In the Absence of Justice

The following is a guest article by my good friend, Bill McGee. Bill is a Christian businessman in Springfield, IL. He is a leader in the community and periodically writes information pieces on race relations in our local paper. His desire is to both challenge our perceptions and promote constructive dialog through knowledge and understanding of racial inequality.

Greenwood Massacre of 1921

Bill was the inspiration behind one of my most read blogs concerning the 1921 massacre in Tulsa, Oklahoma 100 years ago this month. This tragic and calculated attack destroyed a vibrant business district and residential community. It resulted in the death of over 300 black citizens, and left over 10,000 homeless victims in its destructive wake. 

This terrible incident has become the worst instance of racial violence in U.S. history! Having been largely covered up for a century now, the Tulsa massacre is only of late being given greater attention in the media.  Please click on the link at the bottom of the page to read what is titled as the "Conspiracy of Silence." 

Thank you, Bill McGee for your commitment to Christ and His church and to the task of modeling and messaging the way Christian citizens must believe and behave to make this world a better place for all persons regardless of racial or ethnic identity. 

                                                   Guest Blog - "In The Absence of Justice" 

June 1, 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the ugliest most egregious crime ever perpetrated on Black Enterprise in the history of America; the annihilation of Greenwood, the community in Tulsa Oklahoma known as Black Wall Street. Though the lives of hundreds of black citizens were lost during that night of terror, and more than 1100 homes destroyed, more than 85 businesses, churches and schools destroyed, and thousands of people displaced; no insurance claim was ever paid out for the destruction, and no participant in that heinous act of terrorism was ever prosecuted and/or imprisoned. 

Why is it that, historically, when atrocities such as the one that occurred in Tulsa in 1921 (and perpetrated on American soil by American citizens) are finally acknowledged; they’re referred to as “riots”, and not the murderous massacres that they actually were? 

How long does it take for the economic and emotional scars of an event such as that to heal, if ever they can be healed? There certainly is no way to measure or restore the economic loss that this event caused to the generations of Black Americans who followed. 

How does one remove the sense of anger, depression, and mourning that linger 100 years later, over the loss of people and property; taken away with total and absolute impunity to those responsible? And how does the conscience of a nation reconcile an event in which the very worst of its character was demonstrated?"

-  Bill McGee, Springfield IL.

Here is the link to the October 2019 article on this subject...

http://www.mjkministries.com/2019/10/a-conspiracy-of-silence.html

Thank you for reading this weekly blog. While it may not seem like much to some, having 4500 pageviews last month was especially gratifying to me. Without readers like you, this writer would not have a reason to write! 

With gratitude, Mike Keppler, retired pastor, active churchman and doting grandparent!

Contact: drmjkeppler@gmail.com