How Hate Can Lead To Destruction

Racism is alive at The University of Oklahoma. @President_Boren http://t.co/eAvnPD8jxA

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Unheard (@OU_Unheard) March 08, 2015

Above all, "you can hang them from a tree" is particularly vile. This should constitute a threat against students of color. #SAEHatesMe

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Charles Clymer (@cmclymer) March 09, 2015

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They were chanting about hanging Black students from trees. They were chanting about lynching Black students. This is 2015 and they were proud to sing about lynching Black people. They will cheer when their Black student athletes are busting their guts to win trophy after trophy for the school. But off the field? They’ll joyfully hang them from trees. People ask why racism hasn’t died? Here is your answer. Their great-great-grandparents, their great grandparents, their parents, all passed it down to them and they are simply carrying on tradition. Some people refuse to acknowledge that institutional racism exists. Here is institutional racism for you. These people are going to be the cops, lawyers, judges, bankers, university officials, teachers, realtors, city council members, etc., who make sure they harass Black residents like it was seen in Ferguson, who make sure they profit from the school to prison pipeline that destroys Black lives.

Who make sure that they provide bad loans to Black families as was revealed post 2007/2008 financial crisis. Who make sure that when showing Black families new homes, they show them way less than they show white families; even though their credit is stellar. This is not just about the University of Oklahoma. This just happened to be recorded and went viral this time. These are the racists who will interact with our Black children in all walks of life. This is the rot that is festering under the foundation of this country. It’s not just one isolated incident. We’ve made progress no doubt, and we will continue to make more. But for Black people, this is scary. This is hate. If they hadn’t been caught, what further dangerous steps would they have taken? This is how hate can lead to destruction. All because you don’t like the color of someone’s skin.

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Thank you again, Mr. Yardarm for this. Relevant yesterday, today, and tomorrow

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These racists are going to school for careers that may decide the fate of others, particularly African Americans. Scary isn't it.#SAEHatesMe

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Bougie Black Girl (@BougieBlackGurl) March 09, 2015

Remember these #SAE mbrs will be your bosses, coworkers, lawyers, judges, jurors, police, politicians, teachers & are now voters #SAEHatesMe

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Bougie Black Girl (@BougieBlackGurl) March 09, 2015

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Those men u see smiling in old lynching party photos...have descendants too. #SAEHatesMe #SAE

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Rachel Stewart (@RStewartJewelry) March 09, 2015

Ppl lie to themselves and say "Youth aren't hung up on race like we were." Blackface parties and "hanging nigger" chants from 90s babies

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Stereo Williams (@stereowilliams) March 09, 2015

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A Tweet Or Two

Selma. Now and Then. #Selma50 http://t.co/c1SDJaPDRp

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deray mckesson (@deray) March 08, 2015

My skull fractured, I spent 3 days in Good Samaritan, the same hospital where Jimmie Lee Jackson had died #Selma50 http://t.co/W1lL4wepV6

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John Lewis (@repjohnlewis) March 08, 2015

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THIS photo of Obama and John Lewis in Selma yesterday. The long arc of 50 yrs ago bent toward his presidency. (WashP) http://t.co/3bbNkWNKpu

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Trymaine Lee (@trymainelee) March 08, 2015

#Selma50, in 7 photos washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/… http://t.co/KU0FtwVC5H

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Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) March 08, 2015

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Breathtaking #Selma50 http://t.co/AJM654WNXV

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RICHELLE CAREY (@RichelleCarey) March 07, 2015

Selma's children: The young marchers who could & did, 50 years ago. mashable.com/2015/03/07/sel… Photos via @theretronaut http://t.co/uOqwILNMQD

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Jim Roberts (@nycjim) March 07, 2015

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Obama speaks out against voter ID laws as barrier to voting to.pbs.org/1DZ8AQy http://t.co/iw4HAxarBQ

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PBS NewsHour (@NewsHour) March 08, 2015

Colin Powell Has A Pretty Good Suggestion For Fixing Voter ID Laws huff.to/1KGDNkf via @HuffPostPol

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Donna NoShock (@NoShock) March 08, 2015

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Meet the #Selma freedom fighters who helped in the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965: bet.us/1Mg2amq http://t.co/4vUwSk4CrE

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  (@BET) March 06, 2015

#Selma50 Years after publication, excerpts from the original stories #APWasThere apne.ws/1BLycn9 apne.ws/1G2hf74

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AP Interactive (@AP_Interactive) March 05, 2015

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Mike Brown's family and friends have just emerged from Brown Chapel in Selma with their hands up, chanting. #Selma50 http://t.co/xm8MgqoZv2

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Trymaine Lee (@trymainelee) March 08, 2015

The demonstrators in Selma were beaten but unbeatable. nydn.us/1aV9YfQ http://t.co/AUR3croFyE

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New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) March 08, 2015

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Joy

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Peter Nyong’o embraces sister Lupita Nyong’o after she wins the award for best actress in a supporting role for “12 Years a Slave”

Lupita Nyong’o, best supporting actress winner for her role in “12 years a Slave,” hugs the movie’s director Steve McQueen as actress Angelina Jolie and co-star and producer Brad Pitt look on at the 86th Academy Awards

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homage

U.S. President Barack Obama lights a prayer candle at the tomb of Archbishop Oscar Romero during his tour of the National Cathedral with Monsignor Jose Escobar in San Salvador, El Salvador, March 22

Earlier post here about Archbishop Romero

oscar romero

Salvadorans carry banners with the image of slain Archbishop Oscar Romero during the commemorations of the 30th anniversary of his death at the Metropolitan cathedral in San Salvador, March 24, 2010

I was only 13 when Oscar Romero was assassinated, but as a young Catholic, just getting fired up politically, who couldn’t find any Catholic leaders to respect, until I found him, his death had an enormous effect. These are some edited extracts from Wikipedia about his life:

Oscar Romero was a bishop of the Roman Catholic Church in El Salvador. He was assassinated on March 24, 1980 … He is considered by some the unofficial patron saint of the Americas and El Salvador….

In February 1977, he was appointed Archbishop of San Salvador. His appointment was welcomed by the government, but was met with surprise, dismay, and even incredulity by many priests … who feared that his conservative reputation would negatively affect liberation theology’s commitment to the poor….

On March 12, a progressive Jesuit priest and personal friend Rutilio Grande, who had been creating self-reliance groups among the poor, was assassinated. His death had a profound impact on Romero who later stated, “When I looked at Rutilio lying there dead I thought, if they have killed him for doing what he did, then I too have to walk the same path”…..

…In response to Fr. Rutilio’s murder, Romero revealed a radicalism that had not been evident earlier. He spoke out against poverty, social injustice, assassinations and torture…..

In 1979, the Revolutionary Government Junta came to power amidst a wave of human rights abuses by paramilitary right-wing groups and the government. Romero criticized the United States for giving military aid to the new government…

….Romero was shot on March 24, 1980, while celebrating Mass at a small chapel one day after a sermon where he had called on Salvadoran soldiers, as Christians, to obey God’s higher order and to stop carrying out the government’s repression and violations of basic human rights. According to an audio-recording of the Mass, he was shot while elevating the chalice at the end of the Eucharistic rite. When he was shot, his blood spilled over the altar along with the contents of the chalice.

A Salvadoran touches the tomb of slain Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero, March 24, 2010…It is believed that the assassins were members of a death squad trained and funded by the United States….

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Next week, it is being reported, President Obama will visit Monsignor Romero’s tomb during his trip to El Salvador on March 23.

There honestly are no words to describe how incredible the symbolism of that visit would be, if it can happen – for El Salvador, and for current or ex-Catholics (like me) in every part of the world. Romero was an extraordinary man, who made an extraordinary personal journey – he was ‘promoted’ by the Vatican because he was a conservative, but then his friend was murdered:

“When I looked at Rutilio lying there dead I thought, if they have killed him for doing what he did, then I too have to walk the same path”.

Whatever the truth about his assassination, there is no doubt that the United States – and, sadly, Jimmy Carter – was a shameful accomplice.

So, if Barack Obama, President of the United States, is able to visit Oscar Romero’s tomb next week it would be something incredibly special.

“hope is the dream of a soul awake…..”

the song