They don't like swearing in the church! Well, not in a lot of churches in i know. And i'm not talking about the 'F' word either. i am talking about the 'S' word. Saying that can get you into a LOT of trouble. That's right, while 'Fund-raising' is a perfectly acceptable - some might say 'Holy' - term, and can happen through a variety of methods such as tithes and offerings or even a [...]
Where would Jesus stand on the #BlackLivesMatter movement? When you think about Jesus, the gut screams that He was an All Lives Matter kind of guy right? Absolutely. If anyone would have advocated that All Lives Matter it would have been Jesus. And you know who else believes that All Lives Matter? Pretty much everyone in the Black Lives Matter movement. But let's take a closer look. Back in Genesis we read that we [...]
What is the problem with #AllLivesMatter? This past week, we have seen the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag and movement on the rise again. A lot of people have been responding with tags like #WhiteLivesMatter or #AllLivesMatter as if this is an important and necessary counter to #BlackLivesMatter. i would love to try and explain to anyone who feels like this, why i think differently on the matter. i think it is also important to say at [...]
How important is offline activism? i spend a lot of time on Social Media dealing with issues of race and poverty and injustice. The hope is to share and engage and challenge and invite people to explore different areas where their lives could be better. Most of this relates to areas where i am trying to listen and learn and engage and wrestle at the same time. i might know or have discovered some [...]
In spaces of social justice and activism there is often a call for greater kindness. Which i absolutely agree with. But for who? 'Be Kind, but with Spine!' Wow! That is a powerful quote i read today [which may or may not be by Karen Salmansohn, hard to determine] and it sums up quite well what i wanted to write about. i believe deeply in being kind. In the scary and often brutal world we [...]
My name is Brett "Fish" Anderson and i am 46 years and for the last 6 years i have been actively fighting against racism. Although people at times accuse me - and people like me - of being smug or self-righteous or feeling superior - i don't think i am any of those things. To be honest, i feel shame and embarrassment. i have for the longest time been someone who has challenged the [...]
My friend Terence is so negative: Seriously though, on a day when white people were showing solidarity with their one black friend, Terence had to go and make them feel bad. And they did - read the comments. There must be discomfort when confronting injustice Let me just be clear here - Terence is not negative. i agree with his status completely. But it led to one interaction with an old friend of mine [...]
i started this as a thread on the Twitterer but thought it might be good to stick it here as well. If you're a white person reading this, i want to encourage you to answer a couple of questions honestly. Then, when you get to the end, read the instruction and work through them one more time. White friends: i'm not sure enough of us get how different our lived experiences are simply because [...]
The Colourblind argument seems to be a confusing one for many people. White people, trying to do the right thing, often hold on to the statement: I don't see colour. While completely believing it. i would like to approach that from a different direction than i have before, which might make it easier for some of you to get. Many of my best friends are black, coloured and indian people. And no, that's not [...]
"I can't breathe!" he screamed As he scowled at the police as They made him pack up his surfboard and go home While the black man lies motionless On the other end of the wave. Meanwhile the Coopers were having A domestic in a nearby park Cos she wouldn't put a leash on her dog And he was too black. "Nothing to see here!" was the statement Of the law-enforcing bodies Who had just [...]
