I am so blessed, definitely in a privileged kind of way. I don’t have to worry about being put in a position of having to do my job at the risk of taking someone’s life. I don’t have to contemplate the possibility of having to make a quick life or death decision that determines if someone goes home to hug their family or leaves in a body bag. I don’t have to wonder when I leave for work, if this is the last day that I will hug my family or wake up beside my partner.  I don’t have to wonder if today I’m going to be targeted because of the uniform, I put on. 

I believe that the vast majority of Law Enforcement Officers (LEO) are good people doing their jobs.  Men and women who have signed up for the job aware of the dangers and yet willing to accept the risks.  For most of these officers the rewards outweigh the risks.  What rewards? I suspect that most, if not all, LEOs have or develop a protective heart.  Meaning they are in the position because they value keeping loved ones safe and their heart calls them to do so on a societal scale.  Some of the officers with whom I have spoken personally report from their earliest memories they dreamed of being a police officer and putting the “bad guys” in jail. Not for the sake of putting the bad guys in jail as much as for keeping good people safe.  Other officers have described growing up in dysfunctional homes where they were often subjected to domestic violence situations often witnessing a parent (usually mom), siblings or other loved ones being beaten up by another parent, parental figure, sibling etc.  These officers grew up knowing how this felt and developed a desire to want to make it all stop.  Some officers grew up in safe environments and just have a desire to create safe spaces for others.  

Are there some in it for the money and benefits? Perhaps but I think there might be safer ways to make money or build a retirement. Perhaps in small relatively safe communities like the one I live there might be some of that. In these areas, well-paying jobs or opportunities to make a healthy living may well be limited making LE a viable “safe” option.  I believe even these young men and women develop an identify around the “job”.  This identity speaks to professionalism, pride in their societal role.  Are there some law enforcement officers who might have become disillusioned with the job or who might have let the authority they are vested with go to their head? Sure, human nature does that.  But I believe this is a very small percentage.  The overwhelming majority of LEOs are men and women who just want to go home to hug their families at night.  I wonder, if during this time, officers are experiencing a bit of what our Vietnam Vets experienced when they returned home?  A nation that was turning against them.  Is this what we are doing to our law enforcement officers?  

            I am so blessed, in a privileged kind of way- that I have never had to talk to my sons or daughters about the dangers of life due to skin color.  I have never left a job interview wondering if the color of my skin would determine whether I would get hired.  Upon being hired, I never had to defend myself against comments that I only got the job because of the color of my skin.  I have never had to worry about not being welcome in a community I choose to live because of the color of my skin.   I can look at the current news and decide to turn it off and go about my daily life as normal.  I can see the news and watch the videos of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Tamir Rice and think how horrific these incidents are never giving a thought that it could happen to me, my children or one of my loved ones. 

            Just as there are bad cops there are bad protesters. How do we navigate the tension between supporting our law enforcement and supporting those who have suffered historical trauma on a grand scale?  How do we answer those who say that the looters and rioters are not protesting their lived experiences?  I think of individuals that I have counseled who have experienced trauma and will have a melt-down weeks, months, or even years later that seemingly have nothing to do with the original trauma.  Yet, where else would such rage, such destructive behavior come?  Are some of the protesters manipulating the situation?  Yes, again that is human nature. However, I have to believe that most of the protesters are individuals who have lived in a system that has denied their voice. 

            So often we confuse Class Privilege with White Privilege.    First, we need to start with the word that triggers many of us: ‘privilege.”  Privilege is generally viewed as being given something for nothing, it’s unearned.  That is largely, true.  Class privilege is what most of us did NOT grow up with.  Class privilege is not having to worry about being able to afford a place to live, not having to worry about attending the university of my choice due to financial constraints, not having to worry about the ability to borrow money knowing that I have assets enough to back my requested loan at a very low interest.  Often times, if not always, class privilege is related to your family name.  It comes with the ability to do certain things without worry about financial restraints.  All races experience class privilege.  However, there are a disproportionate number of people of color who experience the upper levels of class privilege. We have to ask ourselves why!  

So, when white people hear the term “white privilege” they say, “I worked hard for everything I have. No one gave me anything,” the underlying unverbalized thought is “If I can do it so can they!” This doesn’t feel like “privilege” it feels like hard work.  White privilege does not mean that you haven’t experienced challenges.  It doesn’t mean that you haven’t worked hard for everything you have.  What it does mean, however, is that your fight is about the same as most peoples.  You are fighting on the same playing field with the same rules. 

Recognizing your white privilege does not mean that you are racist.  You might be but if you are able to recognize that life has handed you a different set of circumstances because of the color of your skin you might really not be racist.  It’s what you do with that knowledge that determines whether an individual is racist or not.  Refusing to acknowledge it, denying that it exists is an act of racism because it allows the system to continue even though it is unfair.  If you recognize white privilege but refuse to change the system because it benefits you it’s probably racism.  Refusing to recognize that being white is an advantage is white privilege.  White privilege although it involves current events is really more about the past and how the past has affected the present.  This short video may help to explain it:  

How does this play out in current national events?  There are systemic issues that have brought on the current conflict seemingly between law enforcement officers and protesters.  The real fight is not between individual members of either group but between POWER and powerlessness. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” ( Eph. 6:12 NIV)  Do I wish police brutality didn’t exist?  A resounding YES! Do I wish that protests could all be peaceful demonstrations?  A resounding YES! The issue is not about individual law enforcement officers and individual protesters but about a system that sets up conflict.  I believe most of us will agree that law enforcement officers are simply trying to do the job they have been charged with which is to keep our cities and towns safe. But within this ONE job, they are expected to wear many hats: protecter, soldier, social worker, EMT, etc. Again, do I wish that it never resulted in police brutality?  YES!  By the same token, I, also, believe that most of the protesters are hard working, compassionate individuals simply trying to have their voices heard.  Again, do I wish that they would do so in peaceful demonstrations?  YES! However, how has that worked for them over the past 30 years? It is NOT an us against them situation!

My heart is heavy as I recognize my own privileged blessings and yet I feel guilty for all of these blessings.  Maybe that is because these privileged blessings are more about responsibility towards others rather than a gift from God.  When I typically think of being blessed by God, I think that it is a gift received without expectation for action.  However, Psalm 67: 1-2 states, “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us—so, that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations” (NIV).  If we are blessed or in this case privileged, I believe that God expects us to use these blessings to make his ways known on earth, his salvation among all nations.  It carries with it an opportunity to be the mind, heart, hands and feet of Christ to a broken world.  How do we answer those who rightly say that in my lifetime I have benefited from white privilege and I have been complacent?  Have I been complacent?  Has my complacency resulted in a system of racism?  I like to think that I have spoken out against such things, but have I done enough?  I think not, and yet I remain at a loss of knowing what more to do.  How do we live out Psalm 67?  It is not for the faint of heart.