We are concerned clergy of Hawaii who condemn the insurrection that occurred at our nation’s Capitol on Wednesday. Ironically, this disgraceful exercise in mob violence occurred on the feast day of the Epiphany, the day God’s love is poured out upon the whole world.
In stunning contrast to a day celebrating the joy of human salvation, an insurrection exploded in our midst. An insurrection that was aimed at destroying the peaceful transfer of power to President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. An insurrection that was directly and intentionally set in motion by Donald Trump. We, along with so many others, watched in horror as a predominantly white crowd, some carrying weapons, stormed the halls of the U.S. House and Senate, as many in law enforcement seemed to stand down and stand by.
We recalled the many peaceful protests last summer by people of color that were met with often violent, over the top responses, from law enforcement. What the Wednesday insurrection revealed for all the world to see was the original sin that has infected our nation since before its founding. The sin of racism was on full display that day — not only in the way in which law enforcement failed to respond, but in the effort to overturn a valid, honest and decisive election victory that chose decency over demagoguery, facts over lies, and justice over bigotry.
The Wednesday insurrection was nothing less than an effort to disenfranchise people of color in this nation, who voted overwhelmingly for our new leadership. Now is the time to excise the cancer of racism from our body politic. Now is the time to confess that white America owes Black America reparations, restitution and sincere remorse.
Now is the time to examine and cure mass incarceration, red-lining, school inequality and all of the other structural and systemic barriers we have placed before our fellow citizens of color for centuries. Now is the time to make these fundamental policy changes that will help establish peace with justice in our society.
This challenge and this disgrace does not lie only at the feet of Donald Trump. Countless politicians and fellow travelers have encouraged baseless conspiracy theories, outright lies about the integrity of our election, and have made frivolous arguments in too many courts.
As a nation, we really do need to re-examine our fundamental values, and return to a place where we can see one another as sisters and brothers and not as enemies. We need to confront the deep-seated fear that motivates so much hatred. We need to recognize that at the end of the day we are all one people.
As people of faith we trust in the light that shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it (John 1:5), We call upon all people of good will to harken to the Light of the Gospel values of the inherent God-given dignity, equality and respect due every human person. Our nation’s founding principles are noble, yet are often unmet. Now is the time to meet them. The soul of our nation is on trial.
The Rev. Brian Grieves formerly headed the Peace and Justice Office of the Episcopal Church; the Rev. Jazzy Bostock, middle, is priest in charge of St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church in Maili; the Rev. Diane Martinson is rector of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. Other co-signatories are the Revs. David Kawika Jackson, Alison Dingley, David Gierlach, Raymond Woo and John Hau‘oli Tomoso.
