Be Angry… But Do Not Sin.

If you are going to protest, please do it peacefully.

I understand the need to protest. I’m pissed too. But when protests turn to violence, to destruction or property and the injury- or worse- of people WHO HAD NO INVOLVEMENT IN THE EVENT YOU ARE PROTESTING… you have become part of the problem, and not part of the solution.

We are dealing with a whole lot right now. We are trying to recover from a global pandemic, and one that we are in no way near being out of the woods on yet. And the recent senseless, avoidable deaths that people are protesting now come at the end of a very long list of needless deaths and injustices. And that has to stop. It has to. We need to be better. We need to treat each other- no matter our skin color, no matter our nationality, no matter our background- with respect.

That respect has to start with us. It has to start with the people. Breaking into cars and buildings, setting fires, attacking police officers- or anyone else- is not solving the problems that we are facing with inequality in America. Yes, make your voice heard. If protesting is how you do that, then dammit it is your right as an American to do so (but don’t forget that pandemic… wear a mask and social distance). But don’t turn to violence. Don’t stoop to that level. Because when you do, your voice gets drowned out and we are all back where we started.

The Bible says “Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil…