Top Five Posts: Darrius, Sandra, and Reluctant Liberals

Top Five Posts: Darrius, Sandra, and Reluctant Liberals August 3, 2015

top five-2

 

Here are the top posts for the week of July 27-August 2, 2015 on the Rhetoric Race and Religion Blog. We ask that you share this with others.

1. Where Are the Good Cops When We Need Them?

by Andre E. Johnson

In this case, there was an excellent opportunity for at least two officers to be good cops. A good cop would not have corroborated the lie that Tensing told. A good cop would have come forward with the truth before the investigation was completed. A good cop would have confronted Tensing asking him “what the hell have you done,” or “that was messed up man.” A good cop would have shared the truth of the incident before any indictments because, well, that would be what a good cop would have done. Moreover, even if you were a dirty cop but more inclined to save yourself, you could have come forward simply because you KNEW that the tape would have exposed Tensing’s lies! However, as usual in these cases, there were no good cops, only ones who take “don’t snitch” to new and more corrupt levels.

2. Progressive Christianity and the #BlackLivesMatter Movement

by Andre E. Johnson

Until recently, due to media framing, to be a Christian meant one had to be a fundamentalist or a conservative. When the media wanted a “Christian representative” to speak on an issue, they usually would get someone who brought a conservative political ideology masking as the language of the faith. As more and more pundits, politicians, preachers and prophets promoted and proclaimed this type of Christianity, many began to believe that being Christian meant that one had to be overly judgmental, hypocritical, unloving, and have a faith that was out of touch with reality. Moreover, by framing the faith conservatively, many believed that Christianity was the sole property of conservatives and every time one of those firebrand prophets reign down anathemas blaming societal ills on black and brown people, women, gays, poor people, “illegals,” or the lazy, folks left the faith in droves.

3. Five Liberal Excuses To Do Absolutely Nothing

by Carol Howard Merritt

But we cannot let our fatigue be an excuse to do nothing. Instead we can open ourselves and commit to one thing. Even if it’s not the hashtag of the month, even if there are people who are worse off, don’t let the compassion fatigue be another liberal reason that we do nothing.

4. Memphis Has a Hashtag: #DarriusStewart; #JusticeForDarrius

by Andre E. Johnson

But something else happened out there that night. Through the pain and sorrow; through the heartbreak and turmoil of yet another black youth dead at the hands of state sponsored terrorism, there was a spirit of commitment. Led by family members who vowed not to let this story die and promised to keep asking questions, the crowd of about 200 stood totally in solidarity with them. We stood in unison as the family asked for our prayers and support, but also asked us to not back down and not to quit. They asked us to keep this alive until justice for Darrius is a reality.

5. Sandra Bland and Cell 95

by Joshua Harper

What exactly did she do wrong? I can answer that for you – nothing! She first expressed her disdain with the traffic stop because she couldn’t understand the purpose in which she was being stopped. However, she acquiesced to the officer’s instructions with a tone and tenor of confusion and frustration, thus causing the officer to begin having to nurture a bruised ego. And how dare you bruise the ego of a white police officer. Did she not know? He’s Pharaoh and you’re a Hebrew Slave that better not dare question why he’s making you make brick without straw. He was searching for a reason to become cantankerous. Her less than ingratiating spirit, which rightfully so, rendered his search justification to find a reason why he was about to ‘light her up.’  Then after being processed in the Waller County jail, she made some phone calls and was unable to get through to anyone.


Browse Our Archives