FR. DAVID’S BLOG OF 6/12/2020 — This past Sunday the SsAM Facebook Book Club met to discuss Robin Diangelo’s powerful book, White Fragility. I am reading this book for the second time and I am grateful for the folks who gathered last Sunday morning to reflect on what white fragility is – especially during this time of country-wide protests against police brutality and the discussion about defunding police departments around the country.
[White fragility is defined as the discomfort and defensiveness on the part of a white person when confronted by information about racial inequality and injustice.] I wish to share one list from Ms. Diangelo’s book:
Functions of White Fragility
• Maintain white solidarity
• Close off self-reflection
• Trivialize the reality of racism
• Silence the discussion
• Make white people the victims
• Hijack the conversation
• Protect a limited worldview
• Take race off the table
• Protect white privilege
• Focus on the messenger, not the message
• Rally more resources to white people
Repairing The Breach:
Join The Discussion on Sunday, June 28, at 11:00 a.m.
She goes on to say, “These behaviors and the assumptions undergirding them do not in fact present the claimant as racially open; quite the opposite. They block any entry point for reflection and engagement. Further they block the ability to repair the breach.”
I wish to have a discussion about how we repair the breach. I invite you to a Zoom conversation with Canon Casson, Rabbi Douglas Krantz,and me on Sunday, June 28, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. At the moment, the shape of this conversation will be for the three of us to briefly share from our perspective what it looks like to be a fully inclusive and integrated community. This will be the first of many opportunities we will have to share with one another and for all of us to develop action plans as to how SsAM can live and be the beloved community that Dr. King spoke so eloquently about fifty plus years ago.
Following the conversation, we will have Zoom break out rooms so that small groups of three will have time to reflect on a question posed to the groups. After ten minutes we will bring everyone back into one group and one member of the group will report to the whole what insights they gained in their small group conversation.
Because of these small groups, please click here to RSVP. We want to know how many folks will attend so we can place you in the small groups. I will send the Zoom link in a few weeks.
We are on a journey. What a wonderful way to lead into our church’s 25th year in 2021! I hope you will join Canon Casson, Rabbi Krantz, and me on the June 28.
Peace,
Fr. David
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Prayer for People Critically Ill or Facing Great Uncertainty
God of the present moment,
God who in Jesus stills the storm
and soothes the frantic heart;
bring hope and courage to all
who wait or work in uncertainty.
Bring hope that you will make them the equal
of whatever lies ahead.
Bring them courage to endure what cannot be avoided,
for your will is health and wholeness;
you are God, and we need you.
-Adapted from New Zealand Prayer Book, p. 765
