Killer Mike Shines The Spotlight On This Police Officer…
Last year, I uttered the words #BlackLivesMatter in church and what came next took me by surprise… I wrote about it here and here.
Part of the push-back had to do with police officers… an assumption was being made somehow that if black lives matter, police don’t.
For some reason, if bad policing was called out or critiqued, folks assumed what’s being said is that police are evil. This logic just doesn’t add up though. If someone takes a stand against an abusive father, it doesn’t mean they are against fathering. They’re merely against abusive fathering.
I’m certainly not against policing ( I will admit there have been a few times while getting a ticket that I considered being against policing, but I’m over it now). I have friends who are police officers and can honestly say that I am thankful for their work and service.
And while I am not against police officers, I am against 12 year old boys like Tamir Rice being gunned down by a police officers. This is not acceptable. Never. Ever.
But this post today is not about bad policing. Actually, it’s quite the opposite. It’s about policing done right.
I recently watched a rapper named Killer Mike on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert and was completely mesmerized with him. He was funny, intelligent, articulate, and personable.
In this interview on CNN, Killer Mike shines the light on police officer Tommy Norman from Little Rock, Arkansas for doing it right.
When I watched the video, I couldn’t help but think: If Jesus was a police officer, this is what he’d be like.
Thank God for police officers like Tommy Norman. I agree with Killer Mike 100% – this guy is doing it right.
Check out Officer Norman’s Instagram feed
I am a husband, father, pastor, leader & reader. I love God, love people & love life.
We saw that same interview and came away with those same impressions. It reminded me of your post in the Art of arguing from the other day. I thought, ” THIS is the kind of intelligent discourse and disagreement these issues need. THIS is the thpe of thing that’s moves hearts instead of makes enemies”
Yes, I know what you mean Nick. When we stop flinging poo and actually bring something to the table, hope begins to rise.
Hey Brian, i read this post and the posts about the #blacklivesmatter services. To be honest I never heard any of the services when you mentioned that movement. I never heard anyone talk about it either. I think praying for the black community is great and we should do as much as we can to serve them as it is a part of serving the community.
My understanding of the blacklivesmatter movement is it all started with false assumptions created by false testimony. It quickly morphed into an anti policing movement. You must admit that there rhetoric and tone went to far at some point.
I watched the interview with Killer Mike and I think he’s great. I was left with one question from his interview. Is he putting the responsibility of mentoring and educating black children at the feet of police and white people? That sounds like slavery to me.
Regarding the blogs you wrote about praying for the #blacklivesmatter moment and the black community, I’ll be honest, it irritates me. In the area that NW Life sits there are probably a few dozen different ethnicities represented. If we start segregating our services based on race or origin how can we truly have a color blind church. What’s next, croatian-americanlivesmatter service, Indian-Americanlivesmatter? Or will we simply wait for the news narrative to cycle through before we turn our attention there?
I don’t think anyone at church thinks a more colorful church body is a bad thing. I think everyone is in support of that agenda. Consider this, my jobs bring me in contact with many different cultures, ethnicities, religions and even multiple genders. What you’re trying to create in a building is my everyday life. I would imagine most people in NW Life are similar.
I hope my tone is not too harsh. I like you as my pastor and I agree with most of what you preach. I disagree with your applications some times.
Hi Jon. Thanks for stopping by, reading, and sharing your thoughts. My understanding of what Killer Mike is saying about mentoring is that it is necessary both ways – that the underprivileged need that investment made in them, and the privileged need to step into their world… to grow, learn, understand the plight of those less fortunate. I’m pretty sure he mentioned those from a different race, socioeconomic background, religion… But again, I think the point he’s making is that when we cross over those boundaries – instead of staying in our homogenized camps – the “other” becomes humanized to us.