Our Beliefs, In Bold Print

Many of us take to heart Jesus’ praise for the humble, but we need to be reminded that Jesus lived boldly and with discomfort His entire adult life.

Our Beliefs, In Bold Print

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Our son Brian has been home with me and Steve for a few weeks while he works remotely as a freelance musician in and around New York City.  With Brian at home, we’ve had a chance to have conversations about the recent killings of black men and women at the hands of white people, and about our work with the Spiritus Anti-Racism Coalition. 

As you parents of out-of-town adult children know, your children bring in fresh perspectives when they come home to visit.  In an offhanded comment, Brian said something about the lack of “Black Lives Matter” signs around Webster, and it occurred to me that – for how much we were occupied with SPARC activity — we did not have a BLM sign anywhere on our property. 

Years ago, I took off my shoes after a full day of teaching high school and realized I had spent the entire day wearing mismatched shoes.  I had sensed that something was wrong; I could even feel one leg moving up and down more than the other one and figured it was an old knee injury. I never looked down to see that my heels had two heights.

The shoe mistake was easily fixed and made for a lot of laughs.  But in the work of racial justice, it’s critical to slow down and think about what’s going on, what messages we are sending or not sending.   

At some gut level, I knew that our commitment to anti-racism should be more “out there,” but it wasn’t until we heard Brian’s casual comment that it hit us: We’d been blind to something that we could adjust easily and that would make a statement.  But as I thought about it, I wondered if there had been an unconscious resistance on my part to putting up a sign.  Did my resistance come from self-consciousness?  (Nobody else has a sign.  Will passersby just blow us off as anti-police?) Was I feeling some fear?  (Will someone come by and rip it down? Will we be targeted?)

We knew that the right thing to do was to put up the sign and quit worrying about what anybody would think.  Steve and I decided on our front garden, a place I cherish.  Steve cut some canvas, then I stitched it and embellished it with symbols that we hope say to black neighbors and visitors: “You are welcome here.”

Brian said that doing things quietly might be part of “the whole Catholic thing,” as he put it. A choir director, he jokes that it’s hard to get Catholics to sing robustly.  Many of us take to heart Jesus’ praise for the humble, but we need to be reminded that Jesus lived courageously and with discomfort His entire adult life. 

The reality is that there’s never been a more important time to speak out.   

Maybe part of the work of anti-racism is being tuned in to our unease.  Maybe this unease is the voice of God telling us to listen.  Maybe it is the voice of God telling us to act boldly, now.    

25 Comments

    Kathy K.

    Mary, Thank you! You are right….Sometimes we can’t see things that are right in front of us.

      Mary Heveron-Smith Author

      Thanks, Kathy. It’s part of the work the lies ahead — listening and seeing the truth.

    Kathryn Franz

    Our children can be out best teachers!
    Out here in rural Wayne County, we are majority white by a huge margin. We attended the first of what is becoming many town protests two weeks ago. It was wonderful to see so many white families with their young children attending. The organizers and speakers were a trio of young African Americans…they are taking the message each week to a new predominately white town out here. It is awe inspiring on many levels, but especially so to see so many young families refusing to raise their children with a false premise of white privilege.
    They made the point over and over that “black lives matter” doesn’t mean that all lives don’t matter. But, if “all lives matter”, then the many Blacks who have been killed by police would still be alive.
    Thanks to you and your son!
    Be well, and stay well!

    Michelle Batiste

    I appreciate your article very much. And I love your sign. I also agree that racism exists, needs to be addressed and that black lives matter.
    My question is around the use of the phrase “Black lives matter” which gets confused with the organization. They’re not one and the same!
    The organization has a political agenda, is anti Semitic, a Democratic Party supporter, and wants to defund the police. Whereas the movement just cares about black lives and the desire to address racism in our country and create community change.
    The challenge for me comes when I hear the phrase, black Lives Matter. What are you telling me? You’re in alignment and support the movement to address racism or that you endorse the BLM organization? They aren’t the same!

      Mary Heveron-Smith Author

      Michelle, I appreciate your support. But it’s important to see that voices from every religious background, people of every skin tone, and people of all political parties are speaking out at this moment against racial injustice. One of the best signs I saw recently was “‘Matter’ is the Minimum,” suggesting to me that the lives of all black people should not only “matter,” but be cherished and protected.

    Mary Alice Moore

    I had those same fears and questions of myself when we put our BLM sign in our front yard. No one has said anything and it still is in the yard but I guarantee that there are comments among my neighbors. We felt even this small gesture of a sign might generate people to think.

      Mary Heveron-Smith Author

      I like that — the idea of getting people to think. Thanks, Mary Alice.

      Mary Heveron-Smith Author

      It’s a beautiful thing, when we listen to that nudge, isn’t it?

    Barbara Simmons

    Good for you to put up a Black Lives Matter sign. We live in Henrietta and have at least three black families on our street that we know. There may be others we don’t know. I was driving through Pittsford Monday. I was pleasantly surprised to see four Black Lives Matter signs in front of different homes.

      Mary Heveron-Smith Author

      A sign is a way to say, “Welcome!” I’m glad you are seeing some signs in other suburbs.

    Monica Anderson

    Wonderful! Let me preface my remarks by saying that I have a high level compassionate police officer in my immediate family. Our mother was roughed up many years ago by suburban police when Mom acted on behalf of people who were stopped in racial profiling on a regular basis to keep the town white. The police threw her tiny body in the car, wrote false charges against her, and took her to jail. She was not allowed her legal right to a phone call. As you can see, our famiily knows both sides of the coin.
    My husband and I have been quietly active in groups like Enough Is Enough to fight police brutality. In our front yard is a sign that says HATE HAS NO HOME HERE. We made the first one, then ordered two from the UPS store. On our front door is a sign from Southern Poverty Law Center reading, “FIGHTING HATE, TEACHING TOLERANCE, SEEKING JUSTICE.
    Another way we have worked to achieve this goal is by donating books to the public libraries, particularly rural and suburban ones; i.e. Patricia Polacco’s book JANUARY’S SPARROW, as well as RUTH AND
    THE GREEN BOOK, by Calvin Alexander Ramsey.
    We have witnessed racism on so many levels. A book I highly recommend reading is THE MOST SOUTHERN PLACE ON EARTH, The Mississippi Delta and the Roots of Regional IdentityJames C. Cobb, Professor of History at the University of Tennessee. It difficult reading, but documents racism that is so evil that I can read only a few pages at a time.
    Bob and I are not formal members of SPARK because it meets the same day as Buddy Readers. Going into Rochester and back to Brockport is manageable only one time a day.
    Our hearts and prayers are for an understanding xand love of our brothers and sisters’ history which mitigates racism.
    Monica and Bob Anderson

      Mary Heveron-Smith Author

      Thank you, Monica, for sharing your story and for giving us so many resources.

    Mary Ann

    Hi Mary – Thank you so much for your caring, heart- felt thoughts. I believe so strongly in supporting the protest and yet still get caught up in what will my white neighbors and friends think? I did go to a protest in Webster and made my sign. It is in my car and is propped up so others can see it as I am driving. I couldn’t agree more with the statement “Matter is the minimum”. Asking Jesus for more courage and strength to step out in solidarity. Your meditations are so thoughtful. Thank you.

    Arlene Weis

    Thank you Mary. Wow. I just ordered our sign. Also a Webster resident, Arlene Weis

    Mary Ann Case

    Hi Mary – I think I know you! Did you ever Jazzercise at the Webster location? I am a class manager and your last name looks so familiar! Blessings and thanks for your reply. Mary Ann Case

    Mary Ann Case

    Also, Mary, where have you been able to purchase or get a sign? Thank you!

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