Racial Justice Statement ELCA Presiding Bishop

Read the following in Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson’s Racial Justice Statement.

Speak out against hate crimes and other racial injustices in our communities and work to strengthen legislation that supports and protects civil rights

At another place, he asks for honest discussion on the topic so here goes. When people start talking about hate crimes it makes me nervous. All crimes are hate crimes, period. Murder, for example is the greatest example of hate.

Do I destroy someones property unless I somehow hate them? And how does property damage, for example, become worse when there is “hate?” How do we figure out if someone hates? If someone is murdered, does it really matter if the killer hated them because of their race? Isn’t murder, murder? What thought will be illegal next?

Some random questions I don’t expect answers to. I expect to be asked to repent of my racism because I asked them.

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