Tone Policing and Demands for Prayers for Killer Cops
After the conviction of former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, the reaction expressed on social media varied. Of course, there were those who insisted that Derek Chauvin was a “scape goat” for a society that “coddles” criminals and that this was evidence of the “persecution” that police officers get for doing their job.
Other responses included relief. Some people viewed this as a belated first step towards some measure of accountability for killer cops. Another common reaction can be summed up as as too little too late. True justice would be George Floyd still being alive. Plus, Chauvin’s conviction does very little to change the overall justice system which is overwhelmingly built on the exploitation and incarceration of Black and brown people.
The first response disgusted me, but I was not surprised. The defenders of white supremacy and of racist police, are extremely vocal about their support for state sanctioned murder of Black and brown people. This response is cruel and horrific, but not unexpected. Supporters of white supremacy, and make no mistake those who believe Derek Chauvin was justified in murdering George Floyd and who uncritically defend law enforcement are supporters of white supremacy, will always make it clear that Black and brown lives do not matter to them.
The other responses, I could empathize with. Especially since my own personal reaction was a mixed. On the one hand, I was relieved at the conviction. Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd and at the very least the inadequate and unjust legal system recognized that. On the other hand, I struggle with reinforcing the racist justice system. The fact that they found one killer cop guilty does not make up for the hundreds of other cops who are rewarded by the legal system for murder. This conviction won’t stop other murders-in fact it hasn’t. Black and brown people continued to be murdered during Chauvin’s trial, while the verdict was read, and in the immediate aftermath.
But there is one response I find difficult to wrap my head around: demands by white progressive Christians to pray for Derek Chauvin. Notice, I do not write that I do not understand Christians who want to pray for Derek Chauvin. If individual progressive Christians feel compelled to pray for Derek Chauvin and that he receives a change of heart and true repentance, that’s fine. Go ahead. You do you.
My issue is the ways in which some white progressive Christians frame praying for Derek Chauvin as a moral imperative that all “true” Christians need to engage in, including Black and brown Christians. My problem is that these progressive, predominately white Christians, who demand prayers for Derek Chauvin present themselves as morally superior to those of us who are not invested in praying for Derek Chauvin. Yet, many times, these very same Christians refuse to acknowledge the ways they benefit and support white supremacy.
You want to pray for Derek Chauvin and other officers that murder Black and brown people because you feel that the gospel compels you to do so? Fine. By all means, practice your faith. But if you aren’t working to ensure that these killers do not have the means or authority to murder Black and brown people in the first place, your prayers are worthless. These prayers are the white progressive Christian equivalent of the “thoughts and prayers” that are flouted after the latest mass shooting by people who refuse to advocate for gun control. They sound nice, but they do absolutely nothing to end murders and violence.
Additionally, white progressive Christians, you do not get to dictate how Black and brown people react to those that kill us. No doubt, there are some Black and brown Christians whose faith inspires them to pray for Derek Chauvin and killer cops. That’s great!
But there are others of us, who do not feel the need to pray for those authorized to kill us. And our responses are valid. We are no less “good” Christians because we aren’t posting missives about how Jesus would want us to pray for our enemies. I’m pretty sure Jesus would also want to stop the state sanctioned murders of Black and brown people, so if you can focus on that, instead of trying to tone police and guilt shame Black and brown people into responding to state sanctioned murders in ways that make you feel comfortable, that would be great.
Again, I have no qualms to pick with white progressive Christians who believe that it is their duty to pray that Derek Chauvin and other killer cops truly repent and recognize the harm they have caused. I have no qualms with Christians who believes that God loves Derek Chauvin and killer cops. I also believe that God loves all. (Though I also believe that while God loves all, God sides with the oppressed.)
But my problem is with individual Christians who use prayers and Jesus’ calls to love one’s enemies as thinly veiled attempts at tone policing Black and brown grief and anger. Dear white progressive Christians, you can individually pray for Derek Chauvin and other killer cops, without insisting that Black and brown people need to as well.
I take issue with those who use prayers as an acceptable alternative to doing the hard work of preventing Black and brown people from being murdered by law enforcement. Prayers for killer cops will not stop them from murdering Black and brown people. What will? Making sure cops do not have the weapons or authority to murder.
Yes, yes, one can do both. So, if you are a progressive white Christian who is fighting racial justice and an end for police violence, who is praying for Derek Chauvin and other killer cops, while also not tone policing Black and brown people, then this is blog post is not directed at you.
But if you think praying for killer cops makes you some sort of super Christian, while you refuse to engage in the hard work of dismantling your own reliance and support for white supremacist institutions such as law enforcement and you have the audacity to tone police Black and brown grief and anger, then yes, I am talking to you.
