Seeking Restorative Justice in America: Society, Church, and Politics
This is a five part series of “Seeking Restorative Justice in America”. The first part is here (Introducing Justice X Love model), the third part here (Seeking Restorative Justice in America as an Asian Immigrant_Part1:Justice), the fourth part here (Seeking Restorative Justice in America as an Asian Immigrant_Part2: Love), and the final part here (Can I be part of it)
“Restorative Justice seeking” in the society
From the model above, Looting and Racism belongs in quadrant 3. And a good majority behaviors seem to be in quadrant 2 in a heated season like this where everyone is so charged up.
However, there’s a lot, a lot to be hopeful. I’ve seen numerous example of practicing “restorative justice”, the quadrant 1 behavior.
For the African American Community, those who are hurt, this might mean extending favor and give another chance to the community who hurt them. This can be extremely hurting. This might need enormous amount of patience and courage. What Shai, a black Christian hip hop artist shared through his writing, was exactly this gesture (recommend a read to everyone. Let me introduce first part of his answer regarding a which christian friend’s email “how are you doing”).
Sister, I’m going to tell you how I’m doing. And as I tell you, please understand that I’m incapable of completing this message without weeping. There’s a part of me that’s saying, “Spare yourself the pain, Shai. It’s not worth it.” But I’m choosing not to listen to that part of me because I would be robbing you of an opportunity to “bear one another’s burdens” and “mourn with those who mourn” — and I’m sure, as a sister in Christ, you want to do just that.
For the Asian American Community, this might mean exploring untapped territory of “racism”. This might mean listen, reflect, learn, engage, and lament. This might be humbly owning the past ignorance and complacency, or secretly practicing some of those, and asking for forgiveness.
For the White Community with power, this might mean humbly acknowledging the lack of awareness on the issue of racism, extending hands gently by asking thoughtful questions, and even directly making certain deliberate choices to advocate for people with color. (Reddit cofounder, resigning as a member of the reddit board and urging to fill his seat with the black community.)
For those who are angry with current leadership, this might mean a peaceful protesting. This might mean listening carefully and extending grace/honor/respect in areas to your best ability.
For those who are in the leadership, this might mean being humbled and admitting certain carelessness/ignorances/miss communications. You can still do your job (leading with stability) while being empathetic and compassionate. This is where police kneel down in front of the protestor. This is where leader admits their wrongdoings.
For those who are following private institutions’ (including private companies) respond to the #BLM, this might mean giving them a favor and room so that they can stay truthful for who they are.
For those who are already supporting #BLM and other justice seeking movement actively, this might mean extending gentle invitation to other people who are still processing. This might mean leading by doing instead of preaching, and be more inwardly focused than outwardly focused which can easily be judgmental.
For those who are protesting, this might mean engaging peacefully and respect police officers and non-protestors. This might mean be extra careful so that looting doesn’t take place.
“Restorative Justice seeking” in churches
Multiple Christian churches have demonstrated their attempts to seek Justice and Grace (will share more below). One of the most inspiring attempts I found is this TMP gathering from a church in South California. A group of friends who holds different backgrounds and perspectives — African American, White, Asian, and Hispanic- had an open conversations about “Racism”. They shared different experiences and thoughts, whether it’s the hurt they had in the past or the concerns that it’s being used to divide society. Throughout the whole time, they were being truthful but also being humble and graceful. It was a beautiful conversation (and I’m so sorry that they had to put it back from youtube.). Here’s the key quotes from the conversation.
Del: I’m learning how to lead people I disagree with because that’s what Jesus had to do. What we need to hear is not speaking through the flesh, but speaking through the Spirit.
Will: We need to sit down at the dinner table and love each other, letting the covenant of brotherly and sisterly love to unite us despite our political opinions.
Denise: We should be determined to give honor and stand to our convictions while being ready to embrace those consequences, because our trust has to be in the lord.
Ali: Although I am hurting, I’m finding that the lord has been healing me because I’m brining myself before the lord saying, Lord search my own heart.
Sammy: I want to listen because I cannot have an opinion about the black community until I know about the black community.
Jason: We should model our social media platforms to lean in and address these personal issues while empowering our communities to respond in love and good influence.
Another conversations that I found extremely refreshing is from the Bethel Church. Similar to the conversation above, bethel church pastors engage in an open conversation about “Racism”. And it’s so truthful. It made me teared up. The African American lady shared why the tragic death of George Floyd shook her identity to the core and further traumatized her. Another African American lady shared what it’s like to tell her teenage boy what to do and how to behave when confronted with an unpleasant situation with a white person in a public space. It was less than an hour conversation but I can see the hope and glimpse of healing of generational scar. It was such a beautiful conversations.
“Restorative Justice seeking” in politics
Before I jump on this sensitive subject that I am by no means an expert (I even don’t have a voting right), let me make my intension clear. I’m not here to support either Democratic party nor Republican party. I just wanted to share my view points on the current political leadership with the above-mentioned framework.
Let me be extra clear here again, this is a sensitive manner. I’m not here to condemn anyone. I’m not here to qualifying or discrediting one’s character. I’m not here to discount how hard is to be in the leadership position. As someone who served in Military and Government before, I’ve learned how complex politics can be, and I developed tremendous amount of respect towards leaders. Also, as a Christian, I’m praying for the leader. I just wanted to simply ‘analyze’ their leadership based on the behaviors and words they’ve used in the midst of chaos and tragedy.
I can’t stop but thinking the current president’s leadership is in quadrant 2 (seeking justice but no vulnerability) and often even be portrayed/interpreted in quadrant 3 (no justice, no vulnerability). Even the conservative columnist Rob Dreher analyzed that the day P Trump took this photo-ops on the bible is the date he lost his presidency. Rob points out Trump’s weakness bluntly. He did pointed out that the enemy might not play clean, but he also mentioned that that’s part of his job, and at least from what’s portrayed publicly, his strategy seems to be not working.
Trump’s weakness does not necessarily consist of his not sending in troops to shoot looters. It consists of him having no idea what to do other than create a pathetic propaganda moment that is so transparently cheap that it makes you throw up a little bit in your mouth. This is the act of a weak man who is left with nothing but to stand in front of a church flashing a Bible like a gang sign to get conservative Christians in line. He has power, but no authority. People will not forgive him for his mishandling of this crisis
Trump’s controversial tweet — looting and shooting (“Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts.)” has created much more conflicts, divisions and distrust including what we hear about Facebook founder’s stressful situation with their employee. The consistent “Law & Order” tweet and “Thank you Mr. Trump” further turns people off. It’s disheartening to see that even people within his own political camp are starting to raise voice and leave him. Rob Dreher wrote “Fleeing the collapsing imperium” saying conservatives are leaving him. Anne Applebaum wrote an essay at Atlantic comparing Republican leaders who support Donal Trump to Eastern Europeans who collaborated with Soviet-sponsored regimes, calling republicans to stop collaborate. Former President George Bush, Senator Mitt Romney, and Colin Powell announced that they won’t support Trump anymore. This, for me, is a clear evidence of the limitation of quadrant 2 leadership (no love/vulnerability) which can never bring restorative justice. Former US secretary of defense, James Mattis’, put it so bluntly.
Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people — does not even pretend to try. Instead he tries to divide us. We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort. We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership.
Enough of Trump’s leadership, what I’m noticing from other leader’s remarks aren’t that different when it comes to vulnerability (Joe Biden’s speech regarding nationwide protests). Political views aside, their stance seem to be in quadrant 2. To be fair, that’s what they are called/elected to do at this moment. That might be the name of the game in politics and I’m being naive. But my analysis remains the same.
I can’t stop but hoping for the quadrant 1 leadership. Truthful but empathetic. Clearly stating your position while leaving room for course correction. And this video from Coumo was such a refreshing one. On June 2nd during his daily briefing, he calmly unpacks the current leadership and social crisis with numbers and analysis, clearly states the role of government, shares the plan, and call for the support. On June 3rd, he also calls for the support for police, and inspire the audience with a path towards reconciliation. He shared his support for the one action of Justice seeking — protesting, saying it’s a “righteous indignation”. He also emphasized there’s another justice we shouldn’t forget — empowering police and maintaining safety&stability. And he is inviting everyone to be vulnerable by introducing the value of unity, non-violence, peace seeking.
I found this thoughts — America is in the middle of a hybrid civil war- refreshing and truthful. Can’t agree more. What America needs desperately is the “restorative leadership” that can lead her to reconciliation process.
The movement of calling justice from minorities has transformed the republican party from a free market, socially conservative entity into a white ethno-nationalist movement seeking one- party rule in perpetuity. When so much pain and injustice of society have been brought in light, America need a truth and reconciliation process. Only through a sincere effort to heal the wounds of America’s past and present will it be able to step into the future and live up to the ideals it was founded upon.
This is the 2nd post of a five-part series. Click here for the 3rd part.
