As a church, our mission is to be a compassionate community that stands in solidarity with the weak and vulnerable. This is how Jesus lived, and so should we. In this context, we stand in solidarity with black people in the United States and Canada, who face anti-black racism and its dangerous, unjust, and cruel consequences every day. Now is a time to look at and assess our own actions, and critically examine the society around us. Only when we see and confront reality for what it is, can we then begin the work toward justice, healing and reconciliation. We hope that this collection of reflections and messages can help you to reflect on and critically think about anti-black racism and its effect on black people.

Dec 10 2020

Hopelessness within a hopeful unfinished story

It has taken me a painstakingly long time to write this, but it has laid too heavy on my heart not to share, so here goes.

Last year, my team and I witnessed a white manager (WM) repeatedly discriminate against our former Black manager (BM): speaking ill of her; excluding her from key meetings; trying to assign us work without first clearing it with BM. We attempted to address this with WM, but to no avail. So we obtained permission from BM to escalate the issue on her behalf.

It was very difficult to report this above because it involved our superiors. Additionally, we worried about being seen as ‘trouble makers’ for bringing to light something we felt the organization would rather turn a blind eye to. After a number of consultations with our human resources (HR) department, we chose to go to our vice president (VP). We chose this VP because she had been involved in Black mental health activities and this was a small but meaningful sign of safety for us.

When our director (D) became involved, her approach felt to us more like an interrogation than an investigation. We recognize she needed to gather the appropriate information but it felt as if she thought we fabricated the events. Eventually, D called us into a meeting with HR because she said she had addressed the issue and wished to provide us with an update. D spent the majority of that meeting, however, asking us four distinct times why we first went to our VP rather than D, followed by the explicit statement that by not seeing safety in her, we had discriminated against D’s whiteness.

While this was unfolding, all I could think was how incredibly textbook D had played out white fragility. From the start, D’s investigative approach had the tone of an interrogation, and with that, of gaslighting around whether race was an issue in this. One of D’s preliminary questions was if WM ever used any derogatory slurs about BM; but this just isn’t how racism manifests in the modern day. So to lead with this question was highly problematic in terms of validating our concerns and fostering a safe environment for this reporting. Also, D’s scrutinizing of our reporting process rather than the actual discrimination was a form of tone policing, an unconscious or conscious attempt to detract from the validity of our report by attacking the manner in which we presented it. And finally, D’s accusation of us discriminating against her whiteness was groundless. This would mean there was a reverse racism and a reverse victimization that does not exist, particularly when you consider the power differential between her position and our position in the organization, in addition to the power and privilege she holds as a white woman versus us as women of colour.

We were able to circle back to our VP to update her on all that had happened, and are grateful that we had the opportunity to be heard and acknowledged by the senior leadership of our organization. However, beyond this, it is not clear what action was taken to rectify the issue.

A few months later, BM was mysteriously ‘let go’ from the organization due to a supposed restructuring, which basically manifested as another white manager taking over her portfolio. This was a devastating loss for BM and for my team and I. Unfortunately, this is where this story ends; there is no hopeful resolution or happy ending.

I understand and acknowledge that the events that transpired are far from being the worst. But the harsh reality is that as with too many such stories, BM suffered the worst of it and my team and I were reprimanded for being her allies. It has been very challenging to continue working with WM and D, business as usual, after all of this. As far as I know, they did not suffer any consequences minus a possible momentary discomfort in being questioned around their racist actions.

I have spent a lot of time angrily questioning God about the perpetuation of this kind of injustice. To be honest, over this past year, I have been heavy with a deep hopelessness and despair about the many injustices of this world in a way that I have never felt or experienced before. But somewhere inside of me, I know that although there is no happy ending for this particular story, the overall story is not yet finished and it will progress regardless of my personal feelings, or hopelessness, about it. Maybe that is the grace and love of God that somehow provides a flicker of hope amidst all of this darkness. If that is the case, I will cling desperately to this.

Jun 12 2020

The Suffering of Korea

This is a post in a series of reflections for the Black Lives Matter movement. To read other reflections, please go to the Black Lives Matter page.

Introduction

The summer interns have reflected on “The Suffering of Korea”. This reading provided background knowledge on the history of suffering that Koreans have endured, and also went into depth on how Christianity grew in South Korea after the Korean war.

Joel Kim

Today’s reading got me interested, it mentions that after the Korean war Christianity was introduced and made a big impact in Korea, and which made me wonder that if something bad after experiencing war that faith can still restore peace, and all that’s happening in America, if instead with using violence and rioting and having more of a peaceful and having negotiation have a different outcome of the same outcome even if we used violence? Which gets me asking if after all this if they get what they want or they don’t would their relationship between the citizens and the police be the same or would they be able to make amends and start a new way and protecting and serving the citizens without racial profiling, and would this also change other people’s views and getting rid of white supremacy and make more if a diveresed community?

Another thing that sparked me was that it mentions That people that are oppressed, racialized and discriminated against should be the ones that should seek for justice, which reminds me that people in America both wealthy, poor and all those who were oppressed stood up against the government for a cause that they believed in. It surprises me that celebrities like Tyler the creator, Michael b jordan, and etc. That went to protests, which brought both the poor and the wealthy much closer which isn’t something I have seen in the past few years or I haven’t been paying attention.

David Kim

I’ve always heard the many stories of the suffering and pain that Koreans had to endure throughout our history, a history with tragic oppression. Due to that, Koreans have developed a strong work ethic and an almost innate ability to adapt to their environments, which have both led to Koreans being successful across the world. What I never thought about until today was the other effects of enduring such oppression and having such a success-driven mentality. The movie Parasite artistically showed the class divide in South Korea; the rich who have finally achieved their dreams and want to alienate themselves from the poor versus those in poverty who are the rich’s last reminder of their past struggles and hardships. Instead of showing empathy and understanding for those struggling, those in power almost want to distance themselves from their past and live in their own world of comfort and success. You would think those who suffered the most and are now prosperous would be the first to empathize and come to aid those struggling, but human nature proves this isn’t always the case.

As Ghandi stated, “suffering is an inevitable condition for life”, suffering is a part of human life. As I began to reflect on this statement, I realized that throughout history, humans have all suffered and faced hardships. From this suffering we change; whether it be making rules/laws, inventing tools, changing our benefits, etc. we learn from our hardships to seek a comfortable life. Through this we learn to truly celebrate life, be thankful and find happiness once we finally are free from this suffering. Now as the 2nd and 3rd generations of Korean Canadians who are lucky to not have to endure that suffering ourselves, I believe it is our responsibility to remember the suffering of our grandparents and those who came before us and learn about our history. This way we can learn to help those in suffering, empathize with them and give them our support.

Emily Kim

Today’s text and discussion gave me a different perspective on social change and structure of both our modern world and our history. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not really a history buff, I’ve never found it particularly interesting. I think I always subconsciously understood the importance of being educated on history but I never really admitted it to myself until today because then I would have to take the time to learn about it. I think one of the most prominent common themes in any culture’s history is the existence of suffering. Whether it be the nation as a whole or a particular group of people within a nation, every modern country has had origins of suffering. It makes perfect logical sense since suffering is a fundamental part of the human experience, what it means to be human and what makes us human. Even those who have never faced any explicit suffering will often suffer those most internally because suffering helps us grow and mature into beings that are able to survive in this world.

I found the idea of proper leadership for change to be very interesting. I think before reading and reflecting on this text, I would always look to and believe that it was up to those in power to make the world a better place. In my mind I couldn’t understand how those who received so much from their society were unable to give back and take care of it. While this belief is good in principle, I’m starting to realize that it is quite naive and doesn’t factor in human nature and our tendency to become corrupt with power. Those who have alot become limited in their perspective of the world, viewing the world’s iniquities as a reflection of certain individuals’ own inadequacy rather than the inadequacies of people and our society as a whole. If I’m being totally honest, I often daydream about attaining lots of power and wealth and becoming a philanthropist. To be able to live a comfortable life but also make a huge positive impact on the world seems like the best possible life, but unfortunately this is, in a way, a delusion. The fact of the matter is that I am far more likely to become overly possessive and greedy with my wealth and power and become unwilling to share it. I understand now how the responsibility for change falls on those who have suffered greatly and don’t sit at the top of the hierarchy. Only those people are able to channel their human benevolence and be leaders of change.

Kaitlin Lee

Today’s discussion really opened my eyes to the way Koreans have been affected by their past and their methods to dealing with suffering. It was honestly a little saddening to hear that Koreans are dealing with the past by hiding it, as if to say that their struggles are only behind them and they are better people who will not fall victim to such events ever again. It really does feel like they are suppressing memories of the past out of pain and a growing sense of pride in their abilities today, when I would have liked to see how they could embrace their struggles and grow as a strong nation not through power of wealth, but power of identity and character like those of the Afro-American community. In relation to the Black Lives Matter movement, I do believe this is the opportunity for Koreans to join as allies that have endured their own struggles in life and prevent others from facing the same pain. As Ham Sok Hon said, it is our mission to take charge of the world’s iniquity as equals. This is not something Britain or America can cope with – and I found this to be particularly interesting, as those two are often seen to have great power compared to others. Yet, it is the Koreans who have the ability to right the world. Those who are equal to the ones who have not been blinded by greed and hunger for power and things, but those who have built strong moral character in the midst of a life full of hardship. This was very empowering to me, this reassurance of the infinitely more meaningful power that Koreans and Africans and other equals bear as they have endured suffering.

I hope that Koreans can really see that we, as those who understand this suffering, can stand as equals and fight for justice. I feel like we are slowly succumbing to the greed for money and power, blinded by value we put onto material things when those truly aren’t what leads to power and success. I wish for Koreans to join Afro-Americans in success at being confident in who we are and developing a strong identity through love, care and serving so that we can see the richness in life that comes from our culture and past experiences. We have a lot to learn from the Afro-American culture in this aspect, as they have embraced their suffering and live vibrant lives while serving others despite the injustice they face. This mature moral character is something I hope for all of those who recognize this mission in life so that we can truly make a change.

Paul Jang

After this reading on the history of the suffering of Korea, it opened my eyes to some of the Korean culture that I previously thought was non-existent or forgotten about. These heroes the author talks about are really cool to learn about since it isn’t really taught in our Canadian education system. Chon T’aeil, who immolated himself for the cause of inhumane working conditions, Ham Sokhon, who was considered Korea’s Gandhi. I’m sure these are just a few of the names of the heroes of Korea, which is something I did not realize they had until after reading this text. When you think of the west, instantly many characters will come into mind: John A. Macdonald, George Washington, Martin Luther King Jr., etc. I don’t really know why but it never occurred to me that Korea and all other countries would also have these types of characters, and it is something I think I will further research on my own as it really interests me. I think that learning more about the history of Korea and how it came to be today, will strengthen my Korean identity, rather than just my Canadian one.

Anyways, one part that stuck out to me about the actual suffering of Korea was how Ham saw Korea’s history as full of suffering, and how he felt that it was important for people to find the meaning of their suffering. I really agree with this idea of his as although I haven’t really had much suffering in my life, when I have faced struggles although usually it was not right away, after some time of suffering and reflecting I have always come out of these periods of struggling, stronger and better than before. Ham compares Korea to an image of “a beggar girl who, chased by village urchins, ran away, and hid herself and then finally collapsed on the street, crying her heart out.” This image really embodies the soul of many of the Korean peoples, for centuries Koreans have been oppressed by neighbouring powers, taking a toll on the people’s psyche. In a similar way to the African-American peoples, Koreans have always been feeling inferior to its bigger neighbours. However, unlike the African-Americans who are still being oppressed in more subtle ways, the average South Korean may feel like they are being oppressed in a different way. In 2017, the president of South Korea was ousted for her corruption, bribery, abusing state power and leaking state secrets. When this scandal first broke out, there were mass protests calling for President Park to step down, fuelling a growing discontent against the political elite and the family run conglomerates that run the Korean economy. This issue is likely not finished with the ousting of President Park however, and I hope that Koreans can stand up for what is right and defeat the forces of iniquities.

Caitlin Chung

Unfortunately, as I’ve mentioned before, I wasn’t able to reflect and read the passage as thoroughly as I would’ve wanted to. School has been getting busy, but luckily this is the last week of pain, so for future studies, I think that I’ll be much more engaged. Even though I wasn’t able to take that much time reviewing the text, it was quite simple to understand. I found that the author’s points were very insightful, and as much as the author taught me about Korean history, he gave me a new perspective as well.

In the beginning of the text, the author talked a lot about religion, and how it has affected Korean people. The fact that many Koreans turned to Christianity for redemption and consolation was no surprise, but hearing how other religions influenced Korean Christianity was very interesting. Koreans have been oppressed, humiliated, and stripped away of their rights. I feel like Christianity is a religion that many people turn to during times of trouble, but for Koreans, it was much more relevant, and in a way, much more helpful. What I thought was eye opening and educational, was the part where he explained that Confucianism is so deeply rooted in the Korean society that it has strongly influenced their spiritual practices. On the topic of religion, I liked how he explained how ultimately all religions are one, and that there is not necessarily only one true religion. I’ve never thought of Christianity as the one tru religion, but I’ve never thought of all of them being somewhat connected. We are all part of human kind, regardless of race, religion, or social status, therefore, we must struggle and fight together against the worst effects of our world.

The most vivid image I’ve had, from reading this text, was from the part where the author explained their perspective of the old woman, and compared that to Korea. It’s so upsetting, yet the harsh reality that Korea suffered through so much, and was never pitied or rescued. We were severely oppressed, and handled like a thing, and treated like animals. It feels like we’ve carried the burden of all of society’s faults, and we deserve some respect.

I also really liked the parts where the author explained the meaning of suffering and its impacts on every aspect of our life. I believe that suffering is a principle of our life, because I think that it teaches us how to be compassionate and involved. It gives us wisdom that no other experience could offer, and it makes everything else in life so much more precious and beautiful. Just as we can’t have light without darkness, suffering helps the light in our lives shine much more brightly.

Lastly, I really like the author’s insights on power and wealth. Korea is basically history’s sewer of all of the world’s worst effects, as he mentioned before, yet that gives us the most important role of changing the world. No one else can bring change and tackle the issues we have on hand other than us. I liked the quote, “Wealth and power may promise success, but will they eventually end in failure.” We can’t solely strive for those shallow things, we must take the time to reflect on what we truly need for stable growth.

Sarah Choe

I feel like I learned a lot from the discussion today, but I haven’t completely absorbed everything we went over. The first thing that stuck with me was acknowledging Korea’s past pain and suffering as something that I also have. I guess by not being born there and having a more Canadian culture has made me feel like I didn’t have access to the feelings that my ancestors went through. I also think I wasn’t as aware of the suffering Korean people went through because of how prosperous the country has become and popular Korean culture is becoming. The way Korea was described made me see just how much suffering our country went through and how different things were just a few decades ago. I think I also understand more of the behaviour of Korean people in general. After being oppressed and trampled over repeatedly, showing the world that we weren’t broken was important, which is why we adopted Western Christianity instead of appropriating and making it our own.

Another thing that stood out to me was the view of Korea’s suffering that was presented by the author. We shouldn’t pity ourselves or look down on ourselves, instead we can change the world by recognizing the suffering we went through and making sure it doesn’t happen to others. Korea suffered like the Israelites in the Bible suffered – due to the power of neighbouring countries. However, God made them agents of change and good will. I hope that Korea can be the same, but I guess I question if Korea will. Will our ambition stop us from helping those in need, especially if it won’t benefit us at all? I think I also have to examine my own perspective on my own power to create change. Something I’ve struggled with since we’ve been talking about the Black lives matter movement has been my own powerlessness. However, through the acknowledgement of Korea’s suffering as my own, I can see how my own ability to recognize and sympathize with others’ suffering can be improved greatly. I think this empowers me to feel like I’m not alone in my anger or action. I think I feel more responsible to support other people who are facing oppression and who are suffering, which I think will help to motivate me for a long time. Feeling angry for other people seemed to eventually lead to helplessness and indifference. But this feeling of responsibility is something that will stick with me and keep me going.

Charley Ngo

I think the thing that stuck with me the most was about suffering being a principle or human life. I think a question I have a lot is why God would let the world go through so much suffering. Recently I feel that I have a better understanding of why suffering is necessary. By going through suffering you grow and build character. I like the idea of needing suffering to have a scale to compare good and bad with. If there was nothing bad in the world, then we really wouldn’t know what good is because we have nothing to compare it to. Then something good wouldn’t really feel good. What is a shame is that some people have to carry the suffering more than others. It feels selfish to be grateful for things because I see what other people don’t have.

One thing that I would like to do is to find that thing to “stake” my life to. I want to search and struggle for this. I feel like it would give me more purpose and direction in my life, but will definitely take some time to find. I wonder what it feels like to have something that you feel so dedicated to. I also wonder if this thing has to relate any world issues and if it does would I have to contribute on a large scale. If I want to live a quiet life, can I still find that thing? In a way this thing kind of makes me burdened. I feel like I have to find something to do that will make my life meaningful and in a way worthwhile.

Lauren Lee

I really enjoyed reading about Korea’s history of suffering. Time to time I’ve been interested in learning more about the deep history of Korea and what our ancestors had to endure. I’ve always dreaded learning about history, but something about learning the culture that I come from sparked an interest in me.

One thing that stood out to me was how embedded Confucian teachings are in the Korean culture. There is an emphasis placed on the importance of family, we cherish peace and harmony, and high value is placed on traits like honesty, loyalty, frugality, and most notably, hard work. I can see this reflected in Koreans today. We are people who have a benevolent nature. The suffering we went through made us understand one another, we care for each other and show kindness, we have this kind of warmth. In Korean, it’s called 정 (Jeong). But, in other ways, because of our insecurity and having gone through all the suffering, we took on the most undesirable traits of the East and West: passivity, conservatism, acquisitive and predatory aspects, to name a few. 한 (Han) is so deeply embedded in our culture, the grief and resentment all stemming from the long suffering and loss of power.

Like Christ, like Martin Luther King Jr., like Ham Seok Heon, the oppressed are “a lonely voice in the wilderness”. We may be a lonely voice, but history has shown us that this lonely voice is not just one voice. Ham says our global mission is to elevate world history to a higher plane by taking charge of the world’s iniquity. We must put everything we’ve got into discovering things for ourselves; who you are as a person and what you’re going to contribute to this world. Ham said that without knowing who you are, it is very difficult to know what to do. I hope that through this new knowledge, through our benevolence, and through knowing our roots, we can really take charge of the world’s iniquity and endure. Through endurance will come true freedom, true happiness, and true victory. I pray and have faith that we will have this endurance and work together, transform our hearts, and create meaningful change in this world.

This is a post in a series of reflections for the Black Lives Matter movement. To read other reflections, please go to the Black Lives Matter page.

Jun 11 2020

Subversive Joy and Revolutionary Patience in Black Christianity

This is a post in a series of reflections for the Black Lives Matter movement. To read other reflections, please go to the Black Lives Matter page.

Introduction

The summer interns have reflected on “Subversive Joy and Revolutionary Patience in Black Christianity,” a chapter from a book written by Cornel West. The chapter depicts the faithful perseverance of the Afro-American community, and their ability to find joy in life, despite their suffering.

Emily Kim

Today’s text was both complex but very profound and I really enjoyed reading and reflecting upon it. Cornel West peeled back the layers of African American Christianity and exposed the foundation and core of the religion: suffering. It’s heartbreaking to realize that the early African Americans had adapted the predominant Western religion of Christianity as a means to endure and cope with their suffering. While I believe that religion in general exists as an escape from life’s inevitable suffering, the pain of the African-American community was so immense and mutual within the community that they were able to transform Western Chrsitianity into a very different entity.

West’s point about religious freedom from suffering having 3 aspects: existential, social and eschatological is something I’ve never heard or thought about before. The idea of faith acting as liberation from existential dread is very interesting. I used to think faith and religion negated the existential philosophy (that if one has faith they shouldn’t ever have to suffer with existentialism), but I see that it could also be the other way around. That people who suffer from existential dread can turn to religion in a desperate attempt to relieve their suffering. Actually, now that i’m reflecting, I see that I was centered around my own point of view without looking at it from a bigger perspective. Since, I am lucky enough to have been born and raised in a Christian household, I’ve never had to grapple with the reason for my own existence. The belief that God had molded me and placed me on Earth with an intended purpose has basically been an accepted fact for my whole life. If anything, instead of suffering with the reason for my existence, I suffer with trying to discern how to live up to my intended purpose and meaning in the world. It’s funny because those 2 things are very similar but in a sense not at all. At the root though, not only does religion/faith alleviate the suffering of just simply existing it also acts as an anchor in the suffering of trying to answer why we exist.

The social aspect was much simpler for me to understand which made it easy to see the lack of in my own life. For the African Americans, religion and faith acted as a solace from society’s hate and pressure to assimilate and lose their self identity. Their culture and heritage was something that made them unique and gave them a sense of self. It acted as a vessel in which they were able to celebrate and be proud of who they inherently are. A line that stuck out to me from the text was “The common black argument for belief in God is not that it is logical or reasonable, but rather that such belief is requisite for one’s sanity and for entrée to the most uplifting sociality available in the black community”. When I first read this line I felt almost disappointed. Sure, religion is often not logical or reasonable at first glance, but was the strongest motivator for people to attend church really the social scene? This made me realize the absence of the social aspect within my own faith. Especially when I was a little younger, the social aspect would often be a deterrent in me attending church, not a promoter. Not to mention that I realize how out of touch I am with my own heritage and culture. I know next to nothing about Korean history, culture, history etc.. yet the weird thing is that I don’t feel an urge to want to know about it. I’ve grown up in a very caucasian, western environment, from my neighbourhood, my school, my extracurriculars, my friends, they have all been predominantly westernized. I feel thoroughly assimilated in Canada and have never felt out of place or confused about who I am. Maybe it is my privilege and shelter life that has allowed me to avoid any social suffering in a western environment. This may sound very ignorant, but I believe that a person’s environment impacts them more than their inherent culture and background. I often wonder if I will one day want to start learning and understanding more about my culture.

I view the third aspect, eschatological freedom, as very interrelated to the first aspect of existential freedom. It is as if one cannot not exist without the other. In terms of the African Americans, eschatological freedom allowed them to endure the suffering and tragedy of their life, while also finding joy in the belief that they will one day be liberated and born again in heaven. While at first I struggled to really understand this notion, I think I am beginning to wrap my head around it. I may be misunderstanding, but it seems that if one is able to genuinely believe and have faith that their suffering will cease and that they will find liberation and joy in the afterlife, then they will be able to not only endure but find joy in their wait. It is like a kid the night of Christmas eve: they are able to endure the agonizing wait and boredom in night because they know that they will receive a gift the next day. Without that belief the wait can be tortuous, filled with uncertainty and anxiety, but with that belief that wait becomes exciting and the child is able to enjoy the Christmas festivities. In a way, the existential and eschatological aspect of religion is truly the foundation for faith. In order to have faith in God, one must fully believe that they were put on Earth by God, for a reason and that once they have died and fulfilled that purpose to the best of their ability, they will be rewarded with eternal life.

One last thought/question I had was about faith and the existence of it. Why do we believe? Is it different for every person, or does the human experience cause us to believe for the same reasons? For example, after reading this text it seems that the African American community had faith because it was the only thing available to relieve their suffering. It almost feels as though they skipped over really reflecting and reasoning as to why they believe, and just forced themselves to blindly do so in order to maintain their sanity. Is that really faith then? Will these people actually obtain the life in heaven that they so desperately want? Is their religion and faith nothing but a vessel of pain alleviation? Or perhaps through their desperate do or die acceptance of God these people were able to learn to love God and cultivate genuine faith?

Caitlin Chung

To be quite honest, the content of which we read and talked about today, was a bit difficult to fully comprehend. Even though I read the same sentences over and over again, the author’s wide vocabulary range stopped me from grasping the key points he mentioned. The discussion we had afterwards cleared up my misunderstandings and I was able to understand the key points at least.

There are still some parts in the text that boggle me and leave me with many questions, but I’ll explain what I understood. Firstly, while reading the text, I learned that, for the Black Christian community, when they were under severe oppression and even now, their time with God gave them that sense of self-identity and self-esteem despite feeling greatly inferior in the American society. They saw Jesus, not just as a symbol of resurrection, but as a human example of pain and agony, which they could relate to so much. The fact they could relate their experiences to the characters in the Bible, and find comfort and hope in that, is simply incredible. It shows their resilience, and strength despite the horrors of their reality.

When the author dived into the three conceptions of freedom in Afro-American Christianity, that’s when my mind scrambled and everything started to make less and less sense. I was confused for the most part, but I’ll still share my reflections. The most interesting part about existential freedom, in my opinion, was learning the meanings behind their actions, and the sounds that they make in order to release the pressures and desperation, as well as to be relieved from the daily pains of humiliation and degradation. In one way, as he mentioned, their joy and their beliefs kept them from losing their sanity, and feeling completely hopeless. When I heard that they simply rejoice in the fact that they are alive, as much as it shows their resilience and gratitude, I can’t help but feel a bit upset. Life is a blessing, and we must all rejoice in the fact that we are alive, but that can’t be the only thing that we rejoice about. And, I can’t help but think that, during those very difficult times of slavery and segregation, their only source of joy was their existence.

On the topic of how Korean Christians and Afro-American Christians benefited from the church, I see many similarities. In the text, the author explained that Black people would mostly attend church, not only to find God, but more to gather so that they may share and expand their rich heritage. This is very alike to what Korean immigrants did when they first came to North America. Both groups found comfort in having a community, or perhaps, of having a refuge to escape the hardships of being part of a minority. The major difference between both groups is that one group expresses their feelings collectively with such painful yet hopeful emotions. On the other hand, us Koreans keep those pains to ourselves. This, as David mentioned, was probably because of years of being oppressed and colonized, and being stripped of our ways of expression. We’ve adopted very conservative ways, and we’ve lost our sense of uniqueness, unlike Afro-American Christians.

My last point brings me to the topic of how Black Christians viewed tragedy. The Greek version of tragedy involves accepting the fact that it happened, while being conscious of the intense suffering. It is simply,”the affirmation of the worthwhileness of life”, and that suffering is meaningful, and even noble in a sense. For the Black Christian Community, that definition is simply unacceptable as they focus less on total acceptance, but on resistance and opposition against those odds. They are a people who look forward, therefore, having been oppressed for many years, that mentality is degrading. What I thought was very interesting, was how they thought of tragedy, and suffering as a “stepping-stone to liberation”. I think that that kind of thinking should be relevant in how other oppressed groups act today as well.

P.S The last conception of freedom (eschatology) was the most difficult to understand but what I mostly got from it, was that they are oriented against suffering, and as much as they don’t reflect on it, they don’t distance from it either. They believe that their suffering may be overcome, with the help of divine forces (which I would assume is God).

Joel Kim

Reading today’s reflection, I had trouble understanding certain parts of it because of words that I didn’t know or couldn’t understand using in a sentence, but there were multiple parts that interested me in. One part was where Cornel west mentions that america attempts to strip all black culture, religion and language and 4.5% african came to america and the rate was quadrupled due to the slavery industry. It’s surprising to imagine just a random group of people visiting your community and taking people like your friends or family to a new place and you may not be able to see them ever again. The thing is that this happened in Canada few years ago, couple foreign settlers came and made a city and developed a colony there and few years after that they started sending indigenious people to residential schools to try to erase all evidence of indigenious culture and language, it was a cultural genocide but luckly it was put to a stop before it was completely eradicated. Although it was stopped, it caused major damage, like the majority of our generation that are indigenious have lost their culture and language and the government doesn’t do much to help them regain their culture even though they are the ones who caused this problem.

Another thing that stood out to me was that it mentions “African-American Christianity” and how they made their Christian gospel appropriate to them. I thought that we Christians had the same belief and that there were dominations but didn’t know that there were types like “African-American Christianity” and now that I think about it, I don’t know much about Korean Christianity and the difference between these different types of Christianity. This confuses me because I don’t know if there is a pure “Christianity” and the difference between Korean Christianity and pure Christianity. Would my faith and perspectives of things be different if I were to be exposed to “African-American Christianity” rather than “Korean Christianity”?

David Kim

As I read today’s text, I honestly struggled to fully grasp and understand all the ideas behind the philosophy of African-American Christianity. I often found myself googling all these words I’ve never seen before and having to reread sentences multiple times to slowly understand the meaning. However, one thing that I took away and never thought about was the roots of black Christinianty and the history of its culture. Whenever I used to think about black churches, I would think of the stereotypical hand-clapping gospel choir and the loud, booming and powerful voice of the minister stating messages of freedom and hope. I never realized that all of this stems from their long and painful history of oppression and their hope for freedom and equality. At first glance, this is heartbreaking; their faith is centred around so much desperation and pain. But as I think and reflect more, I see the beauty and power of their faith. In spite of their suffering and pain, they created their own beautiful form of ministry and used it as a way to connect their people and create a beautiful community. Instead of simply assimilating into the moderate and conservative form of Chrsitinity that white folks tried to pass down to them, they chose to embrace their traditional ties and created a more kinetic and lively worship.

When I think of myself and my heritage, I can only automatically draw parallels and similarities to the history of Korea. Although such a strong country today with a significant global presence, it’s history also has thousands of years of pain, oppression and suffering. Especially when I think of my grandparents and those who left Korea during those difficult times to start a new life, I can only imagine how this shaped their faith and their relationship with churches. Both cultures used the Church as a place of community; the Church was a safe environment where they could briefly experience that last connection they had to their home country. However in contrast to how the black community decided not to assimilate to the western style of Christianity, Koreans almost fully embraced it without many changes. I began to think and wonder why this was the case. As I reflected I thought about Koreans and our unique ability to adapt to our environments more easily than others, I think this is one reason why Korean immigrants all over the world are successful. As a nation who had been occupied for hundreds of years and then suddenly freed after a long and divisive war, we suddenly wanted to find peace and a place where we could succeed. When Koreans came to Canada they just wanted to work hard and create a comfortable life for their families. The best way to do this was to assimilate Western culture and simply become one with their communities. This caused Koreans to assimilate our form of Christianity based on Western roots and when I look at our Church today, especially the ESM, I can really see how that has affected us in so many ways.

Lauren Lee

Today’s reading was a pretty difficult read and I’m not sure if I fully grasped the entire message behind it. But, Sarah shared with me a metaphor she thought of when we were discussing this reading. It’s like losing weight: you have an end goal that you look towards, so you can still celebrate the little steps of progress you make but you’re not completely satisfied so you still struggle to reach that end goal. In the end, you don’t give up, because if you give up, you won’t reach that goal. When I think of it in these terms, I feel like we need to have this kind of outlook on life and with faith.

I’m amazed at how the African-Americans could creatively appropriate the Christian gospel and make it their own. They were able to find joy in their life despite the reality they faced and through this, they were able to develop patience and resilience. I find it interesting how they were able to celebrate what’s happening right now while still struggling, and look towards an attainable future of freedom. Even though a lot of their culture was stripped away, they were able to incorporate a lot of it into Christianity through how they worship (dancing, singing, crying, shouting), and it’s evident that their faith is deeply rooted in their culture and the pain they’ve been through.

In contrast, it’s also interesting to see how different our Korean Christian faith is. I don’t think we were able to appropriate the Christian gospel and fully make it our own. Our history and Korean culture isn’t as deeply rooted into our faith. So, something that I hope for is that we can live with this hope for what is to come, while still enjoying and persevering through the struggles we face.

Paul Jang

After reading the assigned reading, I was immediately reminded of my time spent last year studying the roots of Korean-Christianity and how it has modified over the centuries. It is really interesting to see the similarities and differences between Korean-Christians, and African-American Christians. We are both people who have experienced great oppression over the years, and it made me wonder what Christianity is like for those who have not suffered under oppression. When we look at the bible, the israelites were oppressed and had to suffer for many years. The bible is full of stories of suffering and then healing, struggle and then overcoming that struggle. For those who have not experienced much suffering, how does their faith differ from those who have been oppressed? Is it possible for them to truly believe? When I look at people like Trump and pastors/churches that support him, it makes me question whether they are truly Christian or if they are merely using Christianity to fit their agenda.

The three dimensions of African-American Christianity were very confusing at first, but after our discussion I think I have a better understanding. It seems like all three have a unique balance with each other, where it would not really make sense if one of the three were missing. It is very interesting to me how Cornel West has identified these dimensions and how they play into each other.

The existential dimension does not seem sustainable without the other two dimensions. Without the social and cultural solidarity with one another, as well as the hope of things getting better in the future, I find it hard to believe that one could get by the tremendous suffering they have undergone by simply celebrating human existence by dancing and singing. Without the social and eschatological dimensions, even their very existence being a joy could be questioned. Is it worth living a life of suffering? Especially while feeling alone and with no light at the end of the tunnel.

In a similar way, the social dimension could not exist without the existential and eschatological dimensions. It is through God that the African-American peoples could have a place of their own, without interference of the white man. As I learned in the discussion, the church was one of the few places African-Americans could maintain their sense of cultural identity. The celebration of human existence through existentialism, and the hope of the future in eschatologicalism and Christ gave the African-Americans a reason and a place to gather together and maintain cultural solidarity.

Eschatologicalism is the main reason that allows the other two dimensions to exist, and yet it also needs the other two for itself to be sustainable. Without the release of pressures and desperation of existentialism, and the culture and community the social dimension provides, it would be tough to keep up the hope of the future without the joys of the present. I think it is near impossible to suffer your whole existence and be content with that for the sole reason of having hope in the future. While this may be possible, it would be very difficult for many.

When I look at the history of Korean-Christianity, I wonder about the role and function of the church in Korean society. It feels like much of Korean culture and identity has been lost quickly after the industrialization of Korea. I don’t really know much about Korean culture, but the only thing that really comes to my mind is the hanbok. Surely there must be more to Korean culture than that? When I look at other cultures of the world, there are so many interesting differences which make that culture unique. However, when I look at Korea and its culture in recent times, the things that come to mind are K-pop, excelling at certain sports/video games, and dramas. Much of these are not really from Korean origin, mainly imitating the culture of the United States and other countries. What has caused Korea to imitate the success of other countries?

Sarah Choe

Looking at how different Korean Christianity and Afro-American Christianity are, I wonder why they are so drastically different. After hearing what Simon said, it seems like Korean people came out of oppression meeker while Black people came out of it stronger and ready to fight and struggle, and it shows in our religion and every day expression. I wonder if Korean culture being a collectivist culture could have influenced the need to belong and for everyone to express themselves in the same way. The text we read mentioned how singing, dancing, and moaning was something that was unique to each individual, and helped them feel a sense of ‘somebodiness’, which was essential because they were denied humanity outside of church. I imagine that this lack of ‘somebodiess’ was also present for Korean people, but instead did we turn to denying our individuality? I guess I viewed Korean culture as trying to be perfect in order to be successful, such as the pressure to get perfect grades. However, I now realize that a lot of other things have to be perfect that don’t directly affect success such as looking perfect, and having a perfect image. I think it stops people from being vulnerable or being different. Did our desire to be perfect stop us from appropriating Christianity in our own way? Did we need it to be exactly as we saw? I wonder where this need for things to be perfect comes from, and I wonder why it’s so different than how the Black Christians came to see things. I don’t think I ever thought of end times as something I would influence or be a part of. It actually seems very far away, almost unimaginable and unattainable. However, Afro-American Christianity was able to envision what they thought would come in the future, and they fought to work towards that as something they were a part of, something they could affect.

I find it amazing that they could think this way, even though their whole lives would be filled with suffering, and they probably knew that. I think this kind of mindset is what was missing, and why I felt so discouraged before when we reflected on current issues. I was only focused on what would probably not happen right now, and what little progress we have really made and I didn’t see how I could contribute to change. But complete change won’t have to come during my lifetime. One day, maybe there can be justice and equality, but it won’t happen if we all just sit on our butts and focus on how little we can do. I hope that I can keep that kind of mindset even as events unfold and other bad things might happen.

Charley Ngo

When I read the text, it was really hard to understand and grasp what was being said. There were a lot of words and concepts that I didn’t understand and still don’t fully understand. When I finished reading the text, a couple things stood out. The first was that Afro-Americans were able to take Christianity and make it their own to get through all their suffering. They needed the church to stay sane and used the opportunity to “expand together the rich heritage they have received.” I think it is especially great how they used their music as an expression of lament and hope instead of self-pity and self-hatred. I think it’s amazing how they were all engaged in the music and how they used it to feel like “somebodies” in a world where they were oppressed. Their music was an outlet for their pressure and desperation and even allowed them to bond in solidarity. I admire the African American Chirstian community for being able to express themselves freely and be engaged in worship. Nowadays, not as many people are actively engaged in worship. I think it’s hard for people to open up and not be as disconnected. Maybe people are fearful of being vulnerable and exposing too much, but it’s hard to be connected to people without opening up. Whatever the reason, I feel as though worship is not together as it was described. Even when we sing praise in church together and I can actually hear other people singing, it’s really uplifting, so I wonder what a worship service would be like where everybody participated and engaged.

I still don’t understand what the existential and eschatological concepts mean. I think it relates to the present and the end.

The other thing that stuck out in the text was how the author described suffering. He described it as a step-stone to liberation, but liberation doesn’t fully remove the suffering. Suffering was described as something that must be resisted. This was interesting because usually I think of suffering as something that you have to fight and struggle through.

Kaitlin Lee

It is truly admirable, the strength and perseverance that black people have lived with and continue to pass down from generation to generation. Their Christianity reflects how much passion they have in life, which seems to be a very stark contrast from the passive existence of us Korean Christians. Their existential freedom and the way they preach and worship said to me, “Here I am. Alive.” And they celebrated their existence through expression, using this as a way to embrace their pain and put it all into their actions. First, I thought of how different their worship is from ours – we tend to be very subdued and conservative with our expression, mostly clapping along to praise songs with a few of us singing, and listening silently to whoever is speaking. The image of black people praising during service is so vibrant and expressive compared to this that we seem much more dull and almost uninterested. After, I thought about what David said about how he couldn’t imagine being able to celebrate his existence if he were in their shoes and going through the same experiences. I agreed with this, I genuinely believe I wouldn’t be strong enough to be able to celebrate and find joy in such a position. But their ability to do this relies on the other aspects of their belief: social and eschatological freedom. I don’t think that black Christians would be able to endure everything if they were missing any aspect of their freedom.

I don’t really know what to think in response towards learning about their culture and also about our culture. How could we Korean Christians appropriate and develop our own Christian faith? Is it possible? Is it too late? I don’t know.

One part of the study that still stands out to me is the sentence that states their perspective of eschatological freedom “precludes political disillusionment and its product, misanthropic nihilism.” In this one sentence, I can really see the difference between their faith and my own. I just can’t comprehend being able to do this. They don’t put any blame towards the people who are causing them pain and suffering and do not dwell on this, but instead focus on how there will be triumph in the end through divine intervention. I feel like I would only get lost in the present and see anything that happens to me on a personal level. Even now, I get angered with the way things are and I always question why the world is the way it is, why people are the way they are, why can’t people be more loving and less selfish, etc. to the point that I wonder if I’m almost misanthropic. When I study global issues or read articles about different problems, I feel disappointed and question how people could consciously partake whatever I was reading about, I question what God is doing or feeling about this. I think I was shocked to read that black Christians were able to do the total opposite from me.

This is a post in a series of reflections for the Black Lives Matter movement. To read other reflections, please go to the Black Lives Matter page.

Jun 10 2020

Letter from Birmingham Jail (1963)

This is a post in a series of reflections for the Black Lives Matter movement. To read other reflections, please go to the Black Lives Matter page.

Introduction

The summer interns discussed and reflected upon Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail (1963)‘. This letter was written by King, from prison, after he was arrested for leading a demonstration against racism and segregation in Birmingham, Alabama. At the time, Birmingham was notorious for being one of the most heavily segregated cities in all of America. Shortly after King’s arrest, 8 local Jewish and Christian Leaders published an open letter in the Birmingham newspaper condemning the demonstrations and King as well. In jail King wrote a response to this letter addressed to his “fellow clergymen”, known famously today as the “Letter from Birmingham Jail”. In this letter King justifies and defends against the number of criticisms his campaign had faced, including an eloquent explanation of his nonviolence philosophy. The letter has become a central text in the American Civil Rights Movement. Below are the written reflections of the interns after reading and discussing this text.

To read Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail‘, please click here.

For more context on the events surrounding this letter, please click here.

Emily Kim

Reading MLK’s letter today I was once again struck by the sheer magnitude of intelligence and spirituality that he had. It’s incredible, almost inconceivable, that a person who faced so much hardship and tribulation in his life could maintain such a high level of morality and altruism. I often question how MLK was able to live the life that he did. Was there something about him that made him inherently more benevolent than the average person? Was it through religion and faith that he was able to accomplish and live the life that he did? Perhaps there was nothing innately special about him and all people have the potential to become that magnanimous, that filled with love and wisdom. Is it fear that holds us back? Is it a lack of passion and the excessive tendency to become passive? Looking at the world today, we could use a lot more leaders, more people even, who are like MLK.

It makes me wonder if I could ever be someone like that. I feel as though I have become desensitized to many of the issues going on. I often feel constrained by my position in society, like I am unable to make any sort of difference and impact as an individual. That frustration with my position would foster feelings of hopelessness, anger, frustration and guilt but slowly I became numb. I would say to myself: “there’s nothing you can do to fix these issues so why beat yourself up about them. Making your own life miserable, on top of the people who are already suffering, does nothing to make the situation better. The most you can do is focus on yourself and work to put yourself in a position where you can actually make a difference.” I guess the problem is that I will most likely end up waiting forever.

Like it said in the Birmingham documentary, youth and children have the least amount of responsibility in their life and can afford to take risks without endangering too much. The trade off is that youth are not often taken seriously and are brushed off to the side. Still, perhaps the time to take action is now, but it’s much easier said than done. As I enter grade 12, it’s exciting and scary as it feels like the world is just ripe with opportunities that are mine for the taking, but the question that I’ve wrestled with is which choices do I make? Do I take the avenue of security and comfort or the avenue of challenge and impact? Or perhaps there is an option that will allow me to have both?

Not to mention that our societal issues seem more implicit and tacit then in MLKs time. I feel as though we are at a point where there are not many explicit injustices in the world but more underlying and deep rooted issues whose solutions are harder to visualize, let alone achieve. For example, in MLK’s time I feel it was much simpler and clearer in how to enact change. There was a clear goal, and the path to reach it seemed clearer. Of course it was still incredibly challenging, in every sense, but at least there was direction. Maybe it is due to my lack of education, but it seems like there are no clear solutions to our modern day problems. How do we reach genuine equality? Because on paper, in our legislation, we technically have achieved it, and yet it has not materialized in our reality. Questions like how do we diversify people or bring down crime and single parenting rates in African American communities seem almost unanswerable. It seems like so many educated people have such contrasting and dissenting views on how to solve these problems that it leaves me confused, frustrated and hopeless. I sometimes wish that someone could just hand me a sign and tell me to risk my wellbeing by marching in front of an aggressive and racist population because at least I would know what to do, at least I could feel like I’m doing something. Obviously the grass is always greener on the other side and logically I would never exchange the privilege I have now, but sometimes the frustration feels too great.

As I’m writing this, I am once again feeling the familiar bubbling of frustration and hopelessness that I’ve learned to suppress. In a world filled with so much suffering and negativity, with no clear solutions, how do I proceed? It is much easier to suppress it, to sink into the bliss of ignorance but thats not the right thing to do. So what is? Should I educate myself more on these issues, try to find a solution myself? Do I tackle the external front and start speaking up more and using my voice? It also feels like I have not found an issue that I am overly passionate about, even though there are so many to choose from. Sure, I care about racism but who am, as an Asian woman, to want to devote my life to it? Perhaps feminism, but many can argue that equal access to opportunity already exists in North America and equal outcome is virtually impossible to attain. Perhaps I should look overseas, but it’s hard to feel passionate over something I’ve never experienced.

Lauren Lee

Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham has made me think a lot. I felt dismay and disbelief at how black people were constantly told to “Wait!” For hundreds of years they faced discrimination and injustice, and yet, they were told to “wait”. MLK describes this “wait” as almost always meaning “never”. He says in his letter, ‘Perhaps it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation to say wait.’ He continues to describe what black people must face as they grow up, experiences he’s had, how they’ve shaped and changed his own family. He addresses this saying, ‘when you are harried by day and haunted by night by the fact that you are a Negro, living constantly at tip-toe stance, never quite knowing what to expect next, and plagued with inner fears and outer resentments; when you are forever fighting a degenerating sense of “nobodiness” – then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait.’

Reading his letter and the feelings he’s expressed, I am at a loss for words. It’s unimaginable for me. To go through those kinds of experiences is something I would never imagine to happen to myself. It’s not right and it just isn’t fair! To think that challenges faced almost 60 years ago, are almost identical to what black people are still facing to this day is mind boggling. Yes, segregation may have become less explicit, but there is still this lingering problem; the same hurt, the same struggle, the same injustice, they’re all still there.

As I continued to read the letter, I was baffled to see how the church responded, how white ministers responded. The religious leaders called upon their worshippers to comply with a desegregation decision because it is the law. Rather than saying, ‘follow this decree because integration is morally right and the Negro is your brother,’ They say, ‘those are social issues with which the Gospel has no real concern.’ How can this be? How can people of the church say that this has nothing to do with faith and with God? How can ministers say this?! The people who lead the church?! I believe church is where you accept one another unconditionally, where you truly love your neighbour as yourself. But seeing these responses made me feel this deep sense of disappointment and resentment.

In current days, the death of one person and the manner in which he died set off this entire movement. Finally it seems like that lonely voice is being heard. After watching the documentary ‘No More: The Children of Birmingham 1963 and the Turning Point of the Civil Rights Movement’ I believe that we can create change in this world. Like all the children in the video, we can do something to make a difference. In our discussion today, Simon told us that we can only live a life for others and for justice when our hearts are connected with ourselves. I pray that like MLK, we may be able to cultivate true spirituality and intellect, and become a unique voice in this world. I hope that we all become in tune with our own hearts, recognize how we feel, and have discipline. And through this all, I pray we become moved, so that we can go on to change people’s hearts.

Sarah Choe

It scares me how alike our situation is to what MLK Jr describes in his letter. So many things sound familiar; the protests, Black children realizing they are treated differently than others, those in power who dismiss the movement and the passiveness of those who choose to be comfortably uncomfortable. There are many of the same sentiments, obstacles, and perspectives.

After watching the video, I am reminded of how many people died, and how people continue to die even as people are protesting and demanding change. In the past, several young people had to die violently and suddenly to catch the attention of the president. The fact that death, violent, horrible deaths, are needed to trigger change makes me realize just how complacent we have been to these issues. In the past, I sympathized with Black people, but I never did anything about it. Hearing what MLK Jr had to say about how he despises ‘shallow understanding from good willed people’ and seeing how students marched and faced police brutality for change made me realize just how little I’ve been actively doing.

As a Canadian and a Korean person, it’s easy to hide behind our own ‘goodness’ and our own struggles to discount the fact that I had to feel any kind of guilt. But now I can see just how passively I’ve been and how this passiveness isn’t just an issue that affects my generation, but something that has blocked real change for decades. It makes me think: maybe is why Black people today are still feeling and experiencing similar things that they faced 60 years ago. Although the obvious segregation is gone, it is till apparent in our neighbourhoods, governments, and our daily lives. I feel disappointed and frustrated that MLK Jr’s letter is still so relevant today.

What we are facing is like an afterimage of what MLK Jr faced when he was writing from that jail, and yet he was so composed, eloquent, and his faith was so strong. It’s amazing to see how much intelligence and spirituality he had. How can we achieve that level of composure and faith? Looking at current events, I feel as though God is missing. Why do people have to keep dying horribly for change to occur? Why is this the way to change people’s minds? Why is there so much violence and hatred and ignorance? Where has God been for Black people? Why has he let them suffer for so long, and continue to do so?

As we talk about and reflect on this issue more and more, I realize how much privilege I have. I’m watching these events unfold from the comfort of my room, with no fear that similar things could happen to me. Even though I am several degrees removed from the first-hand experience Black people in America are going through, I am questioning God’s presence. How could MLK Jr have so much faith and so much spirituality?

Joel Kim

After reading the letter a part that sparked to me was “We should never forget that everything Adolf Hitler did in Germany was “legal” and everything the Hungarian freedom fighters did in Hungary was “illegal.” It was “illegal” to aid and comfort a Jew in Hitler’s Germany.” The fact that Hitler made laws that allowed him to practically cause a genocide to the jews, and he made it illegal for Hungarian freedom fighters illegal to support the jews. It surprises me that one man has enough power to kill millions of people with just a few words, but over the past few years laws and power have become better but not perfect. They are still in a work in progress in my opinion.

David Kim

When I first began reading the letter, I was just amazed by the eloquence of MLK. His honest and prophetic-like writing, full of figurative language really helped me try and picture his thoughts and feelings through these difficult times. Adding to his class and grace, was his revolutionary vision of non-violent protests. Instead of throwing riots and succumbing to violence, he chose to lead the movement based on pacifism and love instead of hatred. Instead of letting his people choose violence and help build the stereotype that white people had of black people (violent, aggressive, lower-class), he chose to create a new image and vision for his people. By choosing this, he was able to show the oppression and brutality that black people faced and got the American people to try and understand and empathize with them, leading to change. Every time I read one of his speeches or hear his stories, I’m just amazed by his visionary and revolutionary mindset, his philosophy of love and nonviolence and the many parallels I see between his figure and the acts of Jesus. I just wish that in today’s world we had that same leadership to help guide us through these times of great divisiveness.

Another point that really stood out to me was when MLK said “the biggest stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White citizens’ “Councilor” or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate who is more devoted to “order” than to justice.” I think that quote still rings today, although the “white moderate” has made great progress in creating a more equal and fair society, there still seems to be almost a sense of “what more” or “what now” instead of a sense of empathizing or understanding. Even just browsing on instagram and seeing the comments, especially on sport pages like ESPN, many predominantly white males choose not to try and understand the meanings of the protests and instead look at the damages and results, almost blaming them instead. I feel that during these times of decisiveness, we need to try and understand each other instead of making judgements of the actions of others. Hopefully this way, more people can empathize and change their perspectives slowly.

Kaitlin Lee

The Letter From Birmingham Jail made me feel truly in respect and awe of Martin Luther King Jr. and his allies for their ability to discern the most humane way to fight against racism. They recognized that they had to partake in a nonviolent campaign, and in order to prepare for this, they would have to go through the process of self-purification. The fact that they had workshops asking “are you able to accept the blows without retaliating?” and would not carry out the campaign until this was ingrained in their minds, that they should not ever hurt another man, was beyond amazing to me. This kind of selfless forgiveness and kindness, consideration they showed towards the white people who were oppressing their rights and discriminating against their own made me look in awe. Especially after reading the part where King describes what life was like to be a black person or black child in their times, it made me wonder. If those who were hurt this bad could see that violence and injustice is so wrong and that they would still prioritize the safety of the white people when trying to fight for their freedom, why are the white people like that? Why couldn’t they treat black people with even an ounce of respect? I was angered and frustrated with how I just couldn’t understand white peoples’ racist and violent perspectives, and admired black peoples very different values.

In the discussion, we went over how turning to nonviolent campaigning was only possible through having spirituality and intellect. This made me feel warmed and prideful over our God and the things he stands for. This kind of forgiveness and love for others is what we, Christians, are called to show to one another and it’s very heartwarming that this is what truly is important, what God wishes for us to give each other. I wish that this kind of goodness was innately human and that everyone would value serving others, and it saddens me to think that this is not the core value of every person on earth.

The last paragraph of the letter really hit me hard. It just made me so sad, picturing Martin Luther King Jr. sitting in a jail cell, writing this letter with eyes full of hope for imminent change. “I also hope that circumstances will soon make it possible for me to meet each of you, not as an integrationist or a civil rights leader, but as a fellow clergyman and a Christian brother.” As a brother. And yet, this letter is so relevant in our present. I was able to agree with what he had written, the importance of nonviolent campaigning and how there is no time to wait, how we should really act on all the suffering and bring an end to this oppression. This is a very present issue that we are dealing with now. I felt shameful reading the end of the letter that we haven’t been able to fix this sooner, wondering if King would be disappointed if he were to come and see the ongoing presence of racism in the past decades.

After watching the video and seeing how the Birmingham Campaign was an attempt to fight for black freedom and rights, it gives me hope that the protests these days after George Floyd is another chance to bring change. With so many more people recognizing and fighting the problem, it gives me hope that we are able to do what God wishes for us to do. Uplift one another, treat each other with love and respect. It’s very strange how the past few days have changed my own hope in the world, as I did not feel that shared sense of “we can do this.” I didn’t really believe in change being possible and I doubted that things might just go back to the way they were, but I think I slowly feel my own hope growing. I think now it’s a matter of really, what can I do? What action must I take to try to contribute to fighting for this cause? While supporting black people as we are as a faith community is nice, there would be no difference if we sat and did nothing – like those who just told them to “wait.” I think there are a lot of opportunities now and that will continue to show in the future for us to contribute to this change.

Caitlin Chung

When I think about our world today, I can’t help but see the similarities between now and 60 years ago. It’s utterly disappointing to see that we haven’t changed that much since then. While reading his letter, his eloquently phrased words moved me to the point where every few sentences, I would find a quote to cherish. I could feel his frustration, his disappointment, and his desperate longing for change.

One of his quotes that really touched me was, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Another quote that tied in quite nicely with the previous one was, “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” In my understanding, they explain that we are all connected in some way or another. We are a whole, and if one gets hurt, we all suffer. It saddens me to see humanity full of hatred and pain, turning away from each other, and forgetting that we are all one.

When I think about why we are still at this point in history, and why racism still exists, I think about how this quote ties into that: “Priveleged groups never give up their privileges voluntarily.” My first thoughts are, how selfish can they be? But then, I realize that as much as it’s their pride that they don’t want to sacrifice by choice, they’re fearful for their loss of power. It shows the impact of their greed, and how they will never want to give up their entitlement. To be honest, I don’t know how we could possibly convince people to give up what they wrongly cherish the most. That also relates to his second quote that outlines the issues with collective thinking: “Groups are more immoral than individuals.” It saddens me to think that a morally good person, who understands that treating people differently and violently just because of the colour of their skin is wrong, could one day be brainwashed and pressured to think otherwise. The awful thing about hatred, is that it’s truly powerful, and it can spread like wildfire.

Later in the letter, when he talks about his experiences being a person of colour, as well as the frustrations that come with them, I felt a part of me ache. Black people have waited for more that 400 years for their human rights, and the end for systematic racism. When people, who’ve never been under oppression, tell them to wait, as Martin Luther King Jr. mentioned, that basically means that it’ll never happen. Those people have no right to tell them to wait, especially if their people have been killed, attacked, and dehumanized their entire lives. In his letter, he mentioned the time that he had to explain to his daughter that she couldn’t go somewhere because she was black. I know that she’s not the only one who’s heard that, at such a young age as well. From that early point in their lives, they wrongly develop a sense of inferiority, and begin to hate another race. What child deserves such a bitter and depressing childhood?

Next, in the letter, he addressed the meaning of laws, and made important distinctions surrounding them. A just law uplifts human personality, whereas an unjust law only degrades it. When I think about my understanding of laws, I never questioned them. However, after hearing what he said, I need to be constantly aware and thinking about whether our laws are morally contradictory. I realized that it is, as he said, “My moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.” Not all laws are just, and most of them are born out of the greed for order, disregarding of how humane they are.

As we mentioned the last time as well, indifference is worse than straight objection. Even during that time, their mere acceptance was, in a way, worse than the outright objection of some. It is very dangerous when one values order over justice, and when they care just the right amount that you can’t even change how they think or argue with them. Like Martin Luther King Jr. pointed out, “Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will.” My last point is that black people have so much pent-up resentment and frustrations, and we must allow them to let those feelings out. His letter reminded me once again, that we have no right to judge their expression of frustration.

This is a bit off topic from my reflections after reading the letter, but I didn’t have the chance to mention it during our discussion, so I really wanted to say it here. After hearing what Paul said, I was so surprised to hear that someone else felt the same way that I did. There was an incident one night, when I felt so conflicted, confused, and like Paul said before, almost like a monster. You see, I’ve always lacked a deep sense of compassion, and I’ve always hated myself for that. I hate feeling so indifferent to what other people feel, because sometimes, just sometimes, I listen to someone’s story, and I find it hard to feel their sadness and their anger. I feel really fake sometimes, and my compassion for them is usually an act I put on to conceal my lack of it. That night, I was filled with some sort of indifference, and even though I was reading articles after articles, and stories after stories I was still filled with contradicting thoughts. When I think about why I wasn’t brimming with anger after hearing what has happened and what is continuously happening, I think about my biased prejudices about people of colour, and my jealousy in a way. As an asian, I want justice here in North America as well, and when this movement blew up, I was jealous of them. Can that even make any sense? After knowing about all the pain and oppression that they’ve been through and that are continuously going through, I hate it that I feel that way. I’m so frustrated with myself for being so self-absorbed, and for feeling so dull despite everything going on right now. I just hope that I can change.

Charley Ngo

There were a couple of things that stuck out in the letter. The first was how they were always told to wait and how their wait has been delayed and pushed back for so long. Reading all the things that black people have had to endure makes me understand more of why this change must be made. The second thing is how his wish was for a white minister to declare that they should integrate not because of the law, but because it is morally right. I think it just really emphasizes how fixated people are in their thinking and how clouded their judgement is. They need a law in order to do what is morally right. It shows that their mentality is so ingrained in their minds that it is like breathing. To change such a mentality is very hard and takes a lot of time. Today, I’m not sure if rioting and violence will change this sort of mentality. Yes, people deserve to express their anger but I don’t think it will really thaw those hearts of stone. I think it is those people that need to be worked on the most.

The thing that stuck out to me the most from the discussion we had was the point that Paul made about feeling indifferent and having those muted emotions. I don’t think I would’ve picked up on this if it wasn’t mentioned. When I read the letter I don’t think I was even interested or engaged in it. I wasn’t frustrated, angered or saddened by it at all. I didn’t feel anything. I was indifferent. Yesterday I blamed it on my lack of knowledge and exposure but really I didn’t care enough. I’ve never made the effort to learn about what has been happening and I have not watched the news or read any news articles about the current contact since learning about what happened. I know about it and I know I should care but it doesn’t translate from my head to my heart. I think this just goes to show my indifference to the situation. I think the scariest part is that I don’t even feel terrible about it or want to change. I want to stay in my little bubble of ignorance.

When we watched the video I couldn’t help but admire the courage of all the young people advocating for their rights. They had to go to jail and face the police yet they still pressed for change. It makes me wonder how they went through all that while I on the other hand just want to hide away from all of it.

Paul Jang

After reading the letter from Birmingham Jail, it was a real wake up call to the current state of my heart. The words, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” really stuck with me after our discussion. In yesterday’s reflection I wrote that the things I see on the news feel like they are happening in a completely different world from mine, and therefore don’t really affect me. Perhaps that is one of the reasons I do not care about these issues as much as I should. I live in a relatively small bubble of a world in Richmond Hill and London. I barely leave my home in these times of quarantine. The issues I face on a daily basis differ vastly from the issues of others around the world. This however does not mean that the issues I do not face are of less importance, if anything the issues others face are more important than mine as people struggle for basic necessities.

I wonder what has caused my heart and the hearts of many other youth to become numb to these obviously horrible things happening around the world. Is it the overflow of information that we have become so accustomed to? Many youth my age spend hours on one social media platform just to go the next once they get bored of the previous one. One particular social media app that I found had a captivating effect on my mind was the well known Tik Tok. The first couple times I went on Tik Tok I was just sucked into it. Video after video popped up and I could not stop watching. “Just one more” would continuously be in my mind, constantly searching for another funny video. We just see so many things throughout the course of a day that it is easier to forget about things that should bother you.

Have we become desensitized to all of this? I can’t help but feel a bit hopeless when seeing some of the stuff on the news. Thoughts like, “That sucks but what can I do? I can barely help myself.” Perhaps this is the reason why my generation is so drawn towards these social media apps. To distract ourselves from the hopelessness and despair we can feel when we look at the world.

This is a post in a series of reflections for the Black Lives Matter movement. To read other reflections, please go to the Black Lives Matter page.

Jun 09 2020

A Hero’s Story

This is a post in a series of reflections for the Black Lives Matter movement. To read other reflections, please go to the Black Lives Matter page.

A Hero’s Story
By: Mena Johnstone

I am writing this letter in the hopes of contributing positive change to black lives and society.

As I write this, I’m suffering with extreme back pain. I read somewhere that it’s easier to say you have a toothache than a broken heart. Well, I have a backache and a broken heart.

Saturday night, I attended an online vigil with the church, where I listened to two black speakers, and they spoke of their experience in an anti-black culture and world. One of the things I heard is that it is incumbent upon non-blacks (I think particularly whites) to speak to each other in good faith to uncover their biases and fears, their reasons for them, and then to courageously work toward addressing (I say fixing) them so they don’t hurt others, in this case black people, with those biases.

I understand this. Those of us who have enjoyed the privilege of safety, of status, of preferred status, because of our skin, are not to sit back and enjoy that privilege while we watch others being punished because of the wrong coloured skin or race. Initially we might be able to plead ignorance until we realize this. Once we do, we no longer have an excuse and we have to be brave enough to do what’s right.

Some of us are scared. Scared to say something wrong in case it paints us in a bad light. I understand this. Choose people you trust and be sincere to start. The point of this change is that it will be hard but so rewarding in knowing that we are trying to be part of change and a growing solution. Each good motive and action counts. We will not change overnight but each supporting voice will have an exponential effect, as we show our love in whom we are.

We will have opponents. There is much ignorance and fear, which is at the root of our problem. Fear of retaliation, fear of losing privilege. The key is to begin.

A friend said she hopes the change will continue after the cameras are gone.

I want to share a story about an event that I hope will show the love I’m talking about.

…

My son David turned 19 on June 5^th. Thirteen years ago, almost to the day, my family went to my parents’ place for Sunday lunch, along with my two sisters’ and brother’s families.

At that time, I had just had my youngest son, Liam, who was three weeks old, my daughter Meg, who had just turned 4, and David, 6. All their birthdays are within a few weeks.

I was exhausted. Breastfeeding, not sleeping, throw in a couple of birthday parties. I did a lot of things I would never recommend to anyone else in early weeks. Hindsight is 20/20.

It was a perfect weather day, much like right now.

We had a beautiful lunch and afterwards, we had decided to go to a nearby wooded area to feed the ducks with the half a dozen children.

We had brought David’s brand new bike so he could ride it after lunch.

I was the last to be ready, as I fed Liam while the others cleared the table and washed dishes, and left.

It was somewhat chaotic with 16 people and kids flurrying around, so when I left, it was unclear where everyone was. I headed outside with Liam, and put him into the stroller, while my husband got David’s bike out. My husband and my brother-in-law were washing our vehicles on the driveway. As I buckled Liam in, I saw David ride off to catch up with the duck feeders. I asked my husband if he told David where the others were, and he said no, as he didn’t seem to know and assumed David knew where the others were.

I started to push the stroller quickly along as I followed, realizing immediately that David would likely ride along the main path for the others, in search of them until he found them. I knew that the others had veered off at the entry of the path to the far left down the hill to the dirt landing by the stream, not along the main path, which was very long and surrounded by forest on both sides.

I watched David disappear down the hill leading into the woods and started to call out to him as loudly as I could. No answer. I walked faster. I could have gone back and left the stroller at home but I realized even that would take a minute or two. I started to jog but it was impossible. My swollen and exhausted body would not move quickly and I knew David could ride faster. I continued to call as loudly as I could and as I reached the entry to the woods, my mother came up the hill, visibly concerned. She asked me what was going on and I told her. I asked her to keep the baby and tried again to run but it was no use.

By now a couple of minutes had passed, and I knew that as David approached the end of the path, there would be a break at a road, where he would have to cross to get to the next path leading into a bigger park, beyond where we normally ventured.

As I walked as fast as I could, a black teen was approaching. His jeans hung low and he didn’t make eye contact. I made a quick decision. No small talk.

“Did you see a boy on a blue bike ride past you?”

“Yes, a couple of minutes ago”

“Please,” I said. “Run and catch him. He may cross the road to the other side. His name is David. Just stop him!”

He turned and ran.

Within probably five minutes or so, as I climbed uphill to the road, I saw them up ahead on the other side. David was standing and the teen was standing beside him, holding the bike by the handlebar, between them.

David looked startled. I taught my kids to not talk to strangers unless my husband or I were with them, so I know I put him in a scary spot by having a stranger stop him.

When I reached them, what I wanted to do was collapse to the ground in relief. Instead, I scolded David for taking off. I know I was wrong but I was so terrified of him getting hurt or worse that I wrongly reacted. I’m sorry about that to this day. He was just a kid and didn’t know better.

I profusely thanked the teen. I don’t even remember if I asked him his name, but I think I did. I asked him if he would help us home because I felt so utterly exhausted and I didn’t want David to ride the bike. I needed someone to help me.

So the teen actually carried the bike while I took David’s hand and we walked home.

There was not a lot of talking. I told the teen there was no way I could thank him enough but that I would like to give him some money. He refused. “No need, Miss.”

“Please. Let me. I don’t know how else to thank you.”

“It’s ok,” he said.

I told him that he might have saved a life that day.

I said, “I want you to remember this day. I will never forget it. Today, you were a guardian angel. Please don’t forget it.” I don’t know if I cried but I’m guessing I did.

Before I even asked him to help, numerous thoughts flooded me in an instant. This was not a typical hero. He was someone who no doubt would often be judged for his skin. He might be scared of me.

Still, he helped. No questions asked. I wanted him to know that he was a hero to me. That he mattered to me. That he made a huge difference in my world.

He was the real story that day.

I have told that story so many times. David hates to hear it. I think it’s because he feels bad about what I went through that day. I still vividly recall the feeling of my fear when David rode off.

Every time I tell the story, I wonder what has become of this young man since then. I wonder if he sees himself as good in a world that has painted him sweepingly in a negative light. I hope so.

That experience should not have been necessary to create a shift in my perspective but it did. Biases are sometimes so subtle that they only appear when prompted. In my case, it wasn’t hatred in my heart; it was an insidious ingrained message I never really thought was there.

This is a story about someone that might have been judged differently if I hadn’t needed him.

That day, my son’s life mattered to the teen that helped me, no questions asked. Why on earth wouldn’t his life matter to us?

This is a post in a series of reflections for the Black Lives Matter movement. To read other reflections, please go to the Black Lives Matter page.

Introduction

Joel Kim

David Kim

Emily Kim

Kaitlin Lee

Paul Jang

Caitlin Chung

Sarah Choe

Charley Ngo

Lauren Lee

Introduction

Emily Kim

Caitlin Chung

Joel Kim

David Kim

Lauren Lee

Paul Jang

Sarah Choe

Charley Ngo

Kaitlin Lee

Introduction

Emily Kim

Lauren Lee

Sarah Choe

Joel Kim

David Kim

Kaitlin Lee

Caitlin Chung

Charley Ngo

Paul Jang

A Hero’s StoryBy: Mena Johnstone

A Hero’s Story
By: Mena Johnstone