Standing WITH the Victims and Community of Club Q

 

Again, I ask the question " How long, how long, how long must we sing this song?" ~U2

Another senseless hate crime that resulted in the deaths of 5 innocent people and injuring many others. 

People who were murdered for being their authentic selves. 

Innocent people murdered on a night that was supposed to be fun. 

Once again, hatred has toxified another space where LGBTQ+ people should feel safe. 

Once again, Americans reap what we've sowed for the past few years. 

I'm tired, y'all. Furthermore, I'm pissed off. 

I do all the things. I vote. I do my best to be an agent of hope and peace for all Americans. {yes, even those who insist on supporting hatred. }

All I can do is stand with people affected by this hate crime, both in Colorado Springs and here in Pensacola. I wish I could do more, but I am but one person with finite resources. 

As a Christian, I'm disgusted by how the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, Himself a victim of state violence, to justify hatred of minorities. They forget that Jesus was a Jew in occupied Roman Empire territory, and that He found trouble for challenging the religious authorities of His day. 

I am one, but I do have a voice. 

Hate crimes are disgusting. As an American of Jewish descent, the effects of the European Holocaust are woven into my very DNA. For the past few years, I've noticed a resurgence of violence against Americans who are " the other" to the dwindling straight WASP rich Americans who have controlled this nation for too damn long. 

Scared, scrawny White boys usually are the perpetuators of such crimes. They feel powerless, so they try to take back some of " their" power by use of force. To me, this smack of Roman soldiers' reactionary acts and not of Jesus' Way of Love. 

I pray this prayer daily: 

For His Sake, I am one

I am but one, but I am one

I cannot do everything

but I can do something. 

What I can do, I ought to do

What I ought to do, by the grace of God, I will do. 

LORD, what will YOU have me do?  ~ Motto of The Order of The Daughters of The King 

What CAN I do to stop hate crimes?  Prayer should lead to action, but at this point I cannot see what I ought to do to end hate-fueled violence. 

I'm stuck. 

Be Kind...

Sarah Beth McCarren