demonized for being different. We should be protecting each other from those who would inflict harm on those who are different from them. Fighting for Justice Never Ends – but if we allow injustice to thrive, Democracy will.
Prayer – Holy God, grant us the wisdom to speak truth to power and love to hate. Amen.