One of my favorite Bible characters has to be Peter. To me, Peter reminds me of people here in Baltimore — goodhearted, blue collar, extremely loyal. Raw, and full of sincerity.
A fisherman from a small rural town, Peter, was full of fervor. He lacked the refinement and pretentiousness of the established religious community or upper class. Jesus mentored him closely, keeping Peter in his inner circle with James and John. Peter walked on water, experienced the transfiguration, was given leadership of the church, and was intensely loyal to Christ. When the high priest's guard came to arrest Jesus and execute him under an unjust oppressive legal system on a false charge, Peter wasn't having it.
The police tried to apprehend Jesus and met Peter's sword coming at their heads. He cut off the high priest's servant's ear in the process. Peter wasn't marching. He wasn't rallying. He wasn't chanting or trying persuade the establishment to review their policies. He wasn't even looting, taking his anger out on inanimate objects. He was trying to protect his friend by violently acting out directly towards those who had been tasked to carry out the injustice.
Peter didn't try to reason with the men, but with his actions, Peter loudly and clearly said, "F*** the police!"
Let's compare the biblical account of Peter attacking the high guard/"police" to an incident that caught media attention during the Baltimore curfew. An unarmed man, wearing a shirt that said "F*** the Police," dared the police to arrest him. He was sprayed in the face with pepper spray and dragged face down through the street. The video went viral across the web. When people discussed what happened, the two main responses were:
1. I can't believe they did that to him, he wasn't doing anything to them!
2. What did he expect, he was wearing a t-shirt that said "F*** the Police!"
The similarities in the two stories are uncanny. Peter was part of an oppressed people group (Jews/Hebrews), who were upset with the oppressive system of the Roman government and showed it through uprisings/riots. They were having conflicts with the local police (temple soldiers) and national police (Roman soldiers). Many in the community felt their own Jewish leadership (King Herod) was in the back pocket of Rome and was more for their self-interests than the interests of others.
The young man in Baltimore is part of an oppressed people group (black/African-American), who are upset with the oppressive system of American government and showed it through uprising/riots. Black people have been having conflicts with the local police (Baltimore Police Department) and the national police (National Guard). Many in the black community feel that their own black leaders (Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake) are in the back pocket of oligarchs and are out more for their own self-interest than the interests of others.
In defense of his friend and his people, Peter decided to swing a sword at the head of the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. This would be like someone violently attacking the mayor's chief of staff or the police commissioner. Jesus' response was not only not to attack — he healed the servant's ear.
In defense of Freddie Gray and his people, a young man decides to wear a t-shirt that says "F*** the Police," confront the police, and get arrested.
When putting the two stories side by side, it is interesting that people would more easily relegate the young man to an angry black 'thug' than see his leadership potential and God-given characteristics, like Jesus saw in Peter.
The truth is, words sometimes hurt more than sticks and stones. Baltimore police officers have gotten their share of all of the above hurled at them. And I'm sure many of them are emotionally scarred from the uprising. The young man's t-shirt was not life threatening — unlike Apostle Peter's sword. But the message printed on the shirt hit their psyches like a brick. The phrase "F*** the police" was coined by rap group NWA during a time of intensifying police brutality in poor black urban areas. So it makes sense that the phrase has emerged again, at a time like this. But what does it mean?
The relationships between police and the majority of poor black Baltimore city residents is in a concerning place of disrepair. I would rather have someone scream "F*** the police!" at officers or wear that t-shirt than to follow in Peter's footsteps of violence. The police response to the confrontational man is to be expected — they answer back, through their actions, "F*** you, too."
Violent creates more violence. What is the solution?
The definition of profane is:
1. to treat (something sacred) with abuse, irreverence, or contempt
2. not devoted to holy or religious purposes; unconsecrated; secular (opposed to sacred)
It's interesting that the news blurred out the word "f***" because its profane. But they didn't blur out the young man being pepper sprayed or his head being dragged along the concrete. If I view all humanity as sacred beings, children of God, created in his image, then to treat one with irreverence, contempt, or in an abusive manner is profane.
What is the solution? Truth and healing. We need to come into alignment with the truth of nonviolence in word (t-shirt) and deed (pepper spray/dragging).
In the story of Peter, Jesus tells Peter to put down his violent attempt at revolution, as violence will only lead to death. Then Jesus heals the oppressor.
The only way to drive out darkness is through light, and the only way to destroy an enemy is to make them your friend. The truth that police brutality is a real problem needs to brought into the light and exposed for what it is, because there are many who still don't believe it is a problem. A healing cultural shift needs to happen within the Baltimore police department, away from racial bias and an "them versus us" mentality and towards professionalism and effective policing strategies.
Like the man who lost his ear, the BPD no longer has the ability to really hear and resonate with the community. The BPD needs to build trust through active listening to the community and building real relationships with residents.
And the community has to be willing to forgive but not forget. We must become a healing agent for oursevles and the systems which govern us.
Joshua Smith (@belovejoshua) is a community activist and intentional living pastor in Baltimore.
Got something to say about what you're reading? We value your feedback!