Family Promise Support Opportunity

Dear Grace UCC, there are currently four homeless families in the Family Promise network in need of our support. As I announced at church on Sunday, the Flemington Presbyterian Church (FPC) will be hosting the families for the next two weeks. And our support of that hosting is important. This hosting has been organized the way we have become most comfortable.

Steve Lederach and I are in particular need of volunteers for those first 3 days (Sun-Tue). It hard for those of us coordinating this hosting to relax when many of the early slots are still open. So please, let’s get these slots filled, moving from the left to the right please. And rumor has it, if you do multiple slots, you win favor with Pastor Dan! I know. It’s a very small reward… :)

Lastly, I won’t have the demographic break down of the four families (adults, children, ages, etc.) until the official memo comes out. In the meantime, let’s start volunteering.

Thank you.

— Bill Taylor

November 3rd is Food Pantry Sunday

"So You Want to Talk About Race" Week 7 Update

WEEK 7: 15 attendees

Part 1: Chapter 8: What is the school-to-prison pipeline?

Prior to the meeting, Karen circulated a podcast on the Brown v Board Supreme Court decision and its aftermath:

http://revisionisthistory.com/episodes/13-miss-buchanans-period-of-adjustment

The discussion revolved around issues of “representation” and how important it is for non-white students to be exposed to non-white teachers, particularly in the lower (primary) grades. It was noted that the NJ State Department of Education reports graduation rates throughout the state broken down by sex and ethnicity. There was also a discussion about intersectionality with teacher gender as well.

[After class note: Hunterdon Central Regional High School reported graduation rates of 95%, 88%, and 78% for whites, black/African-American, and Hispanics; however, I would note that the magnitude of the differences may not be significant based on the sample sizes - the ratios of students in the adjusted cohort to those graduating was 632:603 for whites, 17:15 for Black/African-American, and 64:50 for Hispanics. For additional data, and for all schools in Hunterdon County and other counties in NJ, see https://nj.gov/education/data/grate/2018/ ]

The following article was circulated after class for review:

https://sojo.net/articles/study-shows-racism-shortens-lifespan-black-people]

Part 2: Chapter 9: Why can’t I say the “N” word?

This chapter was pretty straightforward. We did discuss how certain pejorative terms can be used within a group that owns that term can be used a sign of belonging, such as the use of the “N” word within the Black/African-American community in the same way that “queer” is sometimes used in the “fluid” (non-straight, non-heterosexual) group. However, when those terms are used by those outside a group, they retain their history of separation, dehumanization, and oppression.

Peace,

— Duncan Taylor

"So You Want to Talk about Race" Week 6 Update

WEEK 6: 14 attendees

Chapter 6: Is police brutality really about race?

The discussion started out focused on the recent shooting in Fort Worth.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fort-worth-police-officer-who-fatally-shot-atatiana-jefferson-resigns-n1065866

This entire incident played as if it were, sadly, a textbook illustration of the words in this chapter.

The group discussed individual reactions to police stops; contrasts were drawn between interactions between law enforcement and white or non-white citizens. Many personal stories were shared.

The potential issues for law enforcement personnel were reviewed:

1. Implicit bias

2. Law enforcement’s role: Enforcement or protection?

3. The tendency of some personnel to enter the law enforcement profession as a means to extend the scope of personal power

4. The tendency of law enforcement to “close ranks” when presented with the existence of “bad apples”; the priority of Brotherhood over Justice

The implications of the views of law enforcement as a potential enemy rather than a friend in a community:

1. Division

2. Fear

3. Acceptance or denial of crime

Repeatedly, the question was raised, “Why would you call the police? Didn’t you think about the potential consequences?”

After our class, the following article was circulated:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/what-can-a-black-person-do-to-keep-from-getting-killed-by-police-in-this-country/2019/10/14/28ab0ea8-eeb9-11e9-89eb-ec56cd414732_story.html?fbclid=IwAR1b8CpCzNCm2qDIO8YWX3ievhd7eSFk82WURTfENB7LeKpRA17CERP8pwo

As was this one;

https://www.google.com/amp/s/time.com/4404987/police-violence/%3Famp%3Dtrue

Along with that were two questions to be addressed AFTER reading the article:

(1) When you read the article, did you detect how the examples given in first few paragraphs may subtly differ from the examples we will be discussing tomorrow?

(2) How do you feel about the suggestion that police simply kill innocent people regardless of race? I am not asking do you believe it’s true. I’m asking does that suggestion make you feel better?

(3) Lastly now, if it is true that police are indiscriminate in their killing of innocent people, why do non-white people fear the police but white people don’t?

Peace,

— Duncan Taylor