“Praised are You, Who loves justice”
Dear Friends,
Who among us is not reeling from the rapidity of assaults we have witnessed over the past week?
Even if we were not contending with the coronavirus, we would be perplexed and distraught. I'm reminded of that ominous verse in the Book of Esther (3:15):
“And the city of Shushan was perplexed and distraught.”
Anyone who learned about -- much less watched -- the slow-motion killing of George Floyd cannot but be appalled. At least that is what I wish were so. It's hard not to consider this killing a chilling text-book example of what’s called in the law, “depraved indifference to human life” (see
here
). Body camera footage from the now-discharged police officers has not yet been released. But the videos that have been
released
paint a terrible picture of callous indifference and cruelty. Of course, ultimately, it will be in the hands of a jury to decide whether criminal liability exists.
And yet, not everyone was appalled. Because if everyone were, then the behavior in question would have been met by universal condemnation, and by a commitment to altering the conditions, understandings, and assumptions that allow such behavior to take place. After all, three other police officers, in addition to the one who has been arrested, took part in George Floyd’s arrest. They failed to prevent George Floyd’s death. Being armed, they also prevented others from saving his life.
And if everyone were appalled by that killing -- which may yet one day be deemed a murder, if someone is convicted of it -- then they would have been appalled several months ago by the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed black jogger in Georgia, by an ex-police officer and his adult son. And they would have been appalled long before that by the killing of Eric Garner by New York City police officers in July of 2014 as he too cried out, “I can’t breathe.” (see:
here
)
Indeed, there is no shortage of appalling killings that have taken place during the past several years. Names like Tamir Rice, Philando Castile and Dominique Clayton are familiar for a reason. (See
here.
)
If everyone was was indeed appalled and disgusted, then systemic change would have occurred long ago. It hasn’t.
What, you may ask, does that have to do with us?
And what’s the answer? It is actually quite simple. We have a duty to be appalled. If I live in a society that tolerates -- that
empowers
-- cruel and appalling behavior, then I share some responsibility for that. I share responsibility for doing what I can to stop it.
As we recite in our morning prayers: "Save me from vicious people, from evil neighbors and from corrupt companions." By these words, we don't just mean we hope that none of them will hurt
us
. We are also expressing our hope that we will not be held accountable for their behavior toward others -- which we might have influenced had we taken action.
As the Talmud states:
Whoever is able to protest against the transgressions of his own family and does not do so is held responsible for the transgressions of his family. Whoever is able to protest against the transgressions of the people of his community and does not do so is held responsible for the transgressions of his community. Whoever is able to protest against the transgressions of the entire world and does not do so is held responsible for the transgressions of the entire world.
Babylonian Talmud:
Shabbat
54b
How is that to be done? There are many legitimate ways to protest, and to seek to carry out change. Joining together with others on a peaceful march is, of course, one of them. Many noble protests have taken place over the years. Many took place over the past few days in the cities of our nation.
But why must it wait for a crisis? After all, it’s the day-in-and-day-out work of seeking justice for all that should occupy our attention even when times are -- seemingly -- calm and placid.
It shouldn’t take the killing of a George Floyd to energize people, just as it shouldn’t take a Sandy Hook massacre to energize us to do something about gun control. (See
here.
) Both point to systemic problems in our society that extend far beyond the particular individuals involved.
Now, just as there are legitimate ways to pursue change, there are illegitimate ones as well. Rioting, looting, arson, assault -- these are illegitimate. We Jews should know this better than most.
If there’s a Jewish historical precedent that should sober us, it’s the pogroms in Europe. When protests become riots, they lose their legitimacy. Moreover, if their purpose is systemic change, they lose their effectiveness, and indeed become counter productive. They became weapons in the hands of those seeking to preserve the status quo.
For several years I have been involved in the work of the Jewish Community Relations Council (Boston's JCRC). I urge you to support their work, and to reach out to them to see if you can offer assistance. I urge you to reach out to the many other Jewish organizations that have expressed support for working toward the noble goal of ridding our country of the racism that has plagued it since its birth.
As the Orthodox Union has stated, "Racism is not a thing of the past or simply a political issue. It is a real and present danger that must be met head on.”
(See
here.
)
Joining together as Jews with other Jews to pursue justice is a
kiddush ha-shem
, a sanctification of God's name. Pursuing justice for all is not simply being "politically correct." It is why we are put on this earth, and it brings us closer to God. As we recite in the weekday
amidah
,
"
Hashiva shofteinu k'varishonah
... Restore our judges as in days of old, restore our counselors as in former times. Remove from us sorrow and anguish. Reign alone over us with lovingkindness; and with justice and mercy sustain our cause.
Praised are You, Adonai, who loves justice."
May we take away from these terrible days a resolve not merely to rue the problem, but to be a part of the solution.
Sincerely,
Rabbi Carl Perkins
