"What took centuries to grow may take a long time to fully chop down. You can’t fight racism by plucking leaves from the top of the poisonous tree, but by taking an ax to the root."
— Charles M. Blow, Police Violence: American Epidemic, American Consent
(Source: The New York Times)
sugar
Have you ever wondered why there isn’t a recommended sugar amount on nutrition facts? Big news: sugar will now be required to include the percentage of a daily recommended amount [1][2]. Why did it take so long? This is a story of unintended consequences, greed, and injustice.
It turns out, the American cultural obsession with “fat” for the past 20 years changed industry. The solution to cutting fat in manufactured products? Add more sugar.
It will remain to be seen what unintended consequences arise out of this, but for the time being, we can celebrate food justice for the food illiterate while keeping an eye out for how greed will take a positive change and transform it into injustice again.
https://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2013/08/sugar/cohen-text
https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-food-labels-added-sugar-20160606-story.html
from coal to code
What do we do with the revolution of energy as we move away from coal? What happens to all of those who have worked in coal mining for generations?
This is an encouraging story of Bit Source, whose mission is to transform an area of Kentucky from exporting coal to exporting code. To empower skill learning and sustainable creativity.
As Justin Hall, Bit Source’s president, has said:
“It’s not always been the most precious resources, coal — it’s been the people that mined it.”
It’s so beautiful, tears of joy stream!
(Source: vocativ.com)
"you're an actual physician?"
This is particularly sickening. Who is a doctor? Who is an engineer?
Implicit bias is a real thing. Our brains categorize – it is a helpful tool for living every day life. However, it can also be incredibly harmful (e.g., lead to a black man getting shot). “I didn’t mean to offend anyone” is an awful excuse. To think that nothing can be done to combat implicit bias is another.
Let us be quick to listen, slow to speak. Apologize often, and learn how to circumvent the initial categorization our brain does – because so often that strips away the imago Dei.
#thisis2016
What’s up with microagressions?
It’s like a bee sting. It kind of sucks. But a swarm of bees probably would kill you.
It’s hard to imagine living in an environment where you are always questioning if you are actually welcome, if people are genuinely interested in you, if you can be who God made you to be.. And when it’s simply because of the color of your skin or the shape of your eyes.
As an Asian American, it’s hard to even recount the number of times someone has asked me – “where are you really from?” I’ll admit, sometimes I’m petty and just leave it at “I’m from Ohio.” Jokes about the size of my eyes and my penis were pretty standard growing up. Sometimes I even encouraged it to cover up my own insecurities. Even comments like “let the Asian do his mathematical calculations” are just plain prejudiced. Yes, I am pretty good at math, so you can say, “let Chris do his mathematical calculations” but don’t but a whole group (over 4.4 billion) of people into a single box. It’s just rude.
We aren’t a model minority, we have just been a group that has been too silent in the United States.
#thisis2016: Even among my close friends, I have a background process running to examine microagressions.
I pray that I display grace and a gentle rebuke – not for my own sake, but that we all might be a little more aware of the words we use. It’s not about being ‘politically correct’; it’s about being holistically welcoming and loving. It is being obedient to Jesus in loving our neighbor.
peace, peace
Lord, why can’t we have peace?
Fear. Lack of listening. Racism. Championing sexual assault.
There aren’t enough tears.
But Lord, I pray that we die to ourself. Allow us the grace to truly become more like You. For only in You is there hope.
it’s not political, it’s life or death
“Don’t make sports political.”
Colin Kaepernick’s refusal to stand for the American national anthem is not about politics–it’s about life or death. Because trying to help your autistic patient and obeying every order of police gets you shot like Charles Kinsey. Because having car trouble and being flustered gets you murdered like Terence Crutcher. Because being black in America is one step away from being a live-streamed body laying at the side of the road.
Because your vocation doesn’t really matter if your dead. Because Black Lives Matter.
Lord have mercy.
blurring the focus on the family
I grew up in the shadow of men such as Franklin Graham and James Dobson. Focus on the Family was revered by my family; Adventures in Odyssey provided great entertainment on long road trips. Every fall, I would make my way to the Dollar General and buy an assorted array of tchotchkes to put into old shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child.
But the Spirit of the Living God smashed this all to pieces.
If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:26
The focus is, and always shall be on Him and through Him to the Father!
As my view has shifted, I have come to see that Graham and Dobson have carried forward a grave injustice – limiting the cause of the gospel for others and perpetuating the work of the enemy. I do not call them to repentance because I do not believe that they are brothers in Christ, but by the very fact that they claim to be. I speak this:
- Repent of spreading fear of Islam instead of loving our neighbors
- Repent of not listening to and mourning with black brothers and sisters – instead defending the mantle of systemic racism
- Repent for perpetuating generalizations and lies of the LBTQ+ community that will lead to more harm
- Repent for your silence on the need to be stewards of Creation
- Repent of being fearful of the ‘other’ and the ‘different’
For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
2 Tim 1:7
deradicalization: "hug a terrorist"
But the Danish police officers took a different approach: They made it clear to citizens of Denmark who had traveled to Syria that they were welcome to come home, and that when they did, they would receive help with going back to school, finding an apartment, meeting with a psychiatrist or a mentor, or whatever they needed to fully integrate back into society.Their program came to be known as the “Aarhus model.” It’s been called the “hug a terrorist” model in the media, but this description never sits well with the cops. They see themselves as making an entirely practical decision designed to keep their city safe.
As they see it, coming down hard on young, radicalized Muslims will only make them angrier and more of a danger to society. Helping them is the only chance to keep an eye on them and also to keep the peace in their town.
Fighting fire with fire is never a good strategy. There is a reason that others are starting fires and we ask often enough, “how could they possibly start fires?” But we move on as if it is a rhetorical question that begs no further thought. We ought to ask those that start fires, “why?” We ought to then consider and look for opportunities to change ourselves or our societies to be more helpful. This is not weakness, but the greatest strength.
Love is sacrificial.
What does it say about us if we would rather kill a human than to change ourselves for peace?
nice, france.
What level of depravity does it take to use a truck to just run over people?
Woe to those who call evil good
and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter!Isaiah 5:20
Do not drag me off with the wicked,
with the workers of evil,
who speak peace with their neighbors
while evil is in their hearts.
Give to them according to their work
and according to the evil of their deeds;
give to them according to the work of their hands;
render them their due reward.
Because they do not regard the works of the Lord
or the work of his hands,
he will tear them down and build them up no more.Psalm 28:3-5
More than ever, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.