Like many of you in the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, in Texas, and across the country we watched and waited for the verdict in the Derek Chauvin Case. In some way the verdict reveals who we are, and gives us a glimpse of who we might hope to become. It also begins to reveal what we believe what is not acceptable force against one another – especially in regards to the police.
The jury decided that George Floyd was unnecessarily killed at the hands of a police officer. We need to ponder that for a moment.
This is not the first trial though nor I fear will it or should it be the last. There have been many others even more recently than George Floyd.
Whom shall we name? Duante Wright, Javier Ambler, Breonna Taylor, Stephon Clark, Philando Castile, Alton Sterling, Walter Scott, Tamir Rice, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Matthew Dean, Jamee Johnson, Botham Shem Jean, E. J. Bradford, Antwon Rose, and Adam Toledo. Who else might we name?
I am mindful that in the first three months of 2021 there were 213 fatal police shootings. Black people are stopped and killed at a higher rate than any other race or ethnicity.
There is much to grieve, and much work still to be undertaken.
I pray that we will lean towards each other in this moment as a country, state, and diocese. Let us pray for our dead ones, the family, the friends and the losses of fathers, brothers, sons, daughters, mothers, and sisters. Let us lift up the untold burden these deaths have cost families and our society.
The sin of racism is a very real burden for our American society. It is writ large at moments like this. We cannot shy away from reform and our work that remains before us.
Who we are in this moment will in the end speak a new chapter of our life together into being. We must continue to work toward police reform and a rebirth of humanity and compassion for others. Only then, will we no longer have to mourn and protest such senseless acts of violence and hatred.
Although Derek Chauvin was found guilty, there is no reason for celebration. This is still a somber moment. As some say, the service has ended, our service begins. Let our service on behalf of each other begin. Let thy kingdom come and thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
