April 2025
April 2025
I think I was about 12 or 13 the first time I marched in a protest. It was during the war in Viet Nam. Little as I fully understood about world events at the time, I thought war was bad and taking too many lives. I got together with some classmates and silk-screened arm bands that said “PEACE”. My parents gave me permission to skip school and I went to a protest. Somewhere in a box, I believe I still have that arm band.
Despite my early start, I have not formed a habit of going to protests, though I have been to a handful in the fifty-some years since. I will NOT participate in any protest that engages in vandalism or violence. I think those actions diminish the cause for which people protest. And I think it is right for us to make our voices known, sometimes in union with other people. I have been inspired by people like Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela, whose protests ultimately led to significant changes in their countries. The last protest I attended was for gun control, after one of the (too many) school shootings.
On April 5 I attended the Hands OFF protest at Esther Short Park. Over a dozen other people from Mill Plain also attended, though we did not officially organize a group. Some of us found each other and sat or stood together. Others we encountered as we moved about the park and others I never saw but later heard were there. I know not everyone from our church will agree with such a protest, and not everyone is able to participate. We each have the right to make our voices known as we feel led to do so.
The Bible tells of other people who protested publicly. The prophet Jeremiah spoke out against Kings Josiah and Jehoiakim, who ruled over Judah not long before it fell to Babylon. Some believe that Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on what we call Palm Sunday was actually a protest against the Roman government. They set the precedent for believers to take public action when they believe that something is wrong in the way society operates. While the Apostle Paul says to pray for kings and those in high positions, we also have the responsibility to speak out on behalf of those who are marginalized or negatively impacted by governments. Indeed, protest can be part of prayer.
Our Social Justice Team is re-forming. One possible topic for us to discuss is ways for us as a team to work together when we feel that protests are appropriate. If you are interested in knowing more, let me know. In the meantime, I understand that participating in a protest (or not) is a very individual decision. I respect those who choose not to participate and I welcome those who feel so led. Our faith calls us to work together for the good of everyone, especially those without the power or privilege to make their voices known.