Righteous Anger

Dear Parker Family

As I write this, it seems that America and the rest of the world is burning. A tornado swept through our campus, the worst pandemic in one hundred years swept across the world creating the greatest mass isolation and quarantines in history, and the world financial markets seemed to be on the verge of collapse. It could not get any worse, and then it did. The world witnessed the callus and cavalier murder of a handcuffed black man who was in the custody of the Minneapolis police.  This was the murder of a man who was being held in custody for a relatively minor crime by those whom we look to for protection.

After a 400 year history of slavery and black oppression, and given the strain that the entire world has been under for most of this year, this iconic act was the spark needed to ignite the explosive fire that has burned in our country for the past week. Righteous anger and indignation burned bright. But righteous protests have been tainted by an element of anarchists who have turned some of the protests for equality into violent attacks on other Americans by burning down portions of their cities and looting.

My heart is heavy for our nation and for our city. Slogans, memes, and statement letters from college presidents will have little impact on the history of our nation. What is needed is a change of heart and a collective revival of brotherly love. We need to confess to ourselves where we have failed in our own lives and to share love with others.

Four years ago I wrote of another sorrow when our city was torn apart by the shooting of five Dallas police officers. Little has changed, and little will change as we go forward unless there is a change in the hearts of our people.

If we were able gather together on campus right now, I would ask that we all meet together and hold hands and to pray for healing of our nations and for the sin of bias which we all battle with in our hearts.  We may burn with righteous anger, but do not give way to hate. In the end we must conquer racial prejudice with love, solidarity, and by lifting up all people as priceless creations who are each a unique gift from God to the world.

Life is precious, all life is precious. Black lives are precious.

Godspeed and Stay Safe

William E. Morgan

President Parker University