#CharlestonShooting: Reflections-Part 2

Last updated on: June 19, 2015 at 8:14 am by Andre E. Johnson

#CharlestonShooting: Reflections-Part 2 2015-06-19T08:14:31-05:00 Andre E. Johnson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

On Wednesday evening, June 17, Dylan Roof attended a Bible Study service at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. After studying with members of the congregation for about an hour, he promptly got up and started shooting. Before he left, nine people, including the pastor, South Carolina State Senator, Clementa Pickney were dead. Here at R3, we thought we would collect some of the raw emotions from people who are grieving this act of terrorism.

Read part 1 here

Christian Kirk

It’s so exhausting to see all of these black bodies slain, abused and exploited and still have to deal with white friends and loved ones who maintain that these are just “isolated incidents”…rather than indicative of our country’s culture. I’m tired of being angry. I’m tired of being sad. I’m tired of protesting. I’m tired of explaining why racism is not a figment of black imagination. I’m tired of the misery racism causes. I’m tired of people who would rather stick their heads in the sand than acknowledge what is happening.

Jeffrey Allen Murdock

I have no words. Just… no words. Mainly because I believe my words would fall upon the ears of two groups of people: (1) The people who, like me, are outraged and for whom my words are unnecessary, and (2) the people who cannot see the larger picture, who believe that I am being unreasonable, the people who will argue that one racist shooter doesn’t equal a culture of racism, the people who are – in essence – the problem. For the latter, this post will be written off as another unfounded rant from an angry black person. For the latter, this post is offensive because they don’t see color and therefore can’t be racist. For the latter, the rose-tinted world in which they live has been devoid of racism since Obama took office. For the latter, understanding of the overarching problem will never happen because they refuse to acknowledge the existence of said problem.

Valerie C. Cooper

This has been such a long, horrible day. Rarely is the evil face of racism, of terrorism, so baldly displayed. I spent today talking to people about violence against black churches. It is so sad and so hard, but also so necessary: people need to know that such violence against black Christians and black churches has a long history in this country. And people need to know that the perpetrators of that violence called themselves Christian, too.

Eric Brown

I honestly want to cry, but my pride won’t let me. That’s a shame. I just want us to wake up from the nightmare we all participate in. Let’s have the real conversation. Let’s stop putting band-aids on the wounds of violence, hate, and racism. Let’s put the real work in to deal with the complexities that plague this great country. I am an American who love my country, and will not stand for pretending things do not exist if I want us to be better. Not looking for copouts, hyperboles, or defensive remarks, only relief from being tired of this mess. It sounded corny then, and still sounds corny now, but I understand it. Can we all just get along? Can we make some changes that shows this land as the melting pot that it should be? No one has time to keep seeing depressive articles rolling down there timeline. I still believe in hope, but this is a weary journey to see it. Let’s keep going, but man, this is annoying.

Brooke Sarden

You do know what you sound like, right, when a racist murderer tells you he is racist and he murders people, and you are still diligently making room for the possibility that he is insane? I am more afraid of you than him. Seems there are more of you than him. There is benefit of doubt and there is denial. And your denial is getting Black people killed. Yours. Yours. Every breath you use to wonder “what on Earth is happening these days?” when what is happening is perfectly clear, is a bullet. Every second you waste with your hands in the air wondering what on Earth someone like you can possibly do is a death sentence. How about this: act like the “equality” you wish for among races is real. Don’t wait for it to come. Imagine each one of the people killed were your own “real” brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters. Sit with that til it hurts. Do it genuinely and watch that feeling of helplessness give way to conviction. I don’t have any directives for you. It’s hard for me to know exactly what to do myself some days. But enough with the shock and fleeting despair. I can’t tell you how much is enough. Some things we have to figure out for ourselves. We are grown-ups. And like it or not, this is our world.

Christopher Driscoll

Let this comment sink in:

“He said blacks were taking over the world. Someone needed to do something about it for the white race.”

He did this for us. He did this for white America. Let this sink in. How many different ways do we have to hear that white supremacy is a white problem before we finally believe it and take responsibility for it?

Previous Post

June 18, 2015

#CharlestonShooting: A Reader

Next Post

June 19, 2015 #CharlestonShooting: Bishop Henry McNeal Turner and Being Black in America

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Amy Steele Andre E. Johnson Book Reviews/Series Brian Foulks Call for Chapters Carol Howard Merritt Classes Conferences Contributors Crystal St.Marie Lewis Daniel White Hodge Earle Fisher Eulogy Fredrick Robinson Guest Contributions Henry McNeal Turner Institutes Interviews Joseph Boston Katherine Whitfield Kimberly Peeler-Ringer Lectures/Roundtables Natalie Bullock Brown R3 Book Series R3 Contributor Rashad Grove Readers Reflections Symposiums Teaching Traci Ellis Travis Harris Uncategorized Video

Select a Month June 2020 February 2020 December 2019 November 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 October 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz