‘After the Protests, What Now?’
Such is the title and theme of my reflections on the current—and long-standing—racial crisis in America. It begins,
After absorbing the video of George Floyd gasping for breath under the knee of a policeman, the country erupted in protest. The anger and frustration of blacks especially, but people of all races in many nations across the globe, is palpable. While the protests continue, people are starting to ask, “What do we do now?” Indeed. What can we do about intractable racism?
I believe one answer comes from our Lord, of course, but what that answer looks like is seen in a little-known moment in the life of Francis of Assisi.
Best of the Moment—IMHO
Items on the race crisis that caught my eye (aside from marches and protests even in the sleepy western suburbs of Chicago!) include:
· “The Not-so-Divided States of America.” In Commentary, author Noah Rothman offers a variety of proofs that support my contention that Americans are more united on these racial concerns than the media leads us to believe.
· “Don't willfully ignore the complexity of what's happening in America right now.” Damon Linker at The Week shows that the simplistic narrative that dominates the media will not help us move forward.
· “How to Make this Moment the Turning Point for Real Change.” Barak Obama argues that in addition to protests, we need more people to roll up their sleeves and get involved in the unglamorous grind of local politics.
· “The Christians Who Loved Trump’s Stunt: The president’s photo op outside St. John’s Church was emblematic of his appeal to the religious right,” in The Atlantic. Enough said.
Working from Home—the Future?
Many have begun to speculate that working from home is the way of the future, but I hadn’t read a piece that explains in more detail why this might be the case now, and has not been the case up to now.
Amid the Covid-19 global pandemic, remote work (or telework) has gone from an optional perk to an essential capability. While remote work’s short-term benefits are obvious, there is also a long-term case to be made for it that does not depend merely on its role in reducing the spread of disease. Remote work should not necessarily be set aside once the pandemic subsides.
Envisioning of the Impossible
When I look at the massive, environmental artwork of the famous, and recently late, Christo Vladimirov Javacheff, better known as Christo, my rational side says, “Really? This is art?” But I can’t take my eyes off them. Which makes me think, “Really. This is art.”
Grace and peace,
Mark Galli
The works of Christo Vladimirov Javacheff are amazing. I have never heard of him. Thank you for sharing his artwork .
I suggest you watch Raymond Arroyo's video from today on EWTN with the interview with Martin Luther King's niece. But watch the entire video. In it, Mr. Arroyo glosses over the peaceful protests to focus on the looting and burning by the minority. He engages in some character assassination of several of his own leaders. He ignores the Reverend's booting from her own church for Trump's photo op with the Bible, to support Trump's spectacle. He blames the Left for the general outrage. He suggests, without evidence that outside agitators came in, implying "people wouldn't do that in their own neighborhood." But that's exactly what happened in the Watts riots and the rioting over Rodney King.
Since this is aired on EWTN to Catholics worldwide, the implication is that this is the real message the Catholic Church wishes to disseminate. The peaceful protests are ignored to focus on the looting and burning (certainly reprehensible) - and thus diminish the majority message.
I disagree with you on racism in America, as if we've learned anything at all. I live in a small town in California - Trump country - and there's no support among the Right where I live for the protests. Once again, it's the blacks' fault for not rising from their poverty. No sir: I see no evidence in primarily Red states that anything has changed. The Right just doesn't LABEL it racism. Few people would call themselves racist. But denying the term or changing the term doesn't change the reality.
By their fruits you shall know them.
As to the art...well, I looked at the pictures and the word that came to mind was spectacle. I suppose spectacle can be art - but it wasn't artistic to me.