“True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the
presence of justice.” –Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing
can be changed until it is faced.” –James Baldwin.
Over the past week, we have watched and mourned as, once
again, a black man’s life was unjustifiably and brutally taken from him at the
hands of a police officer in the United States. George Floyd was wonderfully
and beautifully made in the image of God, and what happened to him is not only
unacceptable, but it has become a far too common occurrence in an increasingly
divided society.
The leaders of the Association of Ministers with
Disabilities of the United Methodist Church affirm our solidarity with those who
protest Floyd’s senseless death and the countless other black lives that have
been lost. We, along with many who are fighting for justice, mourn the ongoing
systematic racism and brutality that continue to hold an evil grip on our
country.
As Paul says in his letter to the Corinthians, we are all
jointly a part of the body of Christ, and when one suffers, we all suffer, and
when one is honored, we can all rejoice together (1 Corinthians 12:26)
As members of the disability community, we, as the
Association of Ministers with Disabilities know what it is like to be a part
of a group that experiences prejudice and bigotry because of the way we look, speak,
and behave. Today, we voice our support for all minority groups who face
continued oppression, and we are committed to listening to, lifting up, and
amplifying voices from within these communities.
As AMD member Chris Wylie said, “You cannot call for peace without also acting for justice.
Injustice, racism, systemic failure, and greed is the cause of all we see. It’s
up to each of us to change that.”
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