Na re Lokela ho Tsoela Pele ho? — Trip LEE
Na re Lokela ho Tsoela Pele ho?
Ke 'nile ka tsoela pele ho le Trayvon Martin la saga ho tloha tšimolohong. Joaloka ba bangata ba oa lōna a ke ntse ke shebile ea fana ka kgaso litaba, bala lihlooho tse, 'me ba bua ka eona le metsoalle. E busitse moqoqo ea phatlalatsa le halefile puisano ho hongata ho hlokahala mabapi peisong Amerika. Ntho ea sebele mobe oa khethollo ea merabe e ne e pushed ka pel'a lifahleho tsa rōna, esita le ba ileng ba rata ho iketsa eka ha a eo ba ile ba tlameha ho bua ka taba.
Nako e fetang selemo hamorao, 'molai Trayvon' nile a leka 'me ba fumana a se molato. Na seo se bolela re lokela ho re susumelletsa ho tloha litaba tse? Ba ile ba mo fumana a hlokang molato, kahoo hore bana ba 'litokollo peisong” se ke ua ba joaloka ea sebele ha re ntse re nahana e ne e le, tokelo? Hore ne e ke ke ka ho eketsehileng le 'nete. Ke na le sa ikemisetsa ho phehisana ka hore lintlha, sebapali Trayvon a, kapa ea qeto ka ba boemong bona e bohloko, empa ke etsa nahana lilemong tse ka bang puisano ea lokela ho tsoela pele. Nyeoe e okametseng, empa moqoqo lokela ho.
Ke Hobane'ng ha ho Interest?
Ke tseba ho na le batho ba bangata ba ipotsa hore na ke hobane'ng ha teko ena itseng e hapa tlhokomelo ea ba bangata hakaale. Ba bang ba ipotsa hore na ke hobane'ng ha ba bang ba folks batsho ke ba potlakela ho utloela Trayvon Martin, ho sa tsotellehe 'nete ea hore o ne a e dintlheng tsa ho ea hae. Ebile, none of us were there and we don’t know exactly what happened. While that’s true, Ke ne iphumana ke maikutlong invested bona bo sithabetsang kaofela. Ke sitoa ho bua bakeng sa bohle, empa nke ke ka u bolella hore na ke hobane'ng I ile ka iphumana ke sympathizing le Trayvon 'me lelapa Martin.
Ha ke utloa ka fuoa mohlankana ea tsoang batsho mocha tsamaea lapeng ho tswa ho lebenkeleng, 'me monna ea neng a nka e ne e le tlōlo ea molao ka pel'a tseba letho ka eena, Ke ka pheta. U ka 'na ua khona ho. Mohlomong u se u e-s'o lateloa ho pota-pota le ka lebenkeleng e lefapha ke Molebeli ho lebaka. ke na le. Mohlomong u se u ha ho mohla o ne a e loketseng lebenkeleng tlelereke kharuma nakong u tlohele, nka hore bb mabapi le noka ea hao e ka sethunya hore u rerang ho thunya le eena. ke na le.
Mohlomong u se u ha ho mohla a bososela 'me batho ba ile a lumelisa u fetela pele seterateng, feela hore ba qobe mahlong, clutch thepa ea bona, 'me ka potlako tsamaea. ke na le. Mohlomong u se u e-s'o pushed lerakong, tšoareloa gunpoint, le tlamelloa ka lihanaboi ke mapolesa (ba lokela ho u sireletsa) hobane u "shebahala joaloka mmelaelwa re ne re batla.” ke na le ('me ke sheba letho le kang ba belaelang hore). Kaofela ha liketsahalo tsena li sa reng letho 'me ea mong oa bona haholo sokeloa bophelo ba ka. Most, haeba e se kaofela, Metsoalle ea ka e 'nile ba batsho pholletsa le maemo a tšoanang. 'Me ba bang ba bangata ba mamella lintho tse ngata, mpe ho.
Haeba u e-s'o bone mofuta ona oa ntho e, u se ke ua utloisisa hore na ke hobane'ng Tabeng ena resonates ka ho teba le rōna. Empa ha ke utloa pale ea hae, Ke utloa pale ea ka. 'Me pale ea Ntate. 'Me pale mora oa ka. Ke na le sa tsebe se etsahetseng ka mora Mr. Zimmerman entsoeng likhopolong mabapi le monna eo e monyenyane, empa pele qoaketsana ea, ho na le ne ho se letho e sa tloaelehang mabapi le ketsahalo ena. Hoa etsahala letsatsi ka leng.
Profiling ke motho oa sebele, 'me e' s hangata tsa merabe. Batho ba bang ba nahana hore ba na le neo ea sibolla sebapali feela ka ho sheba motho. Feela joaloka lefifi 'mala o moputsoa junifomo le ho qhoaela libeche tse ngotsoeng bolela rasephethephethe tiriso molao, lefifi letlalo ebile e le Hoodie bolela lawbreaker. No moqoqo etsahetse'ng, but an imaginary rap sheet is attached. sebapali mabifi e nka. Ba nahana ka setšoantšo likebekoa ba bona thelevisheneng, kapa kotsi batsoali ba bona a re ho bona hoo e ka bang, or the horrible crime they witnessed – and they place all of that baggage on a person they’ve never even met. We never have the right to draw unwarranted conclusions about a person– even if they do turn out to be troubled.
Mefuta eno ya likhopolong tse nyonyehang le ba bohata. Molimo o ile a batho bohle ka setšoantšo sa Hae le meetlo le boleng. Leha ho le joalo kaofela ha rōna re baetsalibe 'me ha ba hlōleha ho bontša setšoantšo sa Molimo ha re ntse re lokela. Mong le e mong le 'ngoe ea rōna re ka retelehela ho tloha libe tsa rōna, ho tšepa Kreste, 'me ho etsoa tokelo ke' Mōpi oa rōna. Empa khethollo ea morabe lipeke le khetha seo batho ba linnete tsena lokela ho sebelisoa ho. khethollo ea morabe o re, "Ke ea bohlokoa le e molemo, 'me kaofela ha batho bao ba khopo.”
Borabele ba bona bo boikhohomoso khahlanong le Molimo 'me ba hanyetsoa ho Kosepele ea hae e lokela ho ba lokela ho thahasella batho ba Molimo. Ha rea ​​lokela ho hlokomoloha, 'me ha rea ​​lokela ho tšaba ho rarolla e. Litaba Tse Molemo ke hore Jesu o tlile ho shoela baetsalibe ka bobeli khethollo ea morabe le bao e seng khethollo ea morabe. lira pele e neng e ka ba metsoalle ea ho Eena, 'me ba rue molemo tobileng mohau tšoanang. Ke mang ea tla hata fihlang, rarolla taba ena, 'me u phatlalatse' nete? Whether or not you think race is a factor in this case, u ke ke ua latola hore peiso ke lebaka le ka sehloohong bophelong ba batho ba bangata hakana ba rōna re letsatsi le letsatsi.
Seo ha re se Etsang Hona Joale?
Kahoo re lokela ho nka khato? Mohlomong re lokela ho fetela ka kutloisiso e 'ngoe. Mohlomong re lokela ho ba khaotse ho phehisana ka hore sepakbola eo re u sa kholiseha ka bang. Ha re tsebe hore ka makolopetso 'ohle le' ngoe ea bosiung boo; ho seng joalo re ne re tla ba 'nile ba bitsoa e le lipaki. Le hore na kapa ha re tšoane le qeto, it’s out of our hands.
Mohlomong re lokela ho ba khaotse ho ngangisana, 'me ba qale ho rapela. Rapella malapeng. Rapela hore Molimo o tla boloka tšepiso ea Hae ea hore a romele Mora oa Hae ho tlisa toka e phethahetseng. Morena ha ho hlokahale liakhente ho pheha khang linyeoe tsa bona, 'me o ha ho hlokahale bopaki bo hlahisa. O na le ho sa hlokahale hore jurors ho fana ka Eena pono ea bona. O bona tsohle, o tseba lintho tsohle, le baahloli ba le toka e phethahetseng.
Empa ka kutloisiso e 'ngoe, re, ka sebele ha ea lokela fetela. Ha rea ​​lokela ho khaotsa ho bua ka khethollo ea merabe e ntseng a keneletse lefatšeng la rōna. Haeba u kile ua utloa e, thusa batho ba sa kang ba nang le phihlelo e ho utloisisa. Ba le mamello le metsoalle ea hao ha ba ntse ba clumsily batla ho utloisisa seo u se phollelitse. 'Me ka kōpo u se ke ua paka bona le letona ka ho phethahatsa stereotypes a fosahetseng. Trust Kreste, 'me le rapele Molimo o ne a bōpa sebapali ea hao ho batla ho eketsehileng joaloka Hae.
Haeba u kile ua s'o ka qetellong amohela khethollo ea morabe, utloela batho ba nang le. Ithute ka liphihlelo tsa bona. U ke ke ua rata motho haeba u hlokomoloha kapa nyenyefatsa ba amehileng ka sona. Ka kōpo ho nahana hore batho ba belaelang feela le ho bapala "peiso karete ya.” Seek to understand them, and respect the fact that some of us live in different realities and have to endure different trials.
Eng kapa eng eo etsa, feela u se ke ua khaotsa ho bua ka eona.
jonathansampson • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:09 na • Reply
T.L., I’m sorry that you’ve been through some rough stuff, but this particular case wasn’t a reflection of racism in America. George wasn’t even sure of Trayvon’s race until later in the 911 call, when Trayvon began walking toward his direction. Trayvon was viewed as suspicious because we was walking between and behind apartment buildings, appearing to be looking into windows. Hopola, this community has had a string of break-ins and burglaries. That is why Trayvon looked suspicious. Had he been walking on the sidewalk in the light of local street-lamps, George wouldn’t have batted an eye.
A mother just a few months ago here in Georgia was approached by a 17 year old and 14 selemo se le seng (hape, both black) at 9am who shot her in the leg, and her 13 month old baby in the face. That might be why people freak out at times. Could it be the clothes? Could it be the hip hop culture that freaks people out? Possibly. (Sad if true, but understandable).
YOURSTRULY • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:10 na • Reply
Marvin Lee McManus • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:11 na • Reply
What bothers me is that we are so quick to believe the lies George Zimmerman told about how Trayvon Martin was looking into the windows of these homes in this community. Again, none of us were there but God saw the whole ordeal and it must be accounted for before Him and Him alone. What irks me is the fact that we have to keep going back and forth with this whole what about this black person committing this crime against this white person but nothing was done. That is not productive at all. I hear yelling about civil rights activists getting involved and making this about race, we all play a part. I submit to you that your issue should be with the news media and not civil rights activists or others who realize that race played a larger role than is being admitted. You see, the media thrives on creating controversy as it’s good for their ratings. Last time I checked, major media outlets were not owned by minorities. It is the love of money that is the root of all evil. When we as a people are more concerned with making a profit as opposed to the harm that we thrust upon society, there is a big problem with that. I am proud to say that I am a born again child of God. That is not to say that I throw reason out the window. That is to say that the truth is always welcome regardless of your race. The indiscriminate untruths told against this young man, regardless of his past, and the unfair characterizations of himself and even Rachel Jeantel, all go to prove that race does matter. It hurt me to my heart that this trial ended the way it did because Trayvon Martin seems to have been murdered twice. The real sad truth is, there is a lack of compassion because a child, regardless of your thoughts about him, lost his life senselessly and it doesn’t matter what his race was. No amount of arguing will ever bring Trayvon back and no amount of complaining is going to bring about a conviction for his murderer. What we need to do is really be more compassionate towards each other and ask ourselves, what if that had been my child or another loved one. Regardless of who the perpetrator was or was not, would you still feel the same way? Just because FL has a law doesn’t mean that law trumps the word of God. Whatever happened to thou shalt not kill? God’s justice will always prevail. hona joale, I am going to sit back and wait to see who will not hear or comprehend the heart of this post and try to school me on why they think the reactions are still being blown out of proportion.
jonathansampson • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:11 na • Reply
My beef is most certainly with the media, who came right out of the gate with race-baiting by calling Zimmerman a “white-hispanic,” so as to start a fire between blacks and whites. Ebile, if there isn’t any controversy, they can’t sell ad space.
I am saddened by the death of a child, but I’m more saddened by the instruction and lifestyle that child was raised in and around. As Jeantel stated very clearly, she comes from an area that white people wouldn’t understand. A place where teens routinely smoke pot, a place where white people are called “crackers”, le ho feta. This hip-hop lifestyle is going to keep killing out children.
What purpose does announcing that you dated a black girl when you were in Chattanooga serve? You don’t have to announce that to me for me to respect your opinion. That’s something that is simply inherent. The fact that you help young black youth doesn’t set you apart from any other white citizens either. I’m not saying that to be mean or disrespectful but it’s awfully suspect. The black girl you used to date is not the only black individual to suffer any type of ridicule whether it’s from a white person, a black person, or anyone else. hona joale, I did say we were not there. But you scratch a lie, you always find a thief. Just because George Zimmerman mentioned all those things about having black friends, and mentoring black children, hape, doesn’t mean a thing. Ever heard the term hypocrite? Also, if it is raining and I am trying to get home, I don’t have time to be peeking in anyone’s windows. But if I just murdered someone that I thought was suspicious, I’d have to do my best to describe those suspicions. It’s called embellishing the truth. At the end of the day, he doesn’t have to face me. He will; Leha ho le joalo, face God, Yes he was acquitted, and though I was disappointed with the verdict, you nor anyone else can rationalize away the fact that race did not play a role in this incident; in the trial, in the media, and even now. If race didn’t play a part, none of these comments would talk about it so much. And not just from the black people. It is amazing to me that you talk about the rap icons that the kids are looking up to as if it’s only black children who like them. White children are greater supporters of the Nikki Minaj’s and Lil Wayne’s than anyone else. When you have a culture of white kids that can coin a term, “wigger”, please don’t fool yourself into believing it’s just black people. Leha ho ka ba joang, there’s stupidity on both sides and hatred on both sides, but please spare me when you try to rehash the points that you want to make to indicate why George Zimmerman was acquitted.
jonathansampson • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:12 na • Reply
I don’t mean to paint white children as some type of angel. I am speaking of cultural influences on black children only because we’re talking about Trayvon in this instance. I’m plenty sick of the thug mentality among young white children, hammoho. mora oa ka, who is bi-racial, will not grow up with his pants around his knees, oversized shirts, and an attitude that communicates apathy and disinterest. I don’t want to see it among white kids, black kids, hispanic kids, or anybody else. Ho e-na, I want to see this next generation do better for itself.
kea u rata, khaitseli ea. And I appreciate your passion. I am comforted by the fact that we both pray for and care about this next generation, and we want to see more succeed than ever before. molimo a u hlohonolofatse.
Marvin Lee McManus • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:12 na • Reply
Jonathan, this is going nowhere fast. i didn’t read your entire post because I am not trying to have a disagreement with you. Allow me to say, I didn’t call George Zimmerman a hypocrite. I simply made reference to the word. Are you a born again child of God? haeba ho joalo, why are we bantering back and forth? What are we trying to prove. I don’t care what Trayvon Martin’s race is, he lost his life when he didn’t have too. You mentioned in your other post he was a young man. No, he wasn’t. As badly as we want him to be so that George Zimmerman is further justified in taking his life, he was still a child. 17 years old equals a child. He wasn’t grown. It’s so sad with the polarization that occurred and blacks and whites and sitting back like this is a sport and whichever team racks up the most points wins. That is just plain sad. If Trayvon Martin had been white and George Zimmerman had been black, I’d still feel the same way I feel now. But the sad truth is, had George Zimmerman been black and Trayvon Martin been white, this would have been a much different outcome in that he would’ve been arrested day 1, standing his ground or not and the verdict most definitely would have been much different. Feel free to befriend me on any social media outlet you wish if you want to get a feel for who I really am; Leha ho le joalo, at this point, I’m done going back and forth because it is so not going anywhere. I appreciate your responses though.
Nathanial Poling • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:13 na • Reply
Marvin Lee McManus • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:13 na •
“I feel like you were attacking someone”. I know how I came across and I didn’t attack Jonathan at all. Our opinions differ and neither of us are changing our points of view, but we still conversed. Speaking of bias, yours is also very apparent. What does George Zimmerman’s being hispanic have to do with proving that this was not about race? Is an incident not based on race if it doesn’t occur between a member of the black and white race? What does President Obama’s heritage have to do with this thread? I’ve always acknowledged his ethnic makeup for what it is. Ka masoabi, there are those who would consider him black just because of the color of his skin. E, I said George Zimmerman was a liar and a murderer, both true statements. Just because the jury acquitted him doesn’t make either one false. At the end of the day, exactly what is the point that you are trying to hammer home? I’m sorry if you feel as though I am attacking anyone. Am I not allowed to speak my opinion just as everyone else on this thread has without being blamed for being something that I know I am not?
pepjrp • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:15 na • Reply
Marvin Lee McManus • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:15 na •
What I find to be rather hilarious my friend is the fact that you are making an assumption about me without even knowing me. On another blog here (After Trayvon, Will There Be Justice for Florida’s Other Stand Your Ground Victim?) on Disqus, someone called me a “nigger” just because my point of view differed from theirs. Did I respond? No. Why not? Because I know who I am and what I represent. It’s amusing to me that you refer to God prevailing as if to imply that you are a christian. Ntlha ea pele, I am simply defending Trayvon Martin since he was murdered that fateful night and continues to be murdered. I would feel the exact same way if he were a little white kid also and George Zimmerman were black. It’s call valuing humanity. You see, George Zimmerman is a murderer. He devalued another human’s life because of an altercation that he started. Regardless of his being acquitted of “man’s” law, God’s law said “thou shalt not kill”. What did he do? He killed when the whole situation could have been prevented. What you call racism is nothing more than rationale based on the value I place on Trayvon’s life. Am I mad at George Zimmerman, not at all, he will face his Judge. Am I upset at the Stand Your Ground Law, yes I am. If it didn’t protect a black female, Marissa Alexander, who fired warning shots at her husband, and subsequently resulted in a 20 year prison sentence for her, it should not have applied to George Zimmerman either. For you to assume anything about my ignoring facts and only defending Trayvon Martin because he is black shows me your bias and inherent racism associated with your race-based assumption. It’s further apparent in your disdain of the “10’s of 1000’s who see this thru race colored glasses”. Thank you for making me laugh though.
pepjrp • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:16 na •
We all as Christians are allowed to take a life if ours is in danger… and it appears that Zimmerman’s was. It also appears that you won’t give Zimmerman the benefit of that. If it is not race based, then my apologies, but you are one of the very few that it isn’t. But you are a Christian and nearly all the others that I have spoken with online are not, so i will give you that respect. But it is clear that you believed some untruths about the case without seeing or listening for yourself. That is where my aggravation comes in. I had no belief one way or the other until I spent the time to get as many facts as I could. It was surprising what I discovered. hona joale, I see that many are using the Marissa Alexander case to slam the Zimmerman verdict. Now I do not know as much about it as I do this one, but I do know that Alexander was offered a 3 year plea deal that she turned down. Leha ho le joalo, I never read that fact in anyone’s posts. There is also testimony that she could have left and even came back after she was gone, but I don’t know that for sure, but it is part of the prosecution’s case. But there is tremendous reason to believe that Trayvon Martin had also left and came back. There were minutes where Zimmerman says on the phone to the 911 dispatcher that he doesn’t know where Martin is. But you didn’t know that because you didn’t try to know it, did you? My comment of “10’s of 1000’s who see this thru race colored glasses” stands as is more than true. There are plenty of whites who believe Zimmerman is guilty for all kinds of personal reasons, but there are virtually no blacks who feel Zimmerman may be innocent That is all the racist proof you need.
Marvin Lee McManus • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:16 na •
Please do me a favor and stop it. As a christian, you should know better than to try and lecture me about believing untruths. That implies that you believe everything that came forth from George Zimmerman’s mouth was truth. I won’t touch that because again, only God is his Judge. The more you try to sound impartial and rational about this case, the worse it gets. And again, quit assuming you know how much of this case I listened to for myself. I am a very well read, educated, individual who is able to think for myself, apart from emotion. Please tell me in the bible where it says if your life is in danger, you can take another one. Thou shalt not kill means exactly that. And please spare me with the old testament killings that were prevalent because God’s grace had not come on the scene. The Marissa Alexander case, doesn’t matter, plea deal or not, if she felt her life were in danger, she had every right to stand her ground. You support a law that has tied into blatant racist overtones and are trying to defend it, hape, not a good look. Also, if you feel the bible indicates if your life is in danger you can take another one, how do you feel about abortions that are medically necessary. Just curious to know. Again, at the end of the day, your opinions are yours and aren’t changing, neither are mine. Only difference is, mine result from a pure humane standpoint, yours are simply out of anger and frustration that you feel this case was about race. See the difference?
Nathanial Poling • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:16 na •
Antoine Mason • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:17 na •
Nathanial Poling • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:17 na •
Marvin Lee McManus • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:18 na •
Nathanial Poling • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:22 na •
Marvin Lee McManus • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:22 na •
I am not going to assume anything about you for a moment other than you clearly don’t like to be wrong and you also love to defend a controversial law. Whether you want to admit it or not and find stats that support your narrative, as anyone can, SYG laws, whether invoked in this case or not, have a built-in racial disparity. I have absolutely no intention of continuing this discourse with you. Ke hobane'ng ha? You may ask. It’s accomplishing absolutely nothing. Your opinion is not going to change and neither is mine. Does that mean I can’t or don’t respect you? Ho hang. It means I am tired of beating a dead horse with you. Civil discourse is truly lacking in this nation and this is further proof that we have a long way to go in order for us to be one nation under God. I pray His love permeates your heart as well as mine and anyone else who may stumble upon this blog. Have a great evening.
I see you skirted my response. I will pray for you as well that God removes your “peiso” blinders that affect your arguments. I know racism will always exist from all races towards others but there are some people out there that have moved beyond race and every incident doesn’t always have to do with the color of skin. I would have been supportive if evidence showed that Zimmerman was guilty of a crime but I will continue to argue with anyone who has been heavily influenced by an almost 100% white media with false motives to paint this story into something that would draw viewers in and make them more money as well as push their anti-gun agenda. They doctored video, audio tapes and many other narratives to rile up the African American communities and I think it is a travesty. I hope Zimmerman sues their pants off for defamation and slander.
Marvin Lee McManus • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:23 na •
Nathanial Poling • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:23 na •
Nicole • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:24 na • Reply
I agree with achieving balance in defining all social injustices. Leha ho le joalo, there was audio in the beginning where he used a racial slur and he has a history of calling on black boys in the neighborhood. Race may not be the only factor but it is.
jonathansampson • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:24 na • Reply
George mentored (at least two) bana ba batho ba batsho, took a black girl to prom, and even had the support of blacks in his neighborhood in his role of neighborhood watch. There was absolutely no evidence that Trayvon was racially profiled, or that George is racist.
pepjrp • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:25 na • Reply
Beans • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:25 na • Reply
jonathansampson • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:25 na • Reply
When you examine this one ambiguous audio clip in light of everything else, it makes more sense that he said “goon”. Ebile, Joe Oliver (George’s black friend) said that in a decade he never saw anything that would suggest George is racist. George took a black girl to prom, and mentored young black children. There’s no indication that he views anybody else as being less than he on account of their skin color.
This debate is important because the church is made up of all different types of people, batsho le ba basweu. Such a tragic story like this can cause great divisions in the visible body, and as such we ought to all be interested in working out the truth, based on reason and evidence, so as to avoid unnecessary issues in the body.
Antoine Mason • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:25 na • Reply
pepjrp • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:26 na • Reply
Beans • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:26 na • Reply
Ka tsela eo, we need to discuss…1. How do we deal with the relatively higher crime rates in the black community? Do people even care to do anything about this as so many say its a “ba batsho” problem? 2. How can we stop pigeonholing people into certain stereotypes based on color? Is it the media? What about these statistics, what do the really mean? 3. How can we be more united? See each others points of view? Maybe have more forums where people discuss their experiences?
Joaloka Bakreste, how can we be an example of how to come together in difficult situations like this? How can we use the example of Jesus to not pick the speck out of our brother’s eye- but to examine ourselves and ask if we are doing all that we can to make this world a better place?
pepjrp • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:27 na • Reply
Nathanial Poling • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:27 na • Reply
lewrites • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:27 na • Reply
I’m not saying Martin was right to say what he said. Far from it. I think both sides did wrong in this case and I don’t believe we will ever know the truth. Ebile, plenty of people have been able to get away with murder by making everyone believe their story…there was a case in my home state in which a guy killed a teenage girl and got people to lie for him and give him an alibi. Eventually the people did come out and tell the truth, but I’m just saying just because he was acquitted and people said all this stuff about him doesn’t mean they weren’t being dishonest. I’m also not saying that he was being dishonest, either.
There’s huge holes in the justice system, just because someone is acquitted doesn’t mean they’re innocent. Ka hlakoreng le leng, plenty of people who are proven guilty and even executed that were later found to be innocent. Only two people know for sure what happened that night
jonathansampson • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:28 na • Reply
lewrites • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:28 na • Reply
I was sexually abused as a young kid by a person whom no one would have ever suspected would do such a thing. A good track record, good parents, seemingly a good person. Everyone assumed as much…tokelo? If someone is so good, how could they do something like that to me?
pepjrp • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:28 na • Reply
Antoine Mason • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:28 na • Reply
pepjrp • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:30 na • Reply
BQPhotography • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:30 na • Reply
gdoggydog05 • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:31 na • Reply
the problem is, hape, that no one will admit that it is also racist for people to CHOOSE this case as the important one that everyone is tuned in to, and has an opinion on, on the basis of race. i appreciate your thoughtfulness above, as this is one of the less ignorant posts that I have read, but I am a white 26 year old male from the suborbs and I have also been grieved by this case. It’s not just the profiling that proves racism is still alive. The fact that this case is known at all is racism at its purest form. We are talking about this case because a black boy is dead. We have deemed a black trajedy (maybe it happens more often, and that’s tragic, but not my point here) to be more important than all the other thousands of tragedies every day. There are all sorts of trajedies of black people killing white folks and even racially motivated ones, that are not reported and glazed over, and this too, is becoming a normal thing. At the Wisconsin fair, I believe it was, a few years ago a flash mob made up of African American teenagers ransacked the fair and coordinated attacks against whites-only, in some cases they punched elderly people in the face, walked into local homes and business with numbers and stole and intimidated with force, and no media coverage. Could you imagine if a group of white teenagers targeted blacks? The media chooses, and if you choose, if you only focus on the “only a black person can understand” side of this case, that a black tragedy is the most important one, even now, while hispanics, chinese, whites, are killed in a similar fashion. This case might be symbolic of some sort of black “struggle,” i understand that. But this is not the way to solve it. I know for a face that this just widens the chasm between us. You have told me as a white man that I don’t understand how it is to be profiled, but actually I was profiled all those same ways, as a young man. kea lumela, it is moreso with dark colored skin, empa “ba banyenyane” has something to do with it too. You say i’ll never understand, but maybe you’ll never understand what it makes me feel like when all my black christian brothers focus on martin, and don’t even acknowledge the fact that it is wrong in the first place to choose this trajedy as more important those the hundreds of similar trajedys that occur daily. I do believe it is sin. That’s an opinion. That some sort of sinful mindset is behind it any instance of choosing one race over another. And I believe ” you haven’t been in my shoes” only widens that chasm between races and is an unfair statement. Do you know what it is like for me to not go to college, because I don’t have 8 grand laying around, while watching African Americans with the same grades getting my spot and a scholarship? You probably don’t. ntlha ea ka e, that any time you say “you don’t know what it is like to be my color,” you aren’t doing anything productive, because I can never be your color. I believe that blacks are just as blind to the issues that are causing a deep divide between races. African Americans are watching this Travon Martin thing and thinking one thing, while Whites are thinking something entirely different. “Is it just and right for this case to be chosen as important, and famous, and bigger than all the rest, on the basis of race?” I have yet to see one African American Christian to mention this. And to ignore that fact is to be ignorant. There may be some truth that blacks are profiled, but choosing to put a case on a display based on race is wrong, and disrespectful to other races that are killed just like travon was.
Deborah Bilbo-Coney • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:47 na • Reply
Gdoggy, everything you have said makes sense. I am black and the mother of two sons who I raised to see people for their character and kindness not the color of their skin. My sons have dated white girls, Hawaiian girls, jj. and I always told them I had no problem with it because we are all created by one God who is just and fair. Man created this divide long ago at the Tower of Babel. This being said, on to the trial. E, Trayvon’s case was aired and it was a preference of a combination of persistent people and those drawing attention to the case. What some black people don’t understand is that black people are racist too. We have to make a conscious effort to not blame everything on race. It is not about race alone, it is about George Zimmerman not obeying the police when they told him “NOT TO FOLLOW.” Now some of the negative conclusions have been drawn from his disobedience to the very law which in the end protected him with the Stand Your Ground law. I feel great sympathy for Trayvon’s family, especially his mother not because he was a black boy but because he was a MOTHER’S CHILD! Crime is wrong no matter who commits it but was he really committing a crime by not walking on the sidewalk? Zimmerman was too quick to act, he should have waited a little longer to see what Trayvon’s actions were, if he was going to look in a window or try to break in a door before following him. BOTTOM LINE IS GEORGE ZIMMERMAN DISOBEYED A DIRECT COMMAND FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT! Do the math.
gdoggydog05 • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:47 na • Reply
thanks for your understanding my comments. to hear from african americans like you, does give me hope. i agree george zimmerman was acting foolishly. he should have waited for cops, no matter how angry he was that the neighborhood kept getting broken into….yes you are right. none the less, for disobeying that command alone, i dont think he should go to prison for life or be charged with murder. we must look at the individual incident. not necessarily what happens. let me give you an example. ok two examples that i think keep justice in mind. in one case, a man litters…. he knows its wrong but in a moment of weakness, while driving down the road he throws his milkshake from mcdonalds out the window….. later on, someone sees the milshake, thinks its a bunny rabitt (i know these examples are ridiculous, bear with me) and swerves, wrecks the car and dies. what is the man guilty of? murder? …. no he is guilty of littering. all sin leads to murder. sin is the reason why Christ had to die. But here on earth, we are judged according to the crime, to keep order. Ho lokile, here’s another similar scenario where a lesser action causes a bigger reaction. A lazy person who doesn’t work hard enough on focusing during important tasks like looking after her 2 year old son…. has her infant in the car with the car running and garage door down… forgets her cell phone in the house….. a call comes through, she spends on hour on the call and comes out and her child is dead. What is she guilty of? Just laziness and absent-mindedness? hantle, her child cannot defend himself. He is a child. She knew she was responsible and her negligent act caused his death. This is manslaughter. The child had no part in it.Only she is guilty. OK, zimmerman should be guilty of obstruction of justice and maybe some other things …. empa, if its true that travon turned on him and was hitting him, and then he shot him. George Zimmerman is guilty of disobeying the police. But there is another free will party involved. If Travon had, say, 3 choices….. run (he was almost definitely faster….. go inside….. or perhaps be angry and confront george as to why he was hassling him. don’t know what he did. That’s the point. If he was trying to get away and was hunted down by zimmerman, its murder. But if travon, in pride, wanted to be aggressive (i can understand this….in the past, this would have been me )…. then at that point, he also made a free will decision that played into the final result. The problem is we dont know which one of those occured. If we start charging people based on the ripple effects of our lies, and all our sins….i think you would find that we should all be locked away. George zzimmerman is guilty of obstructing with the police….and may be guilty of more, but without being there, i just don’t know what.
Beans • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:47 na • Reply
pepjrp • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:47 na • Reply
Rita • December 9, 2014 nakong 2:24 thapama •
Nathanial Poling • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:48 na • Reply
pepjrp • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:48 na • Reply
Andrew Keeter • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:49 na • Reply
trial and ask that God step in to console those who are hurting, angered, le
Montana, Texas, jj… we can’t change what happened in Florida where Trayvon
o ile a thunngoa, but we can change the way our community acts. We teach our children about God, Jesu, le
minor bickering we continue to do. Satane
e. Gdoggydog05 made a great point about
the ruler of this world until Jesus comes back to take it back. Until then we must live in this world, empa re
don’t have to live for this world. Re
Shope • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:50 na • Reply
Matty • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:51 na • Reply
Samuel Coleman • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:51 na • Reply
All of the cases that Glen Beck talked about GOT 000000000 Media attention…. Ke hobane'ng ha ??/ bec we have a Liberal non Christian Country who is following the Father the Devil…. And we have a President who plays the race card ever minute .. ke hobane'ng ha ? To get what he wants …. not for Justice not for Truth….
Our Country is going down the drain.. Baroma 1. God has given us up to the Depraved mind…. What we have seen is nothing in comparison to what is going to come.. Mark my wards if America continues in the way that it is going it will be Illegal to be a Christian and we will be murdered in the streets..
Dave • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:51 na • Reply
May we fight for justice where it needs to be fought for, not simply for those we can relate to, but for those who are in need regardless. Satane & Sin are the enemies. And they have been defeated by Jesus at the cross & the empty tomb. May we first be defined by the color red over any other, the color of the blood of Christ that washed us clean.
Nicole • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:55 na • Reply
Beans • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:55 na • Reply
I am Christian first, black second- or third or to be honest I am just a Christian. I support Trayvon and his family not because he was black, but because he was a kid. A death sentence for a punch is too hard a sentence for my heart or my conscience to handle. Trayvon had so much to learn in life… Did we not end eye for and eye, tooth for a tooth justice with Jesus? Could Trayvon not have been shot in the arm or the leg? Why his heart? I am just so sad for the loss of life, and it would not matter what color he was- A child is dead. I also think as the adult, Zimmerman has more responsibility (in my eyes) to keep the situation calm. hona joale, did he do that? Communicate in a friendly way that he was the watch? Only God knows. And only God will render true justice.
“All I know is I am not home and this [lefatše] is not where I belong.”
Nathanial Poling • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:56 na • Reply
Beans • August 19, 2013 nakong 10:56 na • Reply
Tylor • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:00 na • Reply
let’s continue discussing the issue of racism, ee. but stop falsely associating racism with this case. after a year of collecting evidence nobody was ever able to find any shred of proof of racism in zimmerman’s past or on that night. let’s stop chasing ghosts and focus on real racism – like the kind the media showed throughout this case to stir up racial animosity and tear us apart just to increase their ratings.
Tony Cline • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:00 na • Reply
Is it racist to assume that a black man is more of a danger than other races when African-Americans make up 12.6% of the population but commit 49.7% of murders, as well as a highly disproportionate percentage of rapes, assaults, robberies, and every other crime the FBI tracks except for DUI? Is that racist, or is it just intelligent decision-making based on relevant facts? I am not saying that racism does not exist; it does, and on all sides. Leha ho le joalo, there is more to the conversation than saying that everyone who feels unsafe around people that are statistically much more likely to be violent criminals is a racist.
Washington DC Evangelists • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:00 na • Reply
C. • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:01 na • Reply
I hate that you had to deal with that stuff. And I hate that in some ways profiling is a super ugly, awful necessity (not in the Zimmerman case). Its hard too, with media and culture that embraces the sort of image that almost preaches open, mabifi, arrogant lawlessness. And that there are people making money off of this culture of violence and Godlessness. And that so many people who don’t understand what’s it’s like to be the other guy could care less about knowing what it means to be the other guy.
Great stuff Mr. lee. Molimo a u hlohonolofatse!
apallo95 • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:01 na • Reply
Lizzi • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:01 na • Reply
Lynn • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:02 na • Reply
MIchael • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:02 na • Reply
So in case you were hiding under a rock Zimmerman was found not guilty the other day. Some will congratulate, others will cry foul. This ruling has divided the country and in some cases even the church. I was reading a comment today from a person in the media, and their comments really made my blood boil. Personally I’ve given this a lot of thoughts, and I have my opinions, but this post isn’t about what I do or don’t think about Zimmerman’s aquital. Jesus said that the Thief comes to steal, kill and destroy….(John 10:10) Division is a silent killer. It grows from the seeds of bitterness that are planted in our hearts when we take our eyes off Jesus and the will come out if we aren’t careful. Luka 6:45 re “The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. ”
When Jesus began his ministry the desciples saw Jesus as politcal activist. They were expecting Jesus to swoop in and right every wrong that Rome had ever done to the Jews. They probably were okay with Jesus cracking some Roman heads if it meant rectifying years of occupation. Yet from day one Jesus preached love and servant hood. At some point the disciples probablly figured out Jesus wasn’t going to Bruce Lee anybody. I wonder what they thought of that privately? The Jewish people had dealt with occupation for a very long time. In fact I believe from the last book of the Old Testament to the time of Jesus was something like 400 lilemo tse. THose seeds of resentment and bitterness from being occupied had blossomed and they were ready to get even. The Messiah had finally come and it was time to rally the troops, hand out pitchforks and storm the castle. Yet while they were lighting the torches Jesus was out preaching love your neighbor and do unto others as you want them to do unto you. That had to drive them crazy. To add insult to injury as Jesus hung from the cross, He asked that the Father would forgive them, because they didn’t truly know what they were doing. So what does this all mean?
Jesus was an activist of love and as his brothers and sisters we are implored, no we are commanded to do the same. Because at the end of the day Love is the only thing that will ever changes anything. We can storm a castle, and protest all we want, but there will always be a hidden agenda if we aren’t aware of it first. Love heals wounded hearts and unites broken relationships. Love, builds up, khothalletsa, and comforts. Love doesn’t condemn, or reject, it embraces. We are quick to forget that while we were yet ALL SINNERS Christ died his shed blood was made available to: The rich, the poor, the black, the white, (and every shade in between)the straight, the gay, the fatherless, the hopeless, the homeless, the oppressed, the rejected, the religious, the islamic, the terrorist, the child molester the thief, the bank president, the lawyer, the fireman, politician, doctor, and every other person that has every drawn a breath on this earth, Jesus died for them. If there is a protest to be made then let it be at the gates of Hell by the bride of Christ, stating that We will love, we will serve, we will forgive as Jesus has done for us.
Eric • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:02 na • Reply
Beans • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:06 na • Reply
I remember one of the first jobs I had. A white lady sat next to me and told me.. “So do you know you are the first African -American we have hired?” She smiled and looked so proud. Ho sa le joalo, I felt ashamed, like some spectacle monkey that arrived at the zoo ready to show them how well their “ea pele” black employee would do. Why did she have to point that out and make me feel so… makatsa? I just wanted to be a normal kid at her second job out of college, but instead I became a paranoid mess..
So why do I say African American? hantle, do I have a choice?
gabetaviano • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:06 na • Reply
David • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:07 na • Reply
geebee • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:08 na • Reply
I AM sorry you have experienced racial profiling in your life. ke, haholo, have been stared at and ignored for just saying
“khotsong” to store clerks or folks I pass on the street. I have also been threatened and told I did not belong in a neighborhood and had better leave, because I am white. My daughter has been denied her right to vote twice, but I don’t think she is “disenfranchised”. But then I don’t have hate mongers like Al Sharpton and theNAACP speaking for me; only about me. As a nation, and as the Body of Christ, I think we need to think LESS about race and our differences and diversity, We need to get back to being the “great American melting pot” as a nation, and to remind ourselves that we are all equal at the foot of the cross as the Church. The more race and racism is discussed, the more hatred I experience, which in turn, as a survival mechanism, makes me suspicious of other races and less likely to extend the Gospel to them. And if you don’t want to be treated like a possible thug, or wise guy, or redneck, don’t dress and act like one.
Leslie Pollard Stivers • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:08 na • Reply
I loved this post. I appreciate hearing your experiences and my heart breaks to remember the reality that profiling happens every day. I can’t help, Leha ho le joalo, to ask what you and others think of what this case says of reverse racism. It seems to me that the black community right now is completely ignoring the facts of the case (you can watch the whole thing on YouTube) and singling in on the profiling thing (no one knows for sure if Zimmerman did so and the character evidence in the trial suggests that GZ was not as racist as people have made him out to be). What if Trayvon was high (marijuana in his system, found in the autopsy)? What if his character suggests he might have been a thug? What if he did in fact pursue George and throw the first blow? These things and much more were discussed at length in the trial and the evidence suggests that though Zimmerman could have made wiser choices (not gotten out of his truck, for example), he didn’t do anything illegal. We don’t know all the answers to these questions, but just because a young man is black doesn’t mean that if he looks and acts like a thug he won’t be profiled as one. No one seems to acknowledge that this violent kid (with his father in Sanford because he was suspended for fighting, stealing, drug use, jj) made wrong decisions too. I want to see a post from a black man or woman that cries out for an end to the thuggery within in their community. I want us minorities to be about the business of teaching our young men and women to look more like Christ. Though my two young boys are a bit lighter-skinned than I am and may not have the same experiences that I did, I will tell them to keep smiling at people who clutch their bags and never forsake doing good. I don’t deny that racism exists, but it seems to me that it is flagrantly worse from blacks right now. The white hatred seethes with evil and ignorance. People are doing the very thing they hate. There is no peace, no forgiveness, ultimately no faith in God to right the wrongs in the world or to trust Him to redeem it all. Individuals jump on the opportunity to call someone a racist. Christians have got to hold up truth in all things. We can’t play the race game, we are about changing culture–not making a better “ba batsho” culture or “tšoeu” setso sa, but holding up and exalting a Judeo-Christian culture that encourages things like love, peace, and forgiveness. Christians must see this case in light of the truth, and not participate in the war cries and witch hunt that is taking place right now. Pray for both families. Christ have mercy on us all. More of my thoughts on race & culture here: http://wp.me/p2C5Cy-VY I welcome visitors and feedback.
Scott Lee Sherwood • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:08 na • Reply
In reading your blog, your point seemed to indicate that GZ should have been convicted of 2nd degree murder simply because he “racially profiled” TM. This is not how the judicial system works. You can’t ask a jury to give you a “moral” win and mete out justice simply because the other guy doesn’t like the color of your skin. The facts are that GZ is not white despite what the media/NAACP/Celebrity Hollywood/and Rev Al would like you to believe. He is of a mixed ethnicity of Hispanic/Latino descent and grew up in a multicultural family. o “profiled” TM because of burglaries that had recently happened in the gated community. With a hoodie on and jeans, following someone from behind, you can’t tell what race/ethnicity they are. I coach football and wear hoodies all the time in the fall, and my own dog has barked at me coming into my house when I’ve had my hoodie on because she didn’t recognize me. You can’t walk into most banks or credit unions wearing a hoodie. They will stop and ask you to remove it. Same goes for hats and sunglasses in most financial institutions. Are they “racially profiling”? Che, ho hang, empa e ke “profiling”, and this isn’t wrong. We ALL do it to each other all the time. And yes, I have been followed by store security before, and I have been stopped by police and questioned before, and in every convenience store near most high schools, they won’t let students come in with backpacks and they limit the number of students in the store. I live in California and the city I live is multicultural. In most of the stores like my local Safeway and Walmart, the security or loss prevention teams have many minorities of black, asian, Hispanic ethnicities. If they suspect someone of possibly committing a crime, or fitting a “profile”, is it racism if they follow them around the store or keep an eye on them, or even stop them for questioning if they are both black..? I’ve seen it happen, so it’s a legitimate question.
It seems to me that most of the folks that are upset with the verdict and are being the most vocal about it are ranting that somehow TM’s civil rights were violated. In today’s day and age, with rampant crime and disregard for human life, where words like HONOR and INTEGRITY are lost in a sea of “what’s in it for me” and a rampant entitlement mentality, most of these folks couldn’t give you the proper definition of “civil rights”. They line up behind jackwagons like Rev Al Sharpton, and the NAACP and exploit social ignorance from people like Rachel Jeantel and make her the poster child for their racism case. hlile? These are the folks picked to fight the “civil rights” racism battle for the black community? These are who you want to stand with? Ka kopo. I think Dr. Martin Luther King would weep if he saw what a circus folks like these have turned the racism and civil rights fight, into. The fact is that racism is not the main enemy anymore for black America. Not even close. Black on Black crime, birthed by the continual breakdown of the family unit, and catalyzed by a system that says that the gov’t owes you something, and will take care of you, is a good place to start, if you really want to hit the biggest giant the black community faces. Ho sa le joalo, there are some that focus on solutions and are tackling some of these mindsets. The folks at National Center for Public Policy Research and their Project 21 Initiative are folks that I will align myself with and support all day long.
Thanks ho bala, and God Bless You..!!
alan_d • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:09 na • Reply
Trip, I appreciate the educated, nonpartisan, Christian viewpoint of this post. Just to get it out there, I’m a 26yr old white grad student from AL living in OK. Leha ho le joalo, after graduating from Auburn 4 lilemong tse fetileng, I went to live in the D.R. Congo for 2 lilemo tse. ke lumela, growing up, before I was a Christian, I was as much of a racist as 85% of the suburban culture around me was. Leha ho le joalo, the new-heart that Christ has given me has changed that.
Taba ke, while living in the Congo, literally everyone around me at any given time was black. I loved the people I lived around, worked around, and almost everyone I met. Leha ho le joalo, in that culture, there were still people I profiled. Young men walking in the market without anything to sell, or any interest in anything, for example. My pockets were cleared twice, though I was quick enough to grab the guys and get my nokia brick back. Also, the police were *generally* corrupt. I profiled them every time I saw anyone in uniform. I was stopped, arrested, or harassed more times than I can count by the police/soldiers, as were many of the locals that I knew. Does that make it racist for me to profile those types of people because they happened to be black? Ka tsela e tšoanang, how is it racist when I move my wife to the other side of my body when walking past a white man that I think looks suspicious? Its the same concept, and I submit that it is not racism. My point is that profiling is a natural human instinct and *can be* racist, but it isn’t always.
Adolf • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:09 na • Reply
If any person doesn’t want to be a criminal, perhaps they shouldn’t wear the uniform. kajeno, hoo e ka bang 70 years after world war 2. What would you think of someone wearing a nazi uniform? It’s just clothes right?
gdoggydog05 • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:10 na • Reply
hape. i feel it is racist. to award or discipline based on race. and it is racist that if your a white journalist, joalo ka 'na….you get fired if you say the wrong thing about race. but if your a black journalist you can say that more white kids must die, in order for America to understand racism (link at bottom). look, this is my point. i am only harping on these things, because i want christians to understand that there will always be race issues on both sides. i don’t think we should go the same route as the world and latch on to them. for every instance of racism against blacks, you can find some against other races. although i do understand that slavery was a horrid thing and my ancesters, truly, will never understand white my black brothers and sisters ancestors have gone through.we should not cater to any race to try to “equalize” lintho. proof in point is that the one true God would never do this!!! Would God almighty hand out scholarships based on race??? NEVER NEVER NEVER. Maybe based on income. But God would never show favor based on race. Israel was chosen, not because of anything in them, but God’s good purposes only. My “old friends” resent this, and it only increases their racist thoughts. “Handouts” le “double standards” anger them. And the argument that sort-of says “i just cant understand the struggle” is deeply hurtful to me. it says that i can only go so far with my black brothers… i’ll never really be their brother though, cause I don’t understand what its like to be them. It says that the experiences of the black man divide us, more than Christ unites us. That is what I see this article unintentionally saying. I actually do know what it is like to be profiled. I was a kid once. We all go through tough times. You may not know what its like to have a mom with cancer, joalo ka 'na. Or you may not know what it was like to be sent to home for bad kids when i was 12 ba lilemo li, neglected by my white, affluent, suburban family and left to wonder why they didn’t love me. Let’s not start keeping score here. This totally is a warped improper perspective to focus on those unique experiences. Let us come together and rejoice that we have been given grace when we deserved death.
Alex Ericsson • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:11 na • Reply
Dinah Robinson • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:11 na • Reply
Troy Frasier • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:12 na • Reply
Mam, Ke mosoeu, and I have experienced the same thing both as a child and as an adult…. I don’t know that those instances were race related. Haele hantle, haha, many times clerks followed me around as a kid, teenager, jj. Even now I am sure cameras follow me when I walk into a Wal-Mart, as my friend who works LP says I walk like a thief it seems…. joalo, . Hoa etsahala! :)
Nathanial Poling • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:12 na • Reply
Antoine Mason • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:12 na • Reply
George Lewis • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:14 na • Reply
Nathanial Poling • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:14 na • Reply
Tia • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:15 na • Reply
“Mefuta eno ya likhopolong tse nyonyehang le ba bohata. Molimo o ile a batho bohle ka setšoantšo sa Hae le meetlo le boleng. Leha ho le joalo kaofela ha rōna re baetsalibe 'me ha ba hlōleha ho bontša setšoantšo sa Molimo ha re ntse re lokela. Mong le e mong le 'ngoe ea rōna re ka retelehela ho tloha libe tsa rōna, ho tšepa Kreste, 'me ho etsoa tokelo ke' Mōpi oa rōna. Empa khethollo ea morabe lipeke le khetha seo batho ba linnete tsena lokela ho sebelisoa ho. khethollo ea morabe o re, "Ke ea bohlokoa le e molemo, 'me kaofela ha batho bao ba khopo.” – Word Up Brother Lee!
Monghali. 116 • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:15 na • Reply
A black woman shot warning shots in Florida because she was scared that her abusive husband would attack her. You know what happened, she was sentenced to prison for 20 lilemo tse.
George Zimmerman shoots a young black kid in Florida, and he was found innocent?!? hlile?? Racism, most definitely, was an issue in this case. Nahana ka sena.
Nathanial Poling • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:16 na • Reply
lewrites • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:16 na • Reply
Joanette D. Clemons • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:17 na • Reply
This case is not only about the SYG law it is also about the self defense argument. The child was in essence found guilty. This case is also about how the law views the responsibility of the person, GZ, who put themselves in harms way. Where does personal responsibility, common sense and self control play a part in this situation? When Rachel Jenteal (not sure of the spelling) was interviewed, she said “Your parents teach you that when someone suspicious is following you, you should run. No parent teaches their child to stand their. Haeba ba ne ba, they would have no child.” TM was a child. He was described to police by GZ as a person in their late teens. This is not conjecture, this is fact. Trayvon was a child growing into adulthood. When GZ called police, he did the right thing, when he decided to go against the will of authority, he lost control and the situation turned out all wrong. Spiritual ex.: How many times have we prayed and asked God to help us handle a situation and we lean to our own understanding rather than listening to the true voice of authority to see us through. Trayvon is not here b/c GZ leaned to his own understanding. He took matters into his own hands after being given clear and concise instructions about what NOT to do. I wanted to know what GZ’s role as a volunteer neighborhood watch officer consisted of. I found this book at http://www.usaonwatch.org/assets/publications/0_NW_Manual_1210.pdf Please read page 27 of Chapter 6. This man overstepped his bounds and ran right OUT OF personal responsibility into trouble. He disobeyed direct instructions and confronted a frightened child, who was a young man and an athlete. He bit off more than he could chew when he stepped outside the will and instructions of authority. Suppose TM had been an experienced killer who took GZ’s gun and killed him instead? This tragic incident opened the door for a number of topics to be discussed. Including, but not limited to, profiling, personal responsibility, The Stand Your Ground Law, what is the real definition of self defense, and most of all the re-evaluation how race should be viewed the minds of everyone. Everything seen in the darkness of our own hearts and minds will eventually come to light. This tragic and ridiculous chain of errors is meant to bring about a greater level of understanding, dialogue and awareness. This case has sent shock waves throughout the world. It is not an American history story, it is not Black history story, it is a human and civil rights story. No one deserves to die based upon stereotypical perceptions and a lack of self control.
BQPhotography • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:18 na • Reply
DUDE!! Thank you so much for posting this!! I posted something similar on my facebook wall. I feel we can move on from racism but yet we can still talk about it to fix the problem!! Not argue and continue to profile any race. I am a firm believer in God and this country must turn back to God. (2 Chronicles 7:14) We need more black people like you and I, who can step up and speak against the racism and educate one another. We should stand against the people who stir the racism up!! ke leboha hape. I too have dealt with racial comments and actions by others, but I don’t let all of it get to me because I know who I am in Christ!! Thanks!!
Mark • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:18 na • Reply
ntle ho pelaelo, there are those with ‘racial’ motivations for what they do – positive or negative. Some assume the worst just because of the level of melanin. But I wonder if there’s something else going on in situations like this that reveals more of a cultural gap than a racial one. Ka mohlala, if I see a woman walking down the street in very short shorts, low cut tank-top with breasts hanging out, lots of make-up, high heels (not good for walking), jj, I will assume this is a woman who is – to use an antiquated word – loose. This gives me zero right to physically or verbally assault her, to make suggestive remarks, jj. Contrast that with another woman’s attire – modest, but attractive pants, skirt, dress, jj. – right out of the Lands’ End (or pick your style) catalog. She COULD be just as loose as woman #1, but I think it’s unlikely.
Likewise, if I see a young black man walking toward me dressed as a ‘gangbanger’ – I move aside and get nervous. It’s POSSIBLE he’s a local youth pastor and would share the Gospel with me sooner than say a hurtful word. But what’s with the ‘banger attire? Ka lehlakoreng le, a black man walking down the street in 1) Lands End attire 2) traditional African garb 3) work jeans/boots with white t-shirt… I suddenly have all of my fears mitigated.
My point is that attire is a form of cultural expression. And not all cultures are equal. If what “tšoeu” (or light brown, red, mosehla) America sees in music videos, the evening news, newsweeklies, jj. of the young black man in trouble is what young black men who are upstanding members of the community wear… that will communicate a conflicting message.
'Nete • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:18 na • Reply
James Lee • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:19 na • Reply
The majority of people have identities and lives that have been based on assumption regarding the notion of “race.” We need to change toward a more biblical theology of ethnicity. Ntlha ea pele, it is important to define terms and use them properly, especially “race” versus “ethnicity.” The Christian needs to understand man’s unity in Adam, union with Christ and unity in the church.
Rusty • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:19 na • Reply
We’ve all been guilty of committing it, haholo, to some small degree. Any time you see someone and make a judgment–even if it’s kept internal–based on how that person looks or sounds… that’s prejudice.
Antha REdNOTE • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:19 na • Reply
Louie • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:20 na • Reply
Nathanial Poling • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:20 na • Reply
dismayed • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:21 na • Reply
hello all. First and farmost I am a christian. Secondly I am an afirican-american woman. I’ve read the comments here and they do not surprise me. I am horrified by the violence in this country (the black on black, the judicial towards blacks,the crime element of minority youths of towards the general public, general public towards minoriity youths). To tell you the truth I am scared,and this is why……….when we as a society gloss over the societal stains racism has caused we are in grave danger of returning our society back to that in which it was in the 50’s. Furthermore, when we think for a second that America has reached some state of a race free utopia we are in grave danger of repeating the same ill that plagued the nation 50 lilemong tse fetileng. I think people like to gloss it over because it’s easier than facing it and confronting it. So for you it might not be a race thing, because you will never have to hear your elders discuss how the details reminds the days of their youth,experiencing things you and i could never dream of
.For you it might not be a race thing because you will never bear inside your body a black male child and wonder will he live to see 21. For you it might not be a race thing because the mere look of you is and will never be seen as a threat. If i had those options it would not be race thing for me either. My heart goes out to all those who have been victims of crime due to violence. I never will and never have condoned violence. Leha ho le joalo, also will never condone a system that condones shooting somebody based on appearances,or possible reasons why they are out at night,. I will never condone a system that will take my money is accepted,but I or my son is not. I will never condone the state of things as they are. America is no utopia. I feel the effects of being a minority in America everyday,and even in the church.
bergyman • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:22 na • Reply
I’m a Christian too. I agree that racism still exists. 'Nete ke, it will always exist. The enemy will make sure of that. But this “you will never understand my side” posturing doesn’t help. We have white idiots that perpetuate racism. And that is what they are: stupid racists. Then there are black idiots that perpetuate the stereotype that promotes the profiling. The focus should be all of the rest of us rising above these idiots and coming together and repair the divide. Change the narrative. As for young black males… Wow. I have no idea how a community deals with that, but I know there are answers out there. I know God has a plan and a solution… and it isn’t division based on how someone looks. His solution is about UNITY, love and restoration.
dismayed • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:22 na • Reply
hi bergyman. I respect and agree with, your views. One note though- my view is not “you will never understand my side” rather its a shedding of light on the why this not about “my side” or your side. This is about the in-just patterns this country has yet to rectify.This is the lot that America has given to minorities. elders reliving horrifying experiences with jim crow. Children afraid they will be targeted by some crooked form of the judicial system. Male family members harassed for DWB'(driving while black) I have worked tirelessly for many years unifying folks and bringing racial awareness to the church and to the un-churched alike. I’m not saying understand my side .I’m saying respect it. I WILL continue my work to shed light on the subject,because that’s what GOD intended me to do and the church needs it. With that said- turning a blind eye to the ills of injustice be it racial,social economical,regarding abortion or sex trafficing,is also very wrong. It’s also something I can not do. On a brighter note I have seen ,confession, and forgiveness between races on a massive scale at Christians prayer events and it was beautiful time of respect, confession,tšoarelo (on both sides) OHHH was that something to behold it was like pslms 133:1-3 in real time. Feet were washed,tears were shed, and all parties(ba batsho,tšoeu,latino,and asian) repented before GOD for ought against the other. I long for the day when “brother love will bind man to man” as mentioned in the great hymn ode to joy. I work and pray to no end to see it happen.
bergyman • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:23 na • Reply
Thank you for your reply. I didn’t mean to imply you were doing the “you don’t understand…” thing, I just meant I don’t want that response being the answer. I hear that a great deal when I’ve tried to join in the conversation regarding some of these problems and how we as a society can overcome them. I think there HAS to be understanding and solutions and change on both sides. I agree with you. It is happening. I just hate how long it’s taking and all the harmed/lost lives and lost potential … and I HATE the division. Thank you for fighting the good fight. I hope you know that I don’t pretend to understand the emotions, I am just looking to getting ways to the next steps… recovery, healing, senya bonngoe.
dismayed • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:23 na • Reply
ee. i understand and we need you in the fight . I’m sorry that some one devalued your contribution to the conversation and/ or solution to these problems. and I apologize on their behalf.Would you forgive all of us who treated those who want to help find a better way as if they don’t matter in this discussion just because his or her skin wasn’t black. I believe we each have something to contribute to the other person ,experiences to be gained,love to be shared,encouragement and fellowship to be had (ba batsho,tšoeu,mosehla,brown,blue etc). i firmly believe that. God bless you bergyman…..one day pslms 133:1-3 will be a reality if not here on the earth ,definitely in the one to come.
Amen, Amen. Thank you for your kind words. Morena, continue the healing that will indeed someday command a blessing.
Troy Frasier • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:25 na • Reply
Hey Trip, Love ya and all, but honestly… it sounds like on the issue of race, you have some bitterness. I am sorry your skin color has made you the receiving end of some discrimination. My skin color has leaved me on the receiving end of some discrimination from the black community, (although I have never been tagged by the police). Its a part of life, monna. I just wish I were discriminated for the cross, not for the color of my skin in those instances. Hoa etsahala, it’s not beautiful, but we have to forgive those who do it and praise God the father for His love and diversity. And not be bitter, monna. Let go of those past instances. Just like you shouldn’t treat others wrongly, you must forgive and free yourself from the temptation of victimization when you are judged. Everyone is judged. If not by skin color, by body shape, location, dilemo, jj. I have been judged countless times for being from Florida in the midwest. And for being young. Etc. We will always be judged, ya know? We must forgive and show love to those who are ignorant. :) God bless ya, Trip!
Nicole • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:26 na • Reply
By pointing out that racism exists against black people does not nullify that black people can discriminate too. We live in a fallen world and all those actions are wrong. Working to open dialogue does not mean that unforgiveness exists. (Hello, Trip Lee’s wife is not black lol) Leha ho le joalo, biblically, peace does not equal passive. There are MANY calls in the Word of God to be active about injustice and oppression in all forms. We should be active against social justice, ALL FORMS with the ultimate goal of showing the beautiful contrast of Jesus Christ in this fallen world.
gdoggydog05 • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:26 na • Reply
Wow. bohlale ba. convicted me, haholo.
bergyman • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:27 na • Reply
We’re asking people to be superhuman. We all use information (some based on our own situations, some third party reliable, and some third party unreliable) to tell us what to do in certain parts of town, and around people that look a certain way. We all profile. The blonde girl Lizzi below may have had people view her as stupid or easy based on how she looks. Fair? Probably not. She has a choice, she can either try to convince all the other blondes out there to act smart, be smart to not perpetuate the stereotype OR she can just try and do her best to not be linked with the “type”. My guess (and I could be way off) is that the store owner commonly was shoplifted by people that looked/acted like Dinah Robinson … fair? Ho hang. But is it the store owner who is acting irresponsibly? Let me say it this way… if person #1 looks/dresses/acts like people who have committed crimes in their store or in their neighborhood. (I’m making up hypotheticals here) The objective statistics say: 7 out of 10 times when this happens, a crime is committed. You may say, they still shouldn’t profile. but at what point in the statistics do you say, I’m still going to think the best of this person. 9 out of 10? how about 99/100? How about 999/1000? What if you have an Arab family in your neighborhood and you see him unloading dozens of bags of fertilizer into his garage? Maybe he just likes his grass to be really green. Are we supposed to always assume the best in people?
We had black foster kids (7 le 9 lilemo boholo-holo). The 7 yr old girl told us “Everyone knows that white people hate black people and that black people hate white people.” That made me sad. Someone taught her that with words. At 7 lilemo boholo-holo, that become part of her makeup. We need to stop following the media/politic rhetoric and try and build bridges and not jump to conclusions about people and when people make conclusions about us, we need to let it fall off our backs because holding grudges only increases the racial divide and we need this rift repaired.
Rumplestiltskin • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:28 na • Reply
A very highly-charged trial, and not w/o reason. Our present dealings, with “whatever” will always be tainted with our disagreeable past. I had parents, that apparenty were “color blind”, and for this I am thankful. When I was about three, and playing with my neighborhood friends one day in the sandbox, this is what I saw – one by one, a parent would come up, and say something like “come on Johnny, we’ve got to go” kapa, “suzie, time for your nap”. One by one, they all left, except one. I didn’t think anything about it that day, but some thirty or forty years later, I realized what happened: that last little boy was black. I tell you, when I realized exactly WHAT happened that day, I was shocked, and angry – that boy that the other kids were being “protected” from was my friend. I did not know what “ba batsho” was. Still amazing.
hona joale, ke 'na 71, and have had a one-on-one relationship with Jesus Christ, for 37 lilemo tse. THAT, more than any discussion of “peiso” has really opened my eyes, let me explain – in the book of Ephesians, it says that God, made of the Jews, and also of the gentiles, ONE NEW MAN. Folks, this means you, and me, as long as we have that relationship with Christ. When we STEP INTO CHRIST, we “put on”, kapa “come into” the ONE NEW MAN. Kahoo. OUTSIDE of Christ, we can put on an act, we can try to be good, do the right thing, jj. But out natural strength will always run out, and we WILL fail again, anytime we are “outside of Christ”, or not under His influence. ba ho utloahalang?
Outside of Christ, there IS NO LASTING UNITY – otherwise we would have had that, long ago. Kahoo, come into Christ, where I am no longer white, I’m your brother, and I’ve got your back.
Mollie • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:28 na • Reply
LolaMitche2011 • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:28 na • Reply
Having a multi-racial family I completely understand many different perspectives. I will say that “tšoeu” America will just simply never understand the “colored” perspective. How could they? People will show more sympathy with people they can relate to. Blacks can name 100 different cases of racism in their own lives, while whites will also name 100 different situations and justifications for why they believe what they believe. With more whites numerically in jail than any race, and more blacks percentage wise in jail then whites, it’s obvious crimes can be done by anyone. We all just see what we want to see. With that being said, I would say we all need to just strive to do the best for our communities and pull them up. Black Americans should now know that they cannot expect a sympathetic ear from whites, and Whites should know that that they will never understand the experiences people of color go through. And honestly that’s okay.
Dave • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:29 na • Reply
KSStrong • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:29 na • Reply
While we know that Paul did not hesitate to call people out on their sin or hypocrisy, we read only of a few times of him calling out certain names. Is this sin? No, he called Herod out because of his status and position. He called Peter out (ke
gdoggydog05 • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:30 na • Reply
im sorry ks… i should have been more clear. i’m not assuming…. i’m speaking on all the black christians that i know or have read, jj….. and i didn’t mean that they are prioritizing it more…. what i meant is this: of all the comments black christians have made, i have not seen any that criticize the media for putting a certain case on a pedastool on the basis of race…. sorry about that. I don’t know if they do or not. I think the media is guilty of this and am surprised that my black brothers and sisters have commented on other parts of the case and seemingly supported the media in their display, rather than dissent, even if only with their words.
Steve Burlew • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:30 na • Reply
Grace and peace to you, khaitseli ea.
Heather Mahnke Worrell • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:31 na • Reply
I am a 32 year old white female. I was just explaining Trayvon’s story to my 12 year old daughter. I explained how I feel about all of it. I read your blog above. I respect you, and I also feel that this issue needs to be discussed. I look at it like my marriage, in a way… If my husband and I have a conflict, we work it out until we have an understanding. We are two separate bodies, but by marriage we are one (my husband and I), just as all of us are put into categories, whether we like it or not. I teach my children that color doesn’t matter, character is what matters, but nonetheless I am white, you are black and we can’t change that. It is a fact about ourselves, just like right now I am wearing a red shirt and if maybe all people wore red shirts everyday, we could get passed all of this, be treated equal by each other, and all be called “red shirt people”, but that’s not going to happen. We all need to come to an understanding about each other like in my marriage. Conflicts need to be fixed, “Don’t go to bed angry”. Our races have been in conflict for too long. We’ve never really come to an understanding, or have learned to respect each other fully… now our bottles of emotion have hit their pressure limits and we’re exploding with irrationality. Our races have never really married each other, so to speak. It’s time to get married… You explained in your blog why you have been emotionally invested in the Trayvon Martin Case. That this is the story about you, your father, your grandfather, that you have been racially profiled. Let me tell you that, as a white woman, I treat every stranger with caution regardless of their skin color. I lock my doors, clench my purse, and children tighter no matter who I walk past on the street. There are dangerous white rapist, babolai seriale, kidnapping, jj. crime happening everywhere just as much as there are in any other skin color there is… I want to help change hearts and minds. Just because someone is profiled, doesn’t make it racist. It is because there are sick evil monsters in every color and we have to be cautious. Kahoo, if we lived in a safe happy world where everyone was kind and loving, we would not have to worry I guess, but this isn’t Heaven. Molimo a o hlohonolofatse, T.L. Love and Peace be with you.
Christopher Zavala • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:31 na • Reply
TJ • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:32 na • Reply
laura merrone • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:32 na • Reply
E, lets move on and get all of this behind us. Whatever happened that day, can you forgive and forget? Can we all “love our enemy” as a Christian whoever that may be? Can we honestly say “vengeance is the Lord’s” not ours? I am a white woman but have been through some bad experiences myself but I’ve gotten over it by forgiving all parties involved. Our nation needs healing not more tears. The more we forgive, the better off we will be and the racism feelings will fade. hona joale, if only Al Sharpton and the news media will quit bringing up all this stuff and opening the wounds, we will be all right…
Sophia • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:32 na • Reply
Karla Willows • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:32 na • Reply
Karla Willows • August 19, 2013 nakong 11:33 na • Reply
Kay • August 19, 2013 nakong 9:02 thapama • Reply
The more I read and hear about the Trayvon Martin case. The more I realize that most can not look at it from a realistic/factual point of view. We often look at these cases through a skewed lens that carries baggage from own past. I speak as a woman whose great-grandfather was an illegal immigrant from Mexico, and yet has been challenged by Christ to embrace The Truth, not the truth as “ke” see it. Christ asks that we set aside our identity including our ethnicity, sex, denominational affiliation, jj (Bagalata 3:28), in order to see our world through the lens of Christ…which embodies all truth.
I am finding racism is a real problem in our culture, but the reality is it is not just a white problem, it is just as prevalent in people of color as well. Racism, will never end as long as we are concerned only about our “own” batho. I truly believe this is the message Martin Luther King Jr. preached, before it was tarnished by the likes of Al Sharpton & Jesse Jackson. Unity and oneness can only happen when men and women truly see through the lens of Christ, because as Galatians 3:28 points out we are ALL ONE “IN” Kreste. I personally believe anytime we chose to view ourselves outside of that framework, than we either knowingly or unknowingly erect barriers and dividers. Bottom line Christians, racism can stop with you, as long as you truly embrace Christ’s perspective. Ho seng joalo, you are left with justifying a false reality that continues to erect barriers between you and others.
LaRone • August 20, 2013 nakong 4:35 na • Reply
As far as the killing of Trayvon, just notice how its almost never a person of color, especially black, that comes to the defense of Zimmerman. NOw, everything doesn’t have to do with race, but the things that do should not be so easily disregarded. The black experience in America is so downplayed. Ke hobane'ng ha? Should Blacks just get over the fact that their ancestors were property of men and women in this country? Should the fact that government propaganda literally called for the discrimination of them be forgotten? Should they forget that the Constitution literally stated that they are only 3/5 of a man? Of equal importance, should people who aren’t persons of color really act oblivious to these same facts of American history as if there are not still systems of oppression (not just profiling) that directly effect the black community and other minority groups? It is so easy to tell people to get over it or to point out Black success in an attempt to undermine race relations in this HISTORICALLY racist country. But when you are the benefactor of racism (even if unknowingly) and you are not affect by it negatively, you inevitably have a viewpoint different and sometimes even defensive when it comes to race. Thank the Lord that Christ unifies ALL people. But still, churches remain the most segregated places in America. Thank you all for reading and all be Blessed.
thefollower • August 20, 2013 nakong 9:51 na • Reply
I have read through this entire thing the comments, arguments, sympathy statements. It all amazes me your intelligence and personal experience about all these things. Like in the beginning Trip said don’t stop talking about it, Leha ho le joalo, I’m quite sure he didn’t mean argue.
Ito • August 20, 2013 nakong 11:31 na • Reply
Ka lehlohonolo, we serve a God who knows everything. Who is powerful to heal those who will let Him. Who is faithfulness to heal bitterness and resentment. And who has given us power through prayer and action.
PastorNorm • August 24, 2013 nakong 10:35 thapama • Reply
The thing I believe that God wants us to do with this incident and all those other ones we continue to hear about is what Trip said. Pray for all parties involved to either get saved out of what has happened or get right if they are Christians. What everyone has missed is that God Almighty called Trayvon’s number for whatever reason He had. NOBODY was going to change that that night. God said, “Trayvon, it is over for you” just like he did for Tupac and many others. IF Trayvon was saved, glory to God he is now with Jesus. If not, sadly he is burning in Hell. Hopola, Eccl. 12:13 ” Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
muchneededmoderator • September 24, 2013 nakong 5:04 thapama • Reply
I entered this website, read the various blogs posted and was encouraged by various posts until I came to this one. The comment thread that ensued below was both disturbing and heart wrenching. Instead of reading calm, patient, wise and God centered comments, I suddenly found myself engulfed in a frenzy of racism and hatred. And all this by supposed Christians who seem to think it’s appropriate to tell each other who is or is not a Christians and whether or not their prayers will reach the ears of God or as Marvin put it: “…your prayers probably won’t make it past your ceiling.” Many of you say repeatedly that you are not on the attack and do not wish to offend anyone, that you simply have your own opinions and that yes, they are strong. Fine, we all have our own opinions and we all feel strongly on certain issues whether or not we find others who agree. That is a right and a freedom we have as Americans to enjoy and I hope it is never taken from us. But to constantly bash another brother or sister in Christ and to preach at each other as if you yourselves know best is pure hypocrisy. We as Christians should know better than anyone that we are simply human, we make mistakes, we act in arrogant pride, we are blinded to certain issues simply by our own sin and no matter how hard we try, those blinders will always be there because we are fallen, sinful, humans. It is for that reason that God is our judge. It is not our opinions that matter, but God’s and God’s alone. To act towards each other so hatefully and yet call yourselves “barab'abo rōna ba” is pathetic at best.
Marvin, to be honest I had to stop reading about half way down the posts simply because I couldn’t stomach the way you continued to treat your “brothers and sisters” all the while sticking to your guns, becoming more and more inflamed and then claiming that you weren’t upset. Read your own posts, mohlomphehi. Whether I agree with you or not does not matter, what matters is how you treat your brother. Read through the posts, you were by far (at least until I stopped reading about halfway down) the most volatile person on this thread. You tell others they have no right to tell you how to pray and then you suggest that God does not even hear their prayers. Who are you to suggest such a thing? You are not God. Come down off your throne and then speak to your brothers in love instead of impatience and anger.
Racism is ugly and I see it everywhere and constantly. I hate it for so many different reasons and on so many different levels. But there will be no healing this disease until ALL sides recognize that there is racism no matter what color your skin is AND that not all people hate other people simply because their skin or their culture differ from their own. As a Christian I am very sad to see how racism has effected my brothers and sisters. I am sad that we have to see a “racist” around every corner and just assume that people are racist because their skin is white. We should see other Christians with many colors and cultures. Stop screaming “racist” at each other and simply say “khaitseli ea”. I see more racism becoming a problem each day simply because one side or the other cries “racist” without even knowing the person they addressing. If you see a brother or sister acting in a racist way then by all means address it and speak to that person, privately. But stop crying wolf when there is no wolf.
moo ho buuoang: Not by Sight, Not by Comfort: Encouragements for Those Integrating Churches : The Front Porch