January 1, 2013 marked the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. President Lincoln's issuance of that bold declaration set in motion a historic change in how America would be defined for centuries to come.
During Lincoln's time, America was shamelessly proud of an economy that was built and sustained literally on the backs of enslaved African-Americans. During that time, there were countless edifices and inventions that were built and developed by slaves and freed African-Americans, some of which remain today --and remain overlooked. Those contributions were born through blood, sweat and tears, and indisputably helped make America what it is today. I won't let you off the hook by listing those vital contributions for you here. Instead, I challenge you to take the initiative to look them up and let me know what you find. You will be blown away.
Taking time to learn and share more about the contributions of African-Americans might be the key to helping our nation heal from some of its systemic ills. For example, if more African-American youths really grasped the full depth of our history as a people who demonstrated incredible faith, strength, intelligence, ingenuity, resolve and integrity in the face of living Hell on earth, perhaps they would be inspired to live true to those traits instead of the negative caricatures that too many have succumbed to emulating.
Likewise, if more European-Americans also fully understood and appreciated our history, perhaps some of their decisions and expectations regarding African-Americans might come from and head toward an entirely different place.
President Lincoln saw something in African-Americans that deserved better treatment. He also saw something in European-Americans that was far better and much more humane than what the institution of slavery was nurturing among their race. He realized that hatred, abuse and prejudice not only hurts those who are its victims, but it destroys the character of those who perpetrate such wickedness.
We are all created in the image of God and God is no respecter of persons. It was certainly no sin to be born of African descent, but it was sinful to brutally mistreat someone because of the color of their skin.
The Emancipation Proclamation not only set the stage for the slaves to be set free, it provided a means for the slaveholders to be freed from the demonic stronghold that blinded them to their cruel and unjust ways. True freedom comes when both the oppressed and the oppressor are set free.
When we look at how far we have come as a nation, it seems that the blight of slavery is ancient history. Yet, the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation shows us that it was only a short while ago. Consider that there are individuals living today who are at least 100 years old, some of whom still have their wits about them. If we go back just to their parents and grandparents, we are back to slavery. Friends, that is not as long ago as we'd like to think.
Today's African-Americans are really not too many generations removed from slavery, and many individuals, such as my mother who is 70-years-old, lived through the horrors of segregation, discrimination and Jim Crow. That means that a significant part of today's African-American population carry the scars of violent abuse, mistreatment, and mis-education. Those realities were simply too painful to bear--by the oppressed as well as the oppressors-- consequently most of it was simply swept under the rug.
No wonder in spite of the incredible strides made my African-Americans, some of today's African-American youths are angry, violent, and confused. They inherited several generations worth of swollen, lumpy rugs full of all the pain, anger and self-loathing that inherently marks those who have been abused.
Those young people who are turning on themselves or who are perpetrating images of fear-provoking thugs are simply playing out the emotions that the generations before them were not free to express or refuse to admit even existed--emotions which are quite typical for victims of abuse.
How appropriate that the Emancipation Proclamation was issued on New Year's Day, a time when individuals all over the world are focused on making positive changes in their lives. The ripple effects of the change President Lincoln and others wanted to see have made their way all the way to the doorsteps of the White House. But, let's go beyond external positions and examine the internal conditions of our hearts. The plight of our youth clearly indicates that we are not yet completely free.
At the start of this new year--one that some predicted we wouldn't even see after December 21, 2012--let's issue our own Emancipation Proclamations. Let us "bring good tidings to the poor...heal the brokenhearted, ...proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound..." (Isaiah 61:1)
Let's avail ourselves to be used of the Lord to help open the eyes of all Americans to see what it will take for us to truly heal from our painful past, not just sweep it aside because of our successes and significant strides.
If we each issue a proclamation that we will be agents of transformation in our family and community situations then we'll start looking more like a nation that is truly "...one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
Have a Happy 2013!
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
No comments:
Post a Comment