BURNING CROSSES

I've been following this story on the news about the
recent church burnings an Alabama.
At first, as a fiery civil rights activist,
I was aflame because of the old pain and anger
about black churches in the south being burned
in some ignorant, disgusting, pathetic show of racism.
But, as this story developed,
it seemed there was no race thing.
Churches burned that were segregated
to different skin colored groups.
All burned down, across the board.

(Rant: Why oh why are churches so segregated?
Why is anything?
Why does anyone judge anything by skin color?
I've never understood that.
Melanin, an enzyme, is what determines one's
skin color. It is produced by the body
as a protective agent, shielding
the body from harmful things, like sun rays.
The amount of melanin in a body may be traced to
that body's historic origin of location, yet ever evolving,
relative to it equatorial positioning,
since, of course, because of it's spherical nature,
the earth's equator is closest to the sun.
It's that simple.)

So, all kinds of churches in Alabama were burned down.
This is obviously a familiar place to me.
I grew up in southern churches,
I grew up in Alabama churches.
My dad teaches bible study at an Alabama church.
A very rural and secluded Alabama church.
The churches that were burned down this time
were reported to be all in "rural" and "secluded" areas.
I know what that often means.
People on the low side of the economic line.
Probably poor people assigned to this crazy planet
for whatever reason
who go to their "rural, secluded" church and try to put
some sort of meaning into their existence here.
To try to find some sort of
"peace that passes understanding"
because who the hell can understand all this?

And what the HELL is the point of burning them down?
I believe in faith, NOT religion, absolutely.
So, church? The actual thing, "structure"?
Not the biggest thing in my thing.
But my thing is different than other people's thing.
People need different things to survive.
I am strongly against any "church" that seems to be
a capitalistic venture.
I'm not a capitalist.
I'm not a republican.
I do not believe in using "God Lives Here",
or "I Represent God" to make money.
I don't believe in religious hierarchy for
power or control or money
which, yes, is often cooked up
in the kitchen of a church or a religion
(or a presidency).
I have a different, personal belief in
every person having very direct contact with God,
If You Choose To Accept This Mission
for yourself, and not just in group think.
I believe in a very, very, big, big spirit
of internal discernment,
God given,
that let's you know what is right and wrong,
If You Choose To LISTEN.
I believe in Love, and self sacrifice,
and altruism, and kindness,
and intelligence, and hard work,
and truth and all that stuff that
stands firm even in the harsh darkness
of iniquity.

But... Anyways...
Burning down poor, rural churches?
Hey, tough guy...
What the crazy ass loser are you doing?
One church, by the way...
I saw a picture of their corner stone
that said "established in 1819".
So, You? Asshole?
Born in like 1981 or after?
Get your kicks by burning down old,
historic, rural churches?
Pathetic.

Want an economy lesson now?
The rural poor is an enormous problem.
Rural areas are the hard hit as far as poverty
and unemployment go.
The urban poor get more screen time,
because they are more visible.
(read: there are more TV shows and film
productions in NY and L.A.).
The rural poor are often hard working people,
trying every way they can to survive.
And, yeah, are often big church goin' folk,
who are seeking hope and belief and Good Stuff.
I distinctly remember as a kid,
the little wooden charts on my church walls
every Sunday
(and Wednesday and other days and nights)
with slid in numbers proclaiming
the attendance and the offering and
the number of visitors at last week's
Sunday Meeting.
And I remember being blown away one time
that the offering was $200.
It was a record number.
$200, collected by hard working,
rural, secluded people,
so the lights would be on at the church the next week,
and there would be a little heat in the corner heater,
so the piano player would be paid
so they could give, if anything... something
and a so few people might have hope as they see it
for seven more days.

So... hey,
HOOD ROBIN,
You've got it ass backward.
What exactly are you fighting?
A hangover?

The suspects in this case were said,
by their friends and "college" classmates
to be friendly, smart, and blah, blah, blah.
That it was just a "joke" that got out of hand.
That they were just "drunk".

Note the word "college".
Note the word "joke".
Note the word "drunk".

Anybody else get the notion that this sounds like
a bunch of spoiled, white, frat guys
who make every other person who is
trying hard to get an education, or maybe loves
a funny, clever literary quip, or has a cocktail when
they have earned it, put to shame?
No...
Shame On Them.

"College"?
Education is so important.
Done in the right way,
it can teach one to think for oneself.
It can give you the tools to do the right thing.
This is something that millions only dream of,
and can not afford.
Many join the military for this reason alone,
for it's their only way to pay for college,
and kill and get killed for it
in the wake of an unexpected war.
Somebody paid these matchbook's tab, obviously.
They don't care.

"Joke"?
I am really, really funny.
I like plays on words,
and really, really smart humor.
And I come up with it and share it.
And I love it when others do.
DO NOT dishonor the word "joke", O.K.?

"Drunk"?
What?
I'm drinking a beer right now.
I am absolutely guilty
of drinking too much Budweiser on occasion,
and yes,
overly telling people how much I love them,
talking to my pets for hours,
praying, overly intensely,
dancing alot,
singing alot,
happy, embarrassing things,
but...
did I ever get a long neck and think,
"Hey, I'm gonna go burn down a church!!!"
Hey, you ninnies,
Do Not Blame The Beer.

This is no Joke.
I don't even like church.
It scares me sometimes.
But I have my own faith in things
and my own opinions as to what I
think is good for me or not.

The government using "church" as a platform?
Not good for me.
The Church using believers to buy stuff for themselves?
Not good for me.
Anyone telling me what I should and should not
feel or believe in when I talk to God all
the time and get my very own, VERY clear answers?
Not good for me.

Being completely pissed off that a couple of stupid,
spoiled criminals thought it was was a drunk, college, joke
to burn down a bunch of rural churches
and then me writing about it...
Passionately?

Very Good For Me.