Eastern Nazarene College seeks, in each member of its community, to enlighten the mind, to enhance the quality of personality, to enkindle a never-ending search for truth, and to enable each, out of Christian love and concern, to serve others creatively and...
George Floyd was murdered in front of the whole world. A senseless and cavalier act of a police officer, the most recent senseless murder of a black person in America. An act and symbolism that raises deep pain, brings to the surface the ugly reality of weaponized racism that has been part of American society for a long, long time. We are angry, we are grieved.
These murders are the ultimate. We are faced daily with daily encounters that demean and devalue a people, make us invisible – driving while black, picnicking while black, walking while black, riding a bicycle while black, bird watching while black. On the systemic level we are faced with inferior school systems, housing discrimination, drinking – yes, drinking water poisoning, environmental racism and a criminal justice system that reflects the racist legacy of this country. The anger has been building.
I am a black man, the father of five now adult children, two women, three men and grandfather of six. One of my grandsons is a sixteen year old 6’2’’ prime target for bigoted police. My wife and I fear for their very lives. We have had to train, like other black parents, our precious ones in the ways of “coming home”. We too are severely angry!
We all know the theme song of the civil rights struggle, a song whose history I respect in the way it connects to the legacy of the struggle for civil rights. The song is “We Shall Overcome”. However, I ask the question, when is “Someday”? Is it an urgent call or do we keep “Someday” at a comfortable distance while basking in the luxury of ignorance? Well, no more! What role do I have, do you, do we have in making someday a reality?
I believe that we should not be asking the question, “Where is God”? If we were to be honest, God is asking, “Where are you!” Where are you! What are you and I going to commit to doing to end both individual and systemic racism that destroys lives, debilitates families, destroys communities, devalues an entire people?
Presently and in the coming days we will commence a series to include:
As individuals and as a community we are to be involved in urgent and consequential action. I look forward to us standing up and be counted in the struggle for justice in the tradition of Moses, of Esther, of Tecumseh, of Harriet, of Douglas, of Martin, of Chavez.
Robert Benjamin
Assistant Vice President for Multicultural Affairs and Dean of Students
Eastern Nazarene College seeks, in each member of its community, to enlighten the mind, to enhance the quality of personality, to enkindle a never-ending search for truth, and to enable each, out of Christian love and concern, to serve others creatively and...
Saturday night, around 8 p.m., a group of approximately two dozen individuals connected to white supremacist ideologies, demonstrated outside the Family Welcome Center and Temporary Shelter operated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on the campus of ENC. The...
QUINCY - Eastern Nazarene College welcomed the class of 2027 to campus on Saturday, Aug. 26. The move-in day check-in process began at 9:00 a.m., kicking off The Launch, the College’s immersive new student experience. Returning student and staff volunteers assisted...
Eastern Nazarene College’s (ENC) mission is ‘to provide a transformational education that equips diverse students to lead and serve our world as agents of Christ’s love and truth.’ And our vision carries that further saying we strive to be renowned ‘for excellence in...
