Sometimes I find myself feeling depleted … exhausted… drained… from all that is reality in these weeks… months… now years… under the dark shadow of Covid.
Nothing is as it was.
Almost none of my favorite familiar places and spaces I used to love to go to can I make easy assumptions about safety. I just can’t. So I mostly just don’t go for I know it is just not safe.
But I know this Will resolve…one day New vaccinations, eventual herd immunity and more will one day bring us into a new norm where the world feels safe again. One day children will be able to play without masks and cuddles and hugs will be smiled about rather than shunned once again.
But in the meantime, it Is exhausting to be on constant high alert in our lives.
Over the decades as a campus minister I journeyed with people from all over the world. Students of just about every origin, ethnicity, creed, color and identity.
Of all the stories I was entrusted with few were as heart wrenching or disturbing than those of my students of color. Particularly African American.
Of what it was like for them to be a black American.
Of what it was like for them to be a black UIUC student.
To literally Never know Every day… as they walk out their door… what be their risk factor of being accosted by the presence of the poisonous impact of white supremacist ideology and systemic racism which is deeply imbedded in the world around them.
To sense the very real danger they are in from the brain washing that is deeply imbedded in the thinking and attitudes (conscious or unconscious) of a majority of white individuals they will meet just about every place they go.
They spoke of a depletion… an exhaustion .. of never feeling Truly safe south of I 80.
For some? Never outside their home neighborhood.
For others? Never feeling truly safe. Ever. Always on high alert for the dangers in the world around due to the violence of racist thinking, attitudes and actions.
Attacks of mind, body and soul… by individuals and systems.
On Sunday January 16 UUCUC will be seeking to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday with a poignant discussion between UUCUC member Joe Omo-Osagie and Reverend Karen Bush (KB) on “America’s Original Sin: Confronting the Racist Within”.
We sincerely hope you will join us as Joe shares about personal stories, struggles and hopes as a father of black young men in today’s world.
We will close with some essential thoughts on what can We do as Joe offers an ultimate challenge to each and every one of us.
We hope that together we will find new clarity and understanding of our power for impact as we seek next steps for awakening and evolvement…. for ourselves, for our congregation and for the world around us.
As part of our service this Sunday Rev KB will walk with us through a check list on white privilege offered by author Paul Kivel. It’s purpose is to help many of us who identify or are identified as European descent (white) to take a closer look into our own family history and how we and our family have benefited over time from systems supporting white supremacy ideology and racist laws and practices in this country.
You are invited to take a look at this list ahead of time by visiting this page.