We Shall Overcome

DeanB replied yesterday that he would sing a chorus of "We Shall Overcome" in honor of the vigil held last night. It seems to have worked, Dean. We had a very good turnout. The gathering was orderly. Only one protest, shouted from a car as it drove by. Three people from Connecticut government were there. People came to give witness with their bodies not just locally but from New Haven and Hartford.

One speaker said, when she was growing up if you saw someone being bullied you went and stood with them. Another said, as a Christian, it's well and good to stay home and pray. It's better to get up, leave your house, and stand with those for whom you are praying.

An inspiring evening. An evening of hope - and hope is for that which is as yet unseen - peace, wholeness, unconditional love.

We live in a time when, for reasons passing understanding, false truth is being created out of lies or even nothing at all, for the purpose of fomenting fear, anxiety and anger. The TV personality Stephen Colbert calls it "truthiness", as in, I get to say what is true even if it's a lie. The people are believing it and the perpetrators' payoff is power. Stir up enough anger and fear and you become powerful.

I choose the powerfulness of Christ Jesus, who stood up to the bullies, sided with the "dangerous" ones, and chose to die for love of all.