I am still in shock...and I was not even there! Nor were any of my relatives or loved ones murdered. But I am still in shock, nonetheless. But I am also a realist, in part because of my personality, and in part because of my years in law enforcement. I have long understood that "anything can happen anywhere, anytime." Along with that mantra is another, "nowhere is absolutely safe." But one place where most of us want to believe we are safe is at "church."
The truth is we are usually at less risk inside a church building than we are at most other places. Unfortunately there have been many incidents over the years that have shown us we are not absolutely safe even "at church." Tornadoes have struck church buildings while people were inside having services. Church buildings have caught fire and have been hit by flash floods, with lives lost and other lives torn apart. Other tragedies have struck churches as well, including murder.
But the murder...the KILLING...of those nine loving and beautiful people in Charleston by a person who had worshipped with them just before shooting them...that was truly a shocking event. And even though I (and you, most likely) was not directly impacted by this senseless violence, I am still subdued and saddened. I cannot imagine what the families of these people are feeling, what they are going through, the treasures that were taken from them by this young man whose name I refuse even to write on this page.
And yes, this latest horror was appalling for two reasons: one, because it happened; and two, because of the killer's motive. Regardless of all the "reasons" that will be espoused trying to demonstrate that this killer was emotionally unstable, on medication, was treated poorly in school, did not have good parents, etc., ad nauseam, he...and he alone, made the decision to kill those people. Maybe all of these things are true of this man, but in the United States there are, I am sure, thousands of people with all these same "disadvantages" who do not go around murdering people at church. And yes, murder BLACK people. This murderer's deliberate and intentional targets were Black (or person of color, if you prefer) Christians. That motive adds another layer of disgust and anger...and senselessness...to this terrible deed.
In the days since this happened, I have been reminded of another senseless killing of Black worshippers that happened in a town called Selma. Four little girls were murdered by a bomber and his co-plotters. I do not know if the bomber in 1963 "suffered" from mental illness or any of the other "disadvantages" that some are ascribing to this latest murderer, but I know that the bomber then ALSO spread racial slurs and hatred just as Wednesday's killer did. The Selma bomber wanted to kill Black Americans and wanted to enlist other White Americans into the widespread, institutionalized racism that was prevalent at the time. But the killing of those four little girls so disgusted and enraged WHITE Americans (as it obviously did Black Americans) that public sentiment shifted, eventually making way for the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Act.
People all over the nation feel a lot of rage toward this man who Wednesday dealt out so much tragedy. But in the wake of these murders, I have seen something else. I hate to be so trite as to call it the "silver lining" and I will not, but it is a very amazing thing to me. Maybe it should not be, though. That amazing thing is the outpouring of forgiveness that the people (the Church) have shown toward this killer. Amazing grace. I have to say I am not as good a Christian as the people that make up the AME Church of Charleston, South Carolina. Maybe in a few decades I would be able even to just utter the word "forgiveness," but these true Christians, in the midst of their grief, anger, and probably some passing moments of hatred, were able to tell this man in court that they, and God, forgave him.
The words of those mourning their dead robbed this man of his goal, and offered him their love in place of his murderous rage. And here I was reminded of those words in the Good Book, "Oh death, where is your sting? Satan, where is your victory?" You, murderer, hoped to kill the faith of these people, and your delusional self thought you could instigate a racial war. You caused heartbreak and tragedy, grieving and sadness, that is true. But you did not rob those you killed of their reward in the Good Shepherd, and you did not rob the survivors of their faith in God. You stood there today in arrogant silence as the loved ones told you what you had taken from them, but I believe you must have been so disappointed that you did not ignite racial hatred...instead you brought the people of this hurting but solidly-grounded church, the city of Charleston, and many Americans across this land, closer together than ever.
So I ask you, Murderer, where is your victory? Killer, where is your sting?
As you sit in jail, and later in prison, I hope you spend hours, days, and years mulling over this one great, undeniable fact....YOU FAILED. You failed in every single thing you wanted to accomplish with your act of murder and rage.
May God have mercy on your soul.
The truth is we are usually at less risk inside a church building than we are at most other places. Unfortunately there have been many incidents over the years that have shown us we are not absolutely safe even "at church." Tornadoes have struck church buildings while people were inside having services. Church buildings have caught fire and have been hit by flash floods, with lives lost and other lives torn apart. Other tragedies have struck churches as well, including murder.
But the murder...the KILLING...of those nine loving and beautiful people in Charleston by a person who had worshipped with them just before shooting them...that was truly a shocking event. And even though I (and you, most likely) was not directly impacted by this senseless violence, I am still subdued and saddened. I cannot imagine what the families of these people are feeling, what they are going through, the treasures that were taken from them by this young man whose name I refuse even to write on this page.
And yes, this latest horror was appalling for two reasons: one, because it happened; and two, because of the killer's motive. Regardless of all the "reasons" that will be espoused trying to demonstrate that this killer was emotionally unstable, on medication, was treated poorly in school, did not have good parents, etc., ad nauseam, he...and he alone, made the decision to kill those people. Maybe all of these things are true of this man, but in the United States there are, I am sure, thousands of people with all these same "disadvantages" who do not go around murdering people at church. And yes, murder BLACK people. This murderer's deliberate and intentional targets were Black (or person of color, if you prefer) Christians. That motive adds another layer of disgust and anger...and senselessness...to this terrible deed.
In the days since this happened, I have been reminded of another senseless killing of Black worshippers that happened in a town called Selma. Four little girls were murdered by a bomber and his co-plotters. I do not know if the bomber in 1963 "suffered" from mental illness or any of the other "disadvantages" that some are ascribing to this latest murderer, but I know that the bomber then ALSO spread racial slurs and hatred just as Wednesday's killer did. The Selma bomber wanted to kill Black Americans and wanted to enlist other White Americans into the widespread, institutionalized racism that was prevalent at the time. But the killing of those four little girls so disgusted and enraged WHITE Americans (as it obviously did Black Americans) that public sentiment shifted, eventually making way for the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Act.
People all over the nation feel a lot of rage toward this man who Wednesday dealt out so much tragedy. But in the wake of these murders, I have seen something else. I hate to be so trite as to call it the "silver lining" and I will not, but it is a very amazing thing to me. Maybe it should not be, though. That amazing thing is the outpouring of forgiveness that the people (the Church) have shown toward this killer. Amazing grace. I have to say I am not as good a Christian as the people that make up the AME Church of Charleston, South Carolina. Maybe in a few decades I would be able even to just utter the word "forgiveness," but these true Christians, in the midst of their grief, anger, and probably some passing moments of hatred, were able to tell this man in court that they, and God, forgave him.
The words of those mourning their dead robbed this man of his goal, and offered him their love in place of his murderous rage. And here I was reminded of those words in the Good Book, "Oh death, where is your sting? Satan, where is your victory?" You, murderer, hoped to kill the faith of these people, and your delusional self thought you could instigate a racial war. You caused heartbreak and tragedy, grieving and sadness, that is true. But you did not rob those you killed of their reward in the Good Shepherd, and you did not rob the survivors of their faith in God. You stood there today in arrogant silence as the loved ones told you what you had taken from them, but I believe you must have been so disappointed that you did not ignite racial hatred...instead you brought the people of this hurting but solidly-grounded church, the city of Charleston, and many Americans across this land, closer together than ever.
So I ask you, Murderer, where is your victory? Killer, where is your sting?
As you sit in jail, and later in prison, I hope you spend hours, days, and years mulling over this one great, undeniable fact....YOU FAILED. You failed in every single thing you wanted to accomplish with your act of murder and rage.
May God have mercy on your soul.
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