keep your love and light, we want justice
Dr. Reverend Martin Luther King Jr was a spiritual leader who talked about love and dreams AND spoke out fiercely and unceasingly against violence and racism. Ever read his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”? ANGRY. Raging. Calling out his supposed allies and comrades, the white clergy – fellow spiritual leaders – who were doing nothing, nothing, nothing to help.
Mahatma Gandhi – he who originated the “be the change you want to see in the world” mantra we refer to regularly in empowerment and spiritual circles – was ferocious. He channeled his anger to action and leadership. He spoke out strongly, strongly, strongly and led protests in the streets to change the nature of the state and state-sponsored oppression.
So when love and light is proposed by spiritual leaders and followers as an appropriate response to DEATH and discrimination, I refuse and reject it and name it for what it is: white privilege.
And so would our beloved Gandhi and King.
Love isn’t fluffy. It isn’t sparkles and butterflies and feeling good. It isn’t thoughts and prayers. It’s shoulder-to-shoulder, being willing to feel the grief, take the criticism, take the shunning, lose the friends, look in the mirror, take a stand, do the work, take action.
Anger isn’t dysfunctional or toxic. It’s legitimate and a productive force for change.
And love is the same thing as justice. If you love, seek justice.
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another take on this topic goes like this:
“where white people are too spiritual to fight for change because they’re choosing love and light” – Eryka Lynn Peskin
