While on routine patrol of Brooklyn, New York’s Pink Houses with his gun drawn and finger on the trigger (something law enforcement are trained to never do), rookie officer Peter Liang was startled by Akai Gurley and fired. The bullet tore through Gurley’s heart and the innocent man bled out as Liang tried to figure out how to keep his job in the midst of this major accident. Despite being trained in CPR, Liang did nothing to try to save Gurley’s life. Neighbors called for help. Despite more officers arriving, Gurley’s girlfriend was the only person who attempted CPR. Currently, Liang is on trial facing charges of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide. From report after report, we know this is not an isolated incident. If Jesus spoke at this trial or any other where the police were actually being held accountable for their actions, I know exactly how he’d begin…
“You brood of vipers! How can you speak good things, when you are evil?”
In Matthew 12:34, Jesus condemned another group that brutalized and terrorized the people called the Pharisees. In a few sentences, Jesus let there be no mistake whose side he was on. In the midst of the brutality and terrorism of our police, I don’t question whose side Jesus is on.
Close to thirty years ago, rap supergroup NWA gave us words to deal with such a time as this. I believe Jesus would use them…
“Fuck tha Police”
Amen.
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