Detroit 67: A Personal Reflection

Last weekend marked the fiftieth anniversary of the Detroit Riots.  I grew up in the Motor City and happened to be home for a friend’s wedding that weekend.  My family had spent the Sunday at a cottage on Lake Huron.  My plan was to have my dad drive me to the bus station downtown so I could catch the “red eye” back to Chicago where I was working that summer.  As we got in the car to drive back to Detroit we got our first radio reports about the unrest.  I convinced my dad to at least try to make the drive downtown but we were turned back by policeman before we had driven two miles. 

We did make the trip before dawn the following morning.  The streets were deserted as we drove down Jefferson Avenue.   We passed block after block of stores that had been looted.  Some buildings were on fire but there was not a fireman in sight.  I did make it to the bus station, where I was informed I would need to pay an extra $5.00 for insurance because of the situation.  The streets were deserted and smoke hung in the air as we weaved through downtown.  As I headed east on I-94, a convoy of National Guard vehicles drove past heading in the opposite direction.  I immediately sensed that the beautiful town of childhood would never be the same.

The neighborhood I grew up in changed over the next few years.  The shops and homes were never touched by civil disturbances, but fear drove people to the suburbs.  One by one the shops on Warren Ave. closed and soon the community was a shadow of its former self.  While most of our neighbors sold their homes and joined the exodus, my parents stayed.  They lived in the same house for another thirty-seven years until declining health forced them to move to a senior community.  They stayed because my dad had the attitude that it was his neighborhood and he would learn to get along with whoever chose to live there.  On summer evenings when I returned home, I remember him sitting on the porch and greeting all who would pass by.

This past Sunday, the Detroit newspapers published a special edition reflecting on the riots. A major movie has been released that focuses on one of the stories from the riots.  I read the news articles but think I will pass on the film.  If you want insights into the Detroit of the Sixties and the circumstances that led to the disturbances I would recommend the book Once in a Great City, by David Maraniss. 

Personally, I would rather reflect on the lessons I wish we had learned from the uprising.  Economic classes are an unfortunate reality.  Ethic and racial diversity are also a part of our American landscape.  In my mind the solution comes in being sensitive to the needs of others, and learning to listen.  We can try to blame the police, or our civic leaders, but the change needs to happen in our neighborhoods and in the workplace.  Each one of us must take ownership of the problem. 

Messy Grace

I just finished reading the book Messy Grace by Caleb Kaltenbach.  Thanks to my friend Paul Short for recommending it to me.  Caleb Kaltenbach has a very unique perspective when it comes to the LGBT community and the church.  He was raised by his lesbian mother and her partner.  As such, he joined them in marching in gay pride parades and in the process experienced the hatred of some individuals in the name of Christianity.  During his high school years he became involved in a Christian community and ultimately became a pastor.  Today he is married with a family and is lead pastor at Discovery Church in Simi Valley, California.

In the book, Caleb Kaltenbach takes us on his spiritual journey.  He credits the love and grace he experienced through his Christian friends for his faith conversion.  In the process he not only came to know the love of Jesus, but God’s expectations in terms of our sexuality.  I found little to disagree with when it comes to his Biblical perspective on the LGBT issue.  There is little doubt that it runs counter to God’s plan for His creation.  Still we are called to minister to that community.  In the process, things can get messy; hence the title for the book.

I found one key statement that captures Caleb Kaltenbach’s perspective: People are not the enemy.  They are the mission.  It is a reality that we live in a different world where the culture has shifted.  Unfortunately, as Christians we meet people who are different from us and immediately perceive them as adversaries.  It might be that they are gay or perhaps come from a different spiritual perspective.  That runs contrary to the example that Jesus established.  He seemed to seek out those who were not only lost, but whose lifestyles might run counter to the religious community of that day.  Consider his relationship with Matthew, Zaccheus and the women at the well. 

Messy Grace is a must read for those of us who desire to make a difference in our changing culture.  If we hope to pass on the torch of faith we, need to stop seeing those who are different as adversaries.  

America: From a Millennial Perspective

As we prepare to celebrate this Fourth of July, the Barna Group has released a new report on what Americans believe makes our country great.  Participants were presented with a list of choices with the option of selecting two.  The top response was “the opportunity to be what you want to be” (24%).  The Constitution and freedom of the press/free speech with the next most popular responses at 21%.  We still value the freedom of religion (21%) and our democracy (21%).

There was big variance between generations when it came to the perception of what makes America great.  Baby boomers and Elders hold the Constitution and Bill of Rights in higher esteem (29% and 22% respectively) as opposed to Millennials (16% and 8%).  Freedom of religions was not nearly as important to Millennials (19%) as opposed to older adults (33%).  Millennials, more than any other generation, seem to value our country being a “melting pot society” (16%) while Baby Boomers and Elders hold that characteristic in lower esteem (3%).   

Based on my experience, I am not surprised at this information.  Young adults and teens both value the fact that they live in a country where they are free to be what God created them to be.  This includes how they use their skills and talents, as well as how they express themselves.  More than other generations, they want to celebrate our cultural and ethnic diversity.  Today’s young people also have a strong entrepreneurial spirit.  More than any other generation they want to capitalize on the opportunity live out the American dream. 

There are two things I have learned from Millennials.  It is okay to dream and strike out on your own.  Secondly, not to see the differences in people as an obstacle but rather as an opportunity.