The recent civil unrest in Charlotte, North Carolina over the shooting death of a black man by police has people on edge. For two days freedom fighters took to the streets and during the process some property destruction took place. It is clear that after watching black men, women and children dying at the hands of police over a three year period, people have expressed outrage and are beyond being consoled. However something I saw on the CNN News service caused a moment of reflection inside my brain. Clergy in the city of Charlotte went out on the street and formed a boundary between police and freedom fighters. What is interesting is how on television pictures of the clergy hollering at freedom fighters and protesters displaying anger at clergy came across. What the clergy did during one night of protest is offensive to the idea of people trying to free themselves from oppression. Clergy seem to come out in cities only when there is civil unrest, and then clergy want to impose their "love, peace, and Jesus" worldview on the unwashed masses. If the religious community would come out of their churches daily to interact with the people perhaps there might be some manner of connectivity. However how can religious leaders come out of those religious sanctuaries to quell righteous indignation of an abused population, and stand with religious garb on in front of the very oppressor that has unleashed death upon the people?
The philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche wrote in Thus Spoke Zarathustra how people feel about the clergy "churches are places of putrid air and words of empty meaning." These select words from Nietzsche are reflective of protesters feelings in Charlotte toward clergy. How can preachers go into the streets during moments such as the rebellion in North Carolina and preach love and harmony? What shibboleth do the clergy hold up as justification for standing between the police- who historically used force on black folk- and angry citizens. The clergy's interference in affairs of freedom fighters smacks of hubris and disrespect. These holy ones show up at civil unrest situations and proclaim a God that has not shielded the masses from injustice in America. These same preachers stand shoulder to shoulder with locked arms in front of police and ask the unwashed masses to embrace the state. Nietzsche writes in Zarathustra "the state ? What is that? Well then ! ... The state is the coldest of all monsters. Coldly it lies, too; and this lie creeps from its mouth: I the state am the people."
Then on this same CNN News broadcast there were clergy speaking about how they brought calm to the city and no rioting occurred. Let it be noted that during this interview a black male preacher and white female clergy were present. However it was the young white female clergy doing most of the talking. In other words white folks who have no idea of how it is to live or die black, talking about bringing peace to a largely black community in the depths of despair over yet another shooting death. Not only is the clergy's interference in affairs of the unwashed masses offensive but a white female is the one to articulate feelings of natives in their natural habitat. Give me a damn break !
In closing let me state that at this juncture in history it is clear America has declared open season once again on the destruction of black people. There is no longer any time for the same tired strategies from religious leaders or foolish people getting in the way of righteous indignation over killings of black people by police.
And to be sure it is no longer necessary for clergy to come down and interfere with righteous indignation of people being oppressed. And black people damn sure do not need well meaning white clergy -who do not suffer as black people do in America- to explain reasons for standing in front of the police and angry demonstrators.
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