Author: Higher Up IDEALS
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Dealing With Privilege and Playing the Cards You Were Dealt
The subject of privilege is confusing. When some people hear it, it brings up all sorts of complex feelings. I have some personal feelings about how the term is used. But I don’t really get into it here. With this video I am making an attempt to bridge a chasm that many of us face…
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Two Ideas One Mind: The Vices and Virtues of Cognitive Dissonance
I sometimes wonder if hypocrisy comes from a person’s inability to harmonize the seemingly divergent awarenesses that arise as a result of them experiencing cognitive dissonance. Take for example someone like the segregationist Senator, Strom Thurmond who, despite adamantly advocating against civil rights for Black Americans and pushed for state’s rights to impose segregation, was…
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What Are You Talking About Witness?
How committed are you to a just an equitable world? This piece is a repost of a reflection that I shared in the Together Colorado Faith Voices newsletter. When I was growing up, I used to watch a show called “Diff’rent Strokes”. It was the story about two young Black boys who were adopted by…
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Haunted By Forgiveness
For the entire week before George Floyd was murdered, I meditated on the teachings of forgiveness in light of Jesus’ execution in preparation for a sermon on forgiveness. In order to get myself into the mindset, I imagined myself forgiving a police officer who was killing me and I watched an hour and a half…
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Racism’s Last Day
Other posts to make you scratch your head: The Threat of Equality When Rules Break the Law The Choice for Choice
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What Is the Language of Justice?
“If there was no such thing as language, would we all be saying the same thing?” — Kelly FitzPatrick Silva (Kitchen Philosopher) After the controversy that emerged from the conversation on race between Lou Giglio, the CEO of Chick-Fil-A, and the rapper Lecrae where Giglio tried to rebrand the concept of “white privilege” as “white…
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New Me #BLM Cut – Pedro Silva (featuring the Voices of the Movement)
Originally posted on It's All In Me – Poetry Blog: https://youtu.be/drvFenrzpQk New Me #BLM Cut – Pedro Silva (featuring the Voices of the Movement) They can’t kill me Holla if you feel me Who I am was never born So you never getting near me Here’s the Truth We don’t need your proof (approval) Mustard…
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3 Degrees From George Floyd
I received this letter from a member of our congregation who is 1 step removed from George Floyd and the store where he was before he was murdered. This is a local account of the events that unfolded in Minneapolis. I am sharing it for the edification of anyone who is interested. Blessings, Pedro
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PTSS (Post Traumatic Slavery Syndrome)
Originally posted on The Roofless Church: Recently, I heard that another childhood acquaintance, who we called “Professor”, died from a gunshot wound. When my mom told me, I felt this wave of feelings pass through me and for a brief moment I felt like I might be next. It was a familiar feeling that I…
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The American Addiction: Cheap Labor
Originally posted on The Roofless Church: I have had a lot of jobs in my life. My first gig was as a paperboy which entailed getting up before the crack of dawn going from house to house delivering papers to many people who would take the paper and then do everything they could to avoid…
The Roofless Church 