Fifty seven years ago today, Martin Luther King Jr. stood at theLincoln Memorial, and delivered a speech that is indelibly woven into our ideals and our hopes.
But unfortunately, it still remains a dream.
Part of the problem is that there is s a big disparity between what we say we believe about our society, and the actions we take. We say that America is the land of the free. And yet, James Blake, a black man, is shot seven times, ostensibly for the fear that he might be brandishing a fire-arm, while Kyle Rittenhouse, a young white man, was one of several armed civilians carrying AR-15 machine guns, and they were actually thanked by police officers.
This recent tragic shooting is not only about police abuses. This and other recent killings reflect the systemic racism that is ingrained in our society, our history, and yes, ourselves. It is not enough to say, I’m not racist. We each should take it upon ourselves to learn about the history of racism in this country, and the pervasiveness of racist behaviors, policies, and norms. This is why it is important to educate ourselves by reading books such as How to be an Antiracist and White Fragility.
This week’s Torah portion, Ki Teitzi, teaches us: Do not remain indifferent. (Deuteronomy 22:3). These words appear in the context of the treatment of owned animals; property. If this is the case for the treatment of one’s personal property, then kol v’chomer, all the more so is this true for human beings that are made in the divine image!
Do not remain indifferent.
Following this commandment requires us to look at our own racial biases and attitudes. It means that we have to continually work to turn our stated ideals into actual policy.
After the Clippers won their basketball playoff game on Tuesday, the coach of the team, Doc Rivers, gave an emotional speech. Toward the end, he said: All we’re asking is that you live up to the Constitution. That’s all we’re asking for everybody, for everyone. He and many others are asking us to lesson the gap between what we say about our country, and what is the reality in our country. And to do this, we can not be indifferent.
NPR recently had a poll that asked just one question: Since the death of George Floyd, have you personally taken any actions to better understand racial issues in America? Only 30% of white responders answered yes, the lowest of all racial groups polled.
And so, I need to go just a bit further … Nodding along to this sermon is not enough. And for me, giving this sermon isn’t enough. I need to ask myself: How, as a Jew, can I aid in ending systemic oppression? What steps, no matter how small, can I taking this coming week to help end the needless suffering of others? I hope that you’ll also join me in asking these questions.
To be Jewish means that we care about the pain of others. This is really difficult. But that’s why we have 4000 years of tradition. That’s why we have a community. That’s why we have our prayers and our songs and our God. To strengthen us as we continue doing the difficult work of justice.
I pray that our society follows this most important commandment from this week’s Torah portion. We can not be indifferent. 57 years later, let us keep fighting for Martin Luther King’s dream.
