The Power of the Right Foot

It has been a difficult few days as I wrestle with my beliefs.

On Thursday, John McKnight was shot in a road rage incident. The shooter was a white man and the victim was not. The shooter was held overnight and then released. How could this be?

See Nola.com article here

On the day following the shooting, a group of Pastors called for patience and for peace to reign as the information was found as the investigation continued.

Watch video of Pastors

This is where I got into some mild trouble. But the trouble was within my own heart.

While I appreciate the call for peace and that the Pastors took leadership, which they should. How could I expect peace to reign when my own heart was so troubled? It seemed that in the past with the shootings that have occurred, I could ignore it and just move on with my life as if it didn't effect me.

It bothered me that some of my friends were detained for driving while black. It bothered me that there was a war on Police and they were being targeted, as my son is one of them. It concerned me that my Spiritual family were afraid to let their son drive anywhere, It concerned me that I saw some of my Dominican Sisters fearful for their children because of the color of their skin. I LOVE THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN, and I love them. But none of that seemed to cause a disruption of my life. I am truly sorry to all of them and I hope and pray they will forgive me for being not just ambivalent, but being ignorant.

It would seem on the surface a case of road rage gone bad. I have talked to people I trust about this. I talked to a friend who is a Police Officer. I talked to men and women who are smarter than me. And still I am unsettled. After  prayer and waiting to formulate an fair opinion, I have this to say.

WHY DIDN'T HE DRIVE AWAY????

Yes, by extension, our car should provide us with the same safety we feel in our home. If Mr. Gasser was so afraid for his life, why not use the POWER OF HIS RIGHT FOOT INSTEAD OF HIS TRIGGER FINGER???? He was in his car, a 2,000 pound weapon. He could have driven away. Why pull his gun and fire it? Mr. McKnight was outside of the car. DRIVE AWAY!!! Drive to the police station and file a police report!

And yet, Mr. Gasser fired his weapon and killed a man why by some accounts was an exceptional man. But even an exceptional man can have a moment of irrational behavior. But he absolutely did not deserve to die for a moment of irrational behavior.

But I think that has enraged me, confused me, and now has forced me to come out of my self imposed silence is the injustice that has come about from the Police Department.

WHY HAS MR GASSER NOT BEEN ARRESTED?

If he was a black man, he would have been detained with no bail. He would still be held, his family coming to visit him when they could. 3 hots and a cot. But Mr. Gasser, a white man with a history of road rage incidents, is home. Resting in his comfortable bed, eating with his family and watching Monday Night Football.

I can't accept this one. I'll admit I am struggling. I can't justify this clear and blatant racist decision.

Who can explain this one to me? How can this make sense? Where is the outrage from other white, republican, conservative Christians like me? How can we call for justice anywhere when this injustice is reigning in our front yard?

To my friends of color, my Spiritual Family, my sisters of the Skirt, I am asking for your forgiveness. I am relying on you to help be be better so I can do better. Help me speak louder! Help me pray harder! Help me be peaceful in my protest! Help me love you as I love myself! But in all things, help me understand or at least explain how this happens everyday. Use small words and gentle voices!