Once again, the dual-headed monster of individual and institutional racism rears its ugly head. For the second time, in an approximately two-week period, a Caucasian police officer is exonerated and not even indicted in killing an unarmed African American man. First, in Ferguson, Missouri, Officer Darren Wilson is exonerated of killing unarmed Michael Brown. Now in Staten Island, New York, Officer Daniel Pantaleo is cleared of any charges involving his choking of Eric Garner.
It has been the historic pattern, in situations like these, to bring up an alleged criminal history or alleged recent criminal behavior on the part of the victims in order to lend justification to the brutalization and murder of people. When a Caucasian police officer in Rochester was killed by an African American individual, then the story is interpreted as black people not having any respect for the law, even going to the extent of killing a law enforcement official. Nothing at all was said about an alleged history of this police officer having such an acrimonious relationship with the African American community in Rochester, which allegedly involved his harassment and brutalization of black people. He was classified as a fallen hero. The Mayor of Rochester, Lovely Warren, an African American woman, has now become the victim of vituperation on the part of this officer's family, because she dared to indicate that while the family of this officer was in mourning because of their loss, that the family of Michael Brown was also in mourning because of their loss.
The officer's father and brother have called for her resignation.
Jesus of Nazareth, has just been called to New York City. Poor guy, He must be tired, after traveling around Los Angeles, Ferguson, Cleveland, and now Staten Island, having to put out fires regarding racially based issues between the African American and Latino communities on the one hand, and law enforcement on the other.
So now I ask, if Jesus were living in our time, how would He handle all these situations? Would He join the chorus of law enforcement that criminalizes victims by bringing up their alleged criminal history and maybe even say "They deserved it, they're all a bunch of thugs?" Would He side with the victims against law enforcement and denounce a historic pattern of brutalization against the oppressed communities? Would He say that "Yes, these folks do have a criminal history, but that is no excuse to kill unarmed people?"
Based on what I read in Christian Scriptures (New Testament), I surmise the following:
1. Jesus as a human being would be definitely tired and worn out of being called from one city to another to address issues of criminality and institutional racism.
2. Jesus would definitely consider (I'm not saying justify) the alleged crimes of African American and Latino people acts of protest against social injustice which manifests itself through socio-cultural-economic-political alienation, disenfranchisement, marginalization, poverty, etc. Again, let me be clear in stating that I don't think that He would justify criminal behaviors. I am simply stating that Jesus would evaluate alleged criminal behavior in terms of the social conditions which breed crime. Knowing from what I know of Jesus through reading the Christian Scriptures, Jesus would address these social conditions and call for an overhaul of the system and its replacement with a system that does not have these conditions, and therefore minimizes criminal behavior.
3. While Jesus would certainly offer comfort and support to the family of a slain police officer, He would in a very intense way, identify with and establish ties of solidarity with the family of the innocent victims of police brutality. Jesus would definitely condemn police brutality in no uncertain way.
In my twenty-two years of work as a prison chaplain, I had many opportunities to face the encounter between criminal behavior and animalistic retaliation. I never justified or overlooked the actions of the residents that led to their incarceration. Nevertheless, as I believe Jesus would have done, I on many occasions had to bring out the reality of social conditions, which resulted in the greater numbers of incarcerated persons coming from the African American and Latino communities.
In closing, I ask, is it possible for us to get our act together so that Jesus does not have to be traveling from town to town dealing with these issues over and over again? As a Christian pastor, I've experienced being overwhelmed and tired with the demands of pastoring in an environment of oppression. I can just very well imagine that Pastor Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, must be exhausted. Can we give Him a break?
Please feel free to comment.
Grace and peace,
Dr. Juan A. Ayala-Carmona
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