This should make you angry, This should make you lament. Terence Crutcher, with his hands up, surrounded by officers on the ground and in the air, shot dead.
There should be no referendum on his criminal background or whether he had one.
He was unarmed with his hands up.
There should be no grumbling about complete cooperation with officers' directives for stillness.
He was unarmed, with his hands up.
There should be no claims of justifiably because he seemed under the influence.
He was unarmed. With his hands up.
Terence Crutcher did not deserve to die. He did nothing to earn his death sentence. Whether Black or White, Latino or Hispanic (yes, there's a difference), Asian or African, poor or rich, whatever your gender or sexuality, no one deserves summary execution in the streets.
He was UNARMED. With his HANDS UP.
Stop blaming victims. Just stop. It's time to recognize that there's blatant injustice. It's time to call evil what it is. Not all cops are bad. That's not the point. The point is that, for some reason, a child of God, a brother in Christ, is dead. And already, people are out there looking for justifications rather than supporting the victim. It's time to stop victim-blaming people who are clearly victims, whose bodies have been labeled as threatening or dangerous simply because they're different than our bodies.
Even when they're unarmed. With their hands up.
Lord, we commend into your hands our brother, Terence Crutcher. We lament the unnecessary loss of life, and we commit him into your care.
Make us bold to stand on the side of true justice. Give us courage to support all people, and especially those demonized or devalued in our culture. Remind us that #blacklivesmatter just as much as any other life.
Remind us that the theology of the cross is not one of glory or power, but one of presence with those who suffer, that your promise is to liberate us from the chains of oppression and allegiance to sin. Remind us that, like Terence, you died unarmed with your hands up.
When we see you in Terence, and Terence in you, maybe then we will be angry with tears for justice, with sobs for righteousness, with conviction that no one else need die unarmed with their hands up.
There should be no referendum on his criminal background or whether he had one.
He was unarmed with his hands up.
There should be no grumbling about complete cooperation with officers' directives for stillness.
He was unarmed, with his hands up.
There should be no claims of justifiably because he seemed under the influence.
He was unarmed. With his hands up.
Terence Crutcher did not deserve to die. He did nothing to earn his death sentence. Whether Black or White, Latino or Hispanic (yes, there's a difference), Asian or African, poor or rich, whatever your gender or sexuality, no one deserves summary execution in the streets.
He was UNARMED. With his HANDS UP.
Stop blaming victims. Just stop. It's time to recognize that there's blatant injustice. It's time to call evil what it is. Not all cops are bad. That's not the point. The point is that, for some reason, a child of God, a brother in Christ, is dead. And already, people are out there looking for justifications rather than supporting the victim. It's time to stop victim-blaming people who are clearly victims, whose bodies have been labeled as threatening or dangerous simply because they're different than our bodies.
Even when they're unarmed. With their hands up.
Lord, we commend into your hands our brother, Terence Crutcher. We lament the unnecessary loss of life, and we commit him into your care.
Make us bold to stand on the side of true justice. Give us courage to support all people, and especially those demonized or devalued in our culture. Remind us that #blacklivesmatter just as much as any other life.
Remind us that the theology of the cross is not one of glory or power, but one of presence with those who suffer, that your promise is to liberate us from the chains of oppression and allegiance to sin. Remind us that, like Terence, you died unarmed with your hands up.
When we see you in Terence, and Terence in you, maybe then we will be angry with tears for justice, with sobs for righteousness, with conviction that no one else need die unarmed with their hands up.
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