Week #07 (Feb.11-17, 2019)

Zimmerman, Neeson and You!

 

Week #07 (Feb.11-17, 2019) - Zimmerman, Neeson and You!

(a little lengthy, but stay with me)I’m taking a risk by writing about this because, many will intentionally misinterpret what I’m saying and it may have implications on who listens to my music, watches my videos, comes to my shows, etc. BUT I’ll say it nonetheless in the hopes of offering some balance to the ever-present, ultra-contentious conversation about race relations.Like many people of colour I am hurt by the history of oppression we have suffered and in many ways continue to suffer. And while I seldom publicly comment, there a moments when I have to say my piece. One such time was a few years ago, following the murder of Alton Sterling and Philando Castille. I was so outraged by what were clearly senseless murders, I rushed to the studio and within 48hours released a song called “With Me”. Please take some time to listen to the song. Releasing a song wasn’t the only thing I did, but I won’t get into that as that would take me on a tangent. At any rate, most people agreed with my stance, while a few didn’t. To this day, I defend my position in that song and regret nothing. However as I spoke out against the unfair treatment from these officers (and the system that has allowed them to thrive), I must also speak out about the unfair treatment perpetrated by others, even if those “others” look like me. So here goes;Earlier this week, I shared my view on the whole Liam Neeson debacle. To quickly review here’s what happened. During a press run interview for his upcoming revenge-themed movie, “Cold Pursuit”, Liam Neeson confessed to 40 years ago, wanting to carry out a heinous race-related revenge. He found out one of this close friends had been raped by a black man, and for 4-5 days, Liam filled with rage, roamed the streets hoping that some “black bastard” would start an altercation with him, so that he could unleash his fury by killing this black man. To be clear, Liam wasn’t looking for the specific rapist. He would settle for a fight with any black man. For nearly a week, he wanted to kill any black man for the crimes of one. After 4-5 days of doing this (without actually carrying out his plan), he came down to earth and realized just how evil a response that was. By Liam’s own admission, that was an evil racist response and has since taken measures to change that way of thinking. During this interview, he made it clear that he was even ashamed to tell the story. That he can’t believe he ever felt that way in the first place. Again, he categorically denounced his initial impulse as primal and unequivocally wrong. Also remember, this was 40 years ago.Since telling this story, the internet has been abuzz with hundreds of thousands of people calling for his boycott by everyone. Many want fans, production studios, business partners and practically anyone connected to him, not only to publicly denounce him, but to cease working with him in any capacity. The internet term is to “Cancel” him. That is, to obliterate his career and his practical existence altogether, short of actually killing him (I’m sure a few feel this way). To put it plainly many want to punish him for ever having that impulse that he never actually carried out and has since been rehabilitated from.Here’s my view:Was his initial impulse an evil, sick and twisted response? ABSOLUTELY!!!Should be altogether cancel him? I don’t think so!I shared that perspective earlier this week and was naturally met with pushback. Below is an excerpt of one of the conversations I had with a detractor. What you will read below is me speaking, and this pretty well fleshes out my perspective on the issue. 

Ok, I’m getting a better understanding of your perspective, thanks for taking the time to expand on your idea. Here are a couple of things that come to mind; Liam did admit that it was racism. Even though he said he would have responded the same even if it wasn’t a black person, Liam still admitted it was a racist response. And he did acknowledge it as a terrible thing that he’s ashamed of. I’m sure you’ve seen his GMA interview. He did say “I’m not racist”, but he did not say “it wasn’t racist”. He acknowledge that past response as racist. Regarding his current attitude towards other races, I don’t think anyone can definitely say he IS a racist because his current actions (which is all we can go by), don’t indicate a person who is. Most people who are saying he IS racist now, are basing it on this 40 year old mistake that he confessed, acknowledge, learnt and grew from. If we’re not going to let him outgrow his past views, then none of us should ever hope to be forgiven.To your point, “We are in times that have not changed one bit so for him to say something like this in the time that we are in and expect to get a pat on the back is privilege”I think the fact that we’re in such a time is a great opportunity to show that people in fact have changed. Liam is an example of the change we don’t see enough of….someone who use to think in a racist way before, but has since acknowledged and grown. I think if people would allow themselves to see it, he is helping the cause. He is showing that people CAN change. Isn’t that what we want?To your other point, “you must also allow people to feel how they feel about It ESPECIALLY black people…black people are allowed to be angry” I agree with you. As a black man, I understand the hurt we share given our history of oppression. But I must also caution us to rule our emotions, not the other way around. Legitimate hurt can very quickly become bitterness and resentment. When unrestrained, legitimate anger can become murder….which was almost Liam’s case. When we as a people are understandably angry about the racism, many of us face, we must be careful not to be so blinded by our rage, that we no longer know how to recognize the change we’re looking for. What we need is justice, not revenge. We can be angry at Liam’s past views, but we must work towards letting it go and not trying to crucify him now for it. That was who he WAS, not who he IS. Frankly, to want to destroy a man over a 40 year old evil, but non-criminal way of thinking that he has since confessed (he wasn’t caught), and abandoned isn’t seeking justice. It’s seeking revenge.Whether it’s racial prejudice or bad habits, we’ve ALL got things we need to change. How would we feel if after showing our change others insist on defining us by our past? Think about that for a second. Make it personal.We say we want change, but when a white person shows change, we crucify them for ever needing to change. Or we crucify them for being brave enough to show that change. Don’t you see how that is a fruitless pursuit?  Don’t you see how that doesn’t serve the cause of smoothening race relations but only serves to exacerbate them further?Accountability and forgiveness go hand in hand. You cannot have forgiveness without accountability. And accountability without forgiveness only leaves the offended party in bondage. I’m not saying forgiveness is easy. But I am saying it’s necessary. Finally, I must say this; my willingness and ability to forgive Liam comes from my Christian faith. I believe that every single one of us has sinned against God, myself included. And because of Jesus Christ, I have been forgiven of my sins. When asked by Peter how many times we should forgive a person, Jesus practically said, never stop forgiving. In the words of a good friend of mine,“I owe Jesus more than anyone could ever owe me. I have done worse to Jesus more than Liam Neeson has ever done to people who look like me. Therefore, just as Jesus covered my sins with his blood, I should cover Liam Neeson’s sins with love. And that’s why I love Neeson’s deep remorse today more than I hate his deep racism from years ago.”In Love,Shope

So there it is. I understand and appreciate our hurt and pain. Liam’s former way of thinking is what resulted in the murder of tens of thousands of innocent black victims like, Trayvon Martin. So I understand the knee-jerk reaction. It’s like touching a raw nerve. I just ask that difficult as it might be, we work toward actual reconciliation, not revenge. I ask that we stop to look at what actually happened here. 40 years ago, a man wanted to commit a heinous evil, but never did. He came to realize how vile it was, then did an about-face, taking steps to correct that view. He later of his own volition, told his story of change and growth. What will our response be?Admittedly, I don’t know Liam Neeson personally so I am giving him the benefit of the doubt by believing he’s not the man he was 40 years ago. But the same truth holds for the other side that questions his change. They know him as well as I do. So much like I could be wrong in my assertions, they could also be wrong. But this is where “love hopes all”. This is where love casts out hate.A word to ChristiansThis is a great opportunity for us to model Christian forgiveness to a world that is so hurting, it has no remedy for its own ailments. The world is hurting so much. Deep seated pain has become legitimate anger, and for many, that has morphed into illegitimate revenge-thirsty rage. But those who know Jesus know how deeply his blood cleanses us from our sins and heals our aching hearts. When you know how much you have been forgiven, you can’t help but forgive others. Jesus forgave us through blood, so we can forgive others through tears.Let us be the light we’re called to be.Until next week, #KnowItsRealP.S. I REALLY want to know where you fall on this issue. Is calling for forgiveness giving Liam Neeson too easy an out?P.P.S. My next song of 2019 drops next Friday, February 22. But you can hear it early on Wednesday, February 20 if you join the digital street team.

CBC Searchlight 2019 Competition! 

Thanks to everyone who voted for me in the CBC Music Searchlight 2019 competition. Round 1 voting is officially closed, so now we wait to see if I advanced...I have a good feeling though 😉

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