Taylor Stewart from the Oregon Remembrance Project joined us on Sunday, September 12 to talk about his work. ORP was started in 2018 to help communities in Oregon unearth stories of injustice and undergo the necessary truth telling and repair required to reconcile instances of historical harm. Taylor reflected with us on the question, 'How do you reconcile a lynching.?' In particular, he talked about the connection between lynching and the death penalty. 

PLEASE NOTE: The presentation below contains images that may not be appropriate for younger viewers.

The Justice Committee is going to start posting an article or a video more often (hopefully every week). So, we hope you will learn from them and grow in your mission to become more anti-racist.

This week, I am posting a video put out by FreedomRoad.us. It is about 1 hour 20 minutes. So, it is a bit long. However, it is a conversation between four leaders, teachers, and authors in the racial justice and reconciliation movement. These leaders include Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil who wrote Roadmap to Reconciliation 2.0 and her brand new book Becoming Brave, LaTasha Morrison who wrote Be The Bridge, Jemar Tisby who wrote The Color of Compromise, and Lisa Sharon Harper who wrote The Very Good Gospel.

Their conversation includes topics such as their own stories of racial injustices, the work they do and the struggles they face, reparations vs. reconciliation, Black Lives Matter, the next generation, and church and politics. Like I said, it is a bit long, but it is power-packed. We can all learn from leaders such as these. Their hearts are towards helping to get the message out and advocate for systemic changes.

Jane Bateman and The Justice Committee

The Racial Justice Committee would like to invite you to the August conversation about race. We invite you to read the latest article on our blog site from the book The Little Book of Race and Restorative Justice by Fania Davis. Chapter 3 is posted on the blog along with questions to consider. We'll use those questions as the basis of our conversation. We hope you can join us on Monday, August 10 at 7:00 pm for the hour-long conversation.
To join please use the link below.

Ubuntu (Zulu pronunciation: [ùɓúntʼù])[1] is a Nguni Bantu term meaning "humanity." It is often translated as "I am because we are," or "humanity towards others," or in Xhosa, "umntu ngumntu ngabantu" but is often used in a more philosophical sense to mean "the belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubuntu_philosophy).
 
The concept of restorative justice is the bringing of people together to address the wrongdoing and attempt to heal the harm. “While often mistakenly considered only a reactive response to harm, restorative justice is also a proactive relational strategy to create a culture of connectivity where all members of a community thrive and feel valued” (Davis, Fania E., 2019, pg. 25).
 
Read Chapter 3 of The Little Book of Race and Restorative Justice by Fania E. Davis.
​Then, consider these questions.

1. What did you learn from this chapter about systemic racism in the United States? How does structural, institutional, and individual racism intersect?
2. What is the difference between explicit racism and implicit racism? How have you seen yourself being implicit in your biases?
3. How can racial justice and restorative justice work together?
4. Do you think restorative justice could be a tool in helping racial reconciliation? If so, how? If not, why not?
5. One tool used in restorative justice is the talking circle. Have you ever heard of or used this concept? Do you think it could be used as a tool for racial reconciliation? If so, how? If not, why not?

 
“Within a talking circle, all members are equal and each one belongs to the circle, which itself represents the interconnectedness of its members and the cycles of life. The talking circle symbolizes a sacred space created where all who come, come to listen and respect the views of all others in the circle. A stick, stone, or feather (which symbolizes connectedness to the land) can be used to facilitate the circle. Whoever is holding the object has the right to speak and the others have the responsibility to listen” (https://facilitatoru.com/facilitation/how-to-use-talking-circles-for-deep-communication/).

​Schatz-Murkowski-Harris-Paul NDAA Amendment #2252 1033 Reform and Oversight
​Militarized law enforcement increases the prevalence of police violence without making communities safer. This amendment would restrict the transfer of the most militaristic equipment to law enforcement—including bayonets, grenades, asphyxiating gases, and high-caliber munitions—without prohibiting other equipment needed to assist law enforcement with carrying out their mission to protect and serve. 

​Here are some discussion questions that go with the chapter:
1) How much energy do you expend trying to get people to believe that you are not a racist?  Or do you believe that you are racist?
2) To which societal groups do you belong?  Which groups give you advantage?  Which groups disadvantage you?
3) Are there unearned advantages that you received when you were born?
4) Do you think there are common characteristics that white people share?
5) Has the discomfort of talking about racism ever kept you from talking about racism?

WHAT’S HAPPENING:  Oregon State Legislature is meeting in a special session starting Wed. June 24, where they will address critical issues related to police reform. They need to hear the voices of Oregonians calling for an end to police brutality. People of color should not have to fear that officers of the law will violently abuse or murder their loved ones. Policy changes can help ensure greater police accountability.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:  Pray. Then, amplify the voices of the Oregon Legislative People of Color Caucus by doing 2 things: 

#1
​Phone or email your Oregon senator and rep to let them know you support the action being promoted by the People of Color Caucus. Find contact info here

You may use this sample message, personalizing it if possible:
I stand in support of the Oregon Legislative People of Color Caucus, calling for improved police accountability in response to the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent public protests and outrage in response to his death.

Today I support legislation to prohibit an arbitrator from lessening sentences in cases of disciplinary action against a law enforcement officer who has committed misconduct.  I also support legislation to authorize and require the Attorney General to investigate and prosecute any death or serious physical injury resulting from use of force by a law enforcement officer. I will be encouraging other Oregon voters to join me in this important call to action.

#2
Contact a friend or family member in another part of Oregon and invite them to join us in this action by also contacting their Oregon senator and rep.

These last few days have been stunning and at the same time utterly normal. The cycle of racial violence just repeats itself again and again on a spiral into deathliness. And I often feel at a loss about effecting any substantive change to systems and institutions, let alone within myself. But we can try to be honest and direct and not let our white fragility mute voices we need to hear and heed.   

The Racial Justice Committee of PMC  hosted an online conversation on race and faith. 
Let us pray for peace and act for peace.

​Rod S