The Other America

from the color of the faces in sunday's songs

to the hatred they raised all the youngsters on

once upon a time in this country long ago

she knew there was something wrong

because the song said yellow, red, black, and white

everyone precious in the path of christ

but what about the daughter of the woman cleaning their house

wasnt she a child they were singing about

and if Jesus loves us black or white skin

why didn't her white mother invite them in?

when did it become a room for no blacks to step in?

how did she already know not to ask the question

left lasting impressions

adolescence's comforts gone

she never thought things would ever change

but she always knew there was something wrong

Last night I watched a documentary about Anne Braden. Its a good one. It seems the history of that time and of those issues too often gets brushed over. Or maybe I'm just not a history major. Even so there are lessons here for everyone and for all times that I wish I would've studied more and that I wish I knew more about. We do live in a society where something is wrong. Although it may not be codified in Jim Crow laws or to the same extent that it was in the past, white supremacy is still rampant in our institutions, culture and demographics. 

This American Life (the radio show, not the abstract idea of a US citizen's journey from birth to death) recently did an incredibly powerful two part series on a highschool in Chicago. Although the show's main emphasis was on gun violence and how this group of people dealt with it, I was struck by brokenness of the whole system. Then, hearing Anne Braden's personal life story and testimony I was struck by the reality that, no matter how far removed you or I may feel from those students at Harper High we are still apart of the same society. We are under the same government and the leaders that I help elect make policies that more often than not hinder rather than help kids like Devonte. 

Throughout the Anne Braden documentary the issue of economic justice for all is touched upon in various ways. It seems to me that poverty and wealth are defining issues of any era. In the 50's and 60's it may have been more explicitly tied to race but even now the trends from the past continue. Race aside I still agree with Anne in that there is something wrong. When highschool kids have to put up with their friends being shot by their peers and when the highschools that are supposed to be helping those kids find ways out of that violent system are looking forward to their funding being cut, I say there is something wrong! 

Anne Braden got it right. We must ask the tough questions, seek out what where we are being unjust and join the 'other America'. The other America that is not ok with failing schools, with discrimination, or with policies that make keep people down.

That said, I also have to add a confession. This blog is, after all, about the life and times of Tyler Groff. The above simply covers what happened last night, the documentary I watched, a radio program I listened to and some of my musings on the subjects covered therein. Its easy to call out the injustices around me. To a certain extent its kinda fun to get all fired up, to try and pull at your heart strings the same way the story of Harper High and Anne Braden did to mine. But thats only half of what this blog is about. The other half is about what I'm doing and so I feel I need to add that even I am not living up to my own hopes of what people might do. I wish I knew my country's history better. I wish I had a clearer idea of what to do from here. I wish I had the drive and passion to work justice and a better life for all. 

Instead I get overwhelmed by annoying neighbor dogs or crappy weather; I get the travel bug or the biking bug; In short I'm selfish. And I guess, thats not really what I'm wishing against. I wouldn't think to wish that I didn't love mountain biking, or that I won't get a job at a high end bike shop. I don't expect myself to not get depressed about lousy weather or living in a shed. I just wish that I could go beyond that.

But for now I guess I'll just keep working on it. I'll go biking, or maybe hiking tomorrow and I'll be sure to get some good desert pictures no matter what I do. There's a hymn sing tomorrow night that'll be sure to lift my spirits even if it doesn't do a damn thing for the neglected or the poor.