7/23/15
Emanuel AME Nine, More than a Tragedy
The nine lives taken in the Emanuel African Methodist
Episcopal Church in South Carolina took a toll on the hearts of people across
the world. The fear and anger that one man placed on the Black community was overwhelmingly
felt. I personally was overcome with sorrow, fear, anger, and discombobulation.
I attend church and to think that my
life could be taken while worshiping my God, because some people hate the color
of my skin overwhelmed my spirit. Then
my sorrow turned into joy after having a discussion with my mom about the
troubling event. She said to me
"There is no doubt in my mind where they are now, and that is where they
rightfully deserve to be".
AMEN! If I had the
choice in how I would leave this earth I would want to in grand fashion as
they! They spent their last moments in the house of the Lord praising and
worshiping and spreading love to a stranger who had unjustified hate for them. There is not an ounce of doubt in my mind that
the nine are still praising and worshiping right now in heaven with our Lord!
Praise God! Their lives, though missed are also valued and should be reverend
with the most admiration. We ALL benefited
from their service. Senator Pinckey
served ALL people within the state, his congregation and community. The other eight served the community as active
and lead members of the Church. A group
decorated with occupations of service such as teachers, volunteers and pastors;
counseling others while being counseled by Christ. They were vessels of love.
Their deaths served us ALL as being another event of
significance that has revealed the spirit of hate and its wicked presence in
our country. Before the Emanuel AME
nine, the #BlackLivesMatter movement highlighted racial injustice through
police brutality and the lives of unarmed Black citizens. Though their stories were surely real and
valid it was constantly debated as to whether the issue is truly about Black
Lives, attempting to ignore that racial hate exists. Critics instead placed blame on the character
of the people who lost their lives (he was selling cigarettes, or stealing, or
verbally combative, posed a threat, attacked or assaulted the officer,
aggressively out of control). Critics
also attempted the all-inclusive approach by stating #AllLivesMatter. The suppressive voice of critics began to
quiet and slow the cry of truth that racism is alive and is arrogantly
blunt. That is until the Emanuel AME
Nine.
Here are nine individuals, who were not killed by police
enforcement, who were not combative, who were not stealing, who were not posing
any threat. They were worshiping in the
house of the Lord, welcomed a stranger in the comfort of their spiritual home
and were murdered. The murderer claimed
that his motive was that he “wanted to kill Black people.”. Critics could not debate, question, or
suppress the issue of race hatred any longer.
It was barefaced. It does not
matter if wrongfully accused or detained by, if with a criminal record, if without
a criminal record, if qualified for employment, if educated, if uneducated, if
club hopping at night or worshiping in the house of the Lord, hate based on
race is alive and will be justified when given the opportunity. The deaths of
the Emanuel AME nine affirmed the hate crimes are still bluntly imposed on
Black people and rejuvenated the #BlackLivesMatter movement.
The Emanuel AME Nine are more than just lives taken by
hate. They symbolize true Christians,
who literally sacrificed their lives to serve others in their daily occupations. They counseled, prayed, and educated many in
their communities and beyond, all while being counseled by the Lord through
Jesus Christ. Despite the recent racial
injustice and the widely known national history of racial oppression of that
church and of Black people, they welcomed a stranger in their home with open
arms of love. Is this not what Christ
did and what he preaches? Mark 10:45 “For
even the Son of Man came down, not to be served but to serve, and to give his
life as a ransom for many”. Matthew
5:44 “I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. He served others by healing, teaching and
counseling people of all ethnicities, He spoke against injustices and He did
not do it with a halo over His head and peacefully all of the time. In the
Gospels (Matt, Mark, Luke, John) Jesus went into the temple courts and flipped
tables, yelled, and drove out the wrong doers. He spoke what was just in a fearless
respectable and assertive fashion to those who pushed his buttons. While being
hated and intentionally mistreated, Christ continued to worship and be
counseled by His Father in heaven. People too hated Christ for reasons unjustified,
but even with that he prayed for them with his last breath on the cross. They too found a way to justify his death and
murdered him through the judicial system.
For me I thank the Emanuel AME Nine. They were the manifestation of the Christian
walk by sacrificing their lives for people of ALL colors through service and
love. They sacrificed their lives for the rejuvenation of the #BlackLivesMatter
movement. The scales have fallen off the
eyes of people of ALL ethnicities who were distracted, passive or chose not to
acknowledge this spirit of hate that dwells in our nation. These nine were not famous activist such as
Dr. King Jr., Malcom X, or Angela Davis, they were your everyday pastors,
teachers, coworkers, friends, and family who served ALL people with love and
stood firm against injustice beliefs and acts. All of these deeds done in the
action of love and under the guidance of Jesus Christ. I rejoice in the nine saints of the Emanuel
African Methodist Episcopal Church who went home in honor for the life they
lived in service here on earth. I
proudly say their names because I am honored to say them and more importantly
my Father in heaven has gained nine good and faithful servants. Praise God as they are Rejoicing in Paradise!
Francina
In Loving Memory of..
Cynthia Marie Graham Hurd
Susie Jackson
Ethel Lee Lance
Depayne Middleton-Doctor
Senator Clementa C. Pinckney
Tywanza Sanders
Daniel Simmons
Sharonda Coleman-Singleton
Myra Thompson
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