Is It Possible?

Is  it Possible?

Is it possible that Officer Darren Wilson was a great police officer who made a mistake AND Michael Brown was an innocent guy in the wrong place at the wrong time?

Is it possible that Officer Wilson was a flaming racist and made his choices based on that AND that Michael Brown was a violent thug who made his choices based on that?

Is it possible that Michael Brown was a pretty good kid who made some really dumb choices in the last day of his life?

Is it possible that Officer Wilson was in fear for his life and made a choice that he will regret for the rest of his life?

Is it possible that Michael Brown was a bully and was still innocent in this particular incident?

Is it possible that Officer Wilson could have been a bad cop but still made the right decision in this incident?

Is it possible that Michael Brown was shaped by the racism he experienced in many ways every day and that contributed to his actions?

Is it possible that Officer Wilson was shaped by white privilege and police officer training that contributed to his actions?

Is it possible that Michael Brown could have made the choice to move past his past experiences and approached this situation differently?

Is  it possible that Officer Wilson made some assumptions about Michael Brown that caused him to approach this situation in the wrong way?

Is it possible that the fact that Ferguson has a large black population but the police department is predominantly white just might have a little to do with all of this?

Is it possible that people of different colors experience the same situations differently because of their past experiences?

Is it possible that a black person could support Officer Wilson’s actions?

Is it possible that a white person could support Darren Wilson’s actions?

Is it possible for police officers to be caring people who want to help the community AND be a little too militant because of training choices?

Is it possible that black community leaders could stand up for equal treatment AND be honest about the problems generated by choices within their own community?

Is it possible that the strong police response ratcheted up the situation and that they could protect businesses without confronting the protestors?

Is it possible that black community leaders could have redirected the protests to limit the chance of large scale confrontations and criminal looting?

Is it possible that the black person standing in a crowd of predominately black protestors staring across at a crowd of predominately white police officers learns an unspoken lesson?

Is it possible that a white police officer standing in a crowd of predominately white police officers staring across at a crowd of predominately black protestors learns an unspoken lesson?

Is it possible that Al Sharpton is just as racist and unhelpful as the KKK group that was raising funds for the fallen officer?

Is it possible for both sides to be a little bit right AND both sides to also be a little bit wrong?

Is it possible that both sides are both terribly wrong?

Is it possible that MSNBC AND FOX News intentionally reported the incidents in emotional ways because they have agendas to push without regard to the truth?

Is it possible that every politician that has commented on this on both sides has made the situation worse?

Is it possible that news media like The Blaze AND Huffington Post have made the situation worse by their skewed reporting?

Is it possible that YOU are responsible for making the situation worse because you read and parrot your favorite news media without regard to the slant?

Is it possible that our culture is becoming so polarized that we cannot see broader possibilities?

Is it possible that we could all be wrong?

Is it possible that we can find a peace that doesn’t care what color or what political affiliation you are?

Is it possible to seek truth and peace at the same time?

Is it possible that YOU are reading this and agreeing, but thinking, “There’s not much I can do”?

Is it possible that everything you have read about this incident confirms what you already believe because YOU limit the input of ideas to only those that already agree with your political stance?

Is it possible for YOU to reconsider your assumptions on this situation and others by not turning to your usual news source first?

Is it possible to forgive even when YOU are the one wronged?

Is it possible for YOU to admit you might be wrong?

Is it possible for YOU to reach out and invest in truly knowing and understanding people, who look, think, believe, and experience things differently than you?

Is it possible to hope?

Is it possible?

Time to Grow Up and Act Like Kids Again

“It’s MINE!!!,” screamed the Stephen as he took the big red ball away from the Anne. Anne promptly burst into tears and went running to the teacher where she sobbed and stuttered trying to tell her version of the story. Stephen came running up a few steps behind yelling, “I had it first and she took it from me." Both children are full of righteous anger and primed to fight for their rights with no regard or thought for the other.

The teacher was now left to sort out the issue and deal with the children, not just with their refusal to share, but also with their behaviors after the fact.

You might think this is a story of two preschoolers, but perhaps not…

Recently, in Phoenix, a black city councilman was in a confrontation with a white police officer. The actual outcome of the situation is murky with blame to be assigned to both sides, but the interesting thing is the gigantic outpouring of anger from the black community in that area. Even if this single episode was not actually racially motivated, someone had better pay attention to the issue of community policing in that area because the response tells me there are much deeper issues there.

In the past months, we have seen a Health Care Bill signed into law by Democrats who completely bypassed any semblance to open and honest legislation, provoking some of the largest angry reactions that I have seen in politics during my lifetime. This gave a boost to the Tea Party movement that has been agitating for change in government.

Sometime later, Arizona Republicans signed a law into effect that some said could lead to racial profiling, leading to an enormous backlash by Hispanics and others.

Each of these events have something in common: the response was much more powerful than expected and in some cases, has yet to die down.

The response in each of these cases is due to the feeling of disenfranchisement by one group in response to the actions of another.

As a White man, it is easy to dismiss the situation that occurred with the City Councilman because he is black and ultimately had a large degree of fault in the events that transpired. But the event was merely a catalyst that opened the lid of simmering issues between the Black community and the Law Enforcement community.

Democrats are quick to dismiss the Tea Party movement as a bunch of crazies and racists, but the truth is, they are by and large ordinary people that are sick of the abuses of government and want to be heard.

Arizona Republicans and supporters of SB1070 and similar laws like to shut down the immigration argument with sound bites about ‘rule of law’ but fail to recognize the very real fears of many legal Hispanic immigrants and citizens as well as the complex issues of our historic immigration policies.

Whatever race we are, whatever political or religious affiliation, we must remember that there are people who hold different ideas than we do. Our actions as a majority may seem right to us, but may trample the rights of others or appear to do so.

If large numbers of people stand up in response, there just might be a problem that the majority doesn’t recognize or refuses to see. Dismissing our opponents and denigrating their values is not healthy or productive.

Democrat or Republican, White or Black, Legal or Illegal, Christian or Atheist, Tastes-great or Less-Filling, we all share this nation and we must work together and listen to each other.

In Kindergarten we learn to share, to respect each other, and to play nice.

It is the time to dial down the rhetoric and work to open avenues of communication.

It is the time for openness and truth.

It is the time for cooperation and compromise.

Let’s remember those lessons from Kindergarten…

It’s time to grow up and act like kids again.

Don't make me go tell the teacher.

¿Puede llevar zapatos de una otra persona?

Para mis Hermanos Hispanos,

(ENGLISH TRANSLATION FOLLOWS)

Soy un Estadounidense y vivo en Arizona. He estudiado español más que doce años y yo soy un pastor de una Iglesia Cristiano. Soy también Caucásico con raíces alemanas si que importa. Comprendo toda la ira y frustracion en SB1070 y las leyes que han sido entrados los últimos años. Yo no apoyo muchas de estas leyes y yo no concuerdo con Russell Pierce en la mayoría de las cosas. En mi opinion, yo creo que el es una racista y yo pienso que el esconde su racismo detrás de la ley.*

Pero, esto debe ser dicho.

Si estas honesto, entonces sabes que el problema de inmigración ilegal es un problema de derechos humanos. La esclavitud, el robo, la violación de mujeres, las drogas, la violencia, el asesinato, y el riesgo de la muerte en el desierto es implicado todo aquí. Si tu no quieres las leyes que han sido pasadas contra inmigración ilegal, entonces debes provear respuestas a estos problemas.

No no es suficiente para acusar todos los Arizonans del racismo si no puedes resolver o no resolverá estos asuntos.

¿Dónde se paras en los derechos humanos de la familia que se muere de sed en el desierto?

¿Qué respuestas das a la chica adolescente violada por un coyote cruzando la frontera?

¿Qué dices al hombre que es forzado a trabajar como un esclavo aquí en Estados Unidos porque su esposa es una rehén?

Los derechos humanos están en los dos lados de este asunto.

Este asunto es más grande que construyendo una pared en la frontera o un programa de trabajadorer braceros.

Este asunto es más grande que republicanos o demócratas.

Este asunto es más grande que respuestas sencillas y cantar esloganes.

Este asunto es más grande que piel café o blanca.

Tenemos que caminar en cada otros zapatos y trabajar conjuntos para entender.

Derechos humanos pertenecen a todos.

Somos todos ninos de Dios.

¿Qué harás para hacer paz?

*Nota: No creo que todas que apoyan SB1070 y leyes similares son racistas y creo es incorrecto para acusarlos todos.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION:

Can you wear someone else's shoes?

To my Hispanic Brothers,

I am a United States citizen and I live in Arizona. I have studied Spanish for more than 12 years and I am a pastor of a Christian Church. I am also white with German roots if that matters. I understand all of the anger and frustration about SB1070 and the laws that have been passed these last years. I don’t support many of thes laws and I don’t agree with Russell Pierce about most things. In my opinion, I believe that he is a racist and that he hides his racism behind the law.*

But, this must be said,

If you are honest, then you know that the problem of illegal immigration is a problem of human rights. Slavery, robbery, rape, drugs, violence, murder, and the risk of death in the desert is involved in all of this. If you don’t want the laws that have been passed against illegal immigration, then you must provide an answer to these problems.

It is not enough to accuse all Arizonans of racism if you cannot solve or will not solve these issues.

Where do you stand on the human rights of the family that dies of thirst in the desert?

What answer do you give to the young girl raped by a coyote when crossing the border?

What do you say to the man who is forced to work as a slave here in the U.S. because his wife is held hostage?

Human Rights are on both sides of this issue.

This issue is bigger than building a wall on the border or a guest worker program.

This issue is bigger than republicans or democrats.

This issue is bigger than simple answers or chanted slogans.

This issue is bigger than brown or white skin.

We have to walk in each other’s shoes and work to understand each other.

Human rights belong to everyone.

We are all God’s children.

What will you do to make peace?

* Note: I don’t believe that everyone who supports SB1070 and similar laws are racist and I believe it is wrong to accuse everyone of this.