Racism, Riots, and America, the Beautiful

     When Katherine Bates wrote the words to “America the Beautiful” she had no idea it would become so popular. In poles, many prefer it to our national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” It’s easier to sing and not so warlike. I wonder if she would have written the fourth verse the same if she were still alive. It goes like this,

O beautiful for patriot dream that sees beyond the years, Thine alabaster cities gleam, Undimmed by human tears! America! America! God shed His grace on thee, And crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea!

     Recent events have looked like anything but brotherhood in gleaming cities. Today we learned that Derek Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder related to the death of George Floyd. It’s unclear whether this will soothe the anger that boiled over into rioting in cities all across America and even around the globe.
   

 When it comes to politics there seems to be an assumption that those who are on the Left must be heard shouting against racism and that those on the Right must be heard condemning the riots. Those on the Left try to paint those on the right as racists and those on the Right try to paint those on the Left as anarchists.
     If all we see in each other are terrible characterizations the gap between “us vs them” will only widen. I can see that happening quickly and it’s alarming. More and more aspects of our lives are becoming politicized and as new issues arise the two parties scramble to be on the “right side of history.” Stereotypes are also more deeply entrenched than ever. If I’m a Republican, am I allowed to believe in global warming? If I’m a Democrat, am I allowed to think that it’s wrong to kill human life in the womb?
     I see a metaphorical table in the middle with seats set around. People are in the stands. The two-party teams are facing each other on the field. Angry participants on either side have dug trenches and strung razor wire. Exploding bombs and missiles are in the air, being hurled by both sides in the newspapers, on newscasts, and on social media. Strategists with headsets look for the most damning words in each article or video, rip them out of context, and hold up these bloody scalps for the rest of their righteous party to gawk at. “See,” they tell themselves and each other, “What more proof do we need?!”
    Some try to make it to the table to have personal conversations—to speak honestly and to listen generously. Those who find a seat notice quickly that they all look very different from each other, and they don’t talk with the same grammatical precision. Yet, perhaps we might hear them slowly join in a song with a familiar tune:

O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife. Who more than self their country loved, and mercy more than strife! America! America! God mend thine every flaw, Confirm thy soul in self-control, Thy liberty in law!

     I think Katherine Bates saw this country with eyes wide open. Perfect? No. Something to embrace? Yes. I think she would call us to strive to make things better without losing sight of America the Beautiful. There are still open seats at the table.

Galatians 3:28; John 7:24; John 13:34; James 2:8-9