Grace and Chicago

The story of the autistic youth kidnapped, beaten, and scalped in Chicago has spread far and wide. It's easy to understand how it fits the current mood. The youth was beaten for being a Trump supporter. The attackers were black, the beaten youth was white.

What I think about, though, is the Charleston, S.C. shootings. None of us are as closely involved in this matter as the congregation of that church was, and so it should be easier for us to show a kind a similar -- lesser -- kind of grace. It would have been very easy for them not to do, but they did, and it touched people's hearts. In return, for example, the Southern Baptist Convention abandoned its longstanding defense of the Confederate flag at its next conference.

Abyssus abyssum invocat. Sometimes, however, the reverse can be true as well.

9 comments:

MikeD said...

One note, I don't believe the victim was actually a Trump supporter. He was victimized for being white. And was decidedly unable to defend himself. Simply disgusting.

Gringo said...

Crickets from the left side of the aisle, from what I can tell.

Assistant Village Idiot said...

An excellent point, Grim. It is not our part to be the one's showing mercy, however. Those who were sinned against have that option. The rest of us have to be on the side of justice first, though possibly overruled by those directly affected.

Perhaps that is an oversimplified moral code of my own, which has holes I have not thought of. Society has an obligation to rich and poor alike to provide justice, as I understand the biblical command, Old Covenant and New. Mercy supersedes it, at the discretion of the one sinned against. A judge might apply mercy (rightly or wrongly), after considering all the facts. But the society itself must provide justice as the only foundation from which mercy can operate. To provide mercy before judgement has been passed is mere capitulation to the wrongdoer, an injustice that refuses to protect the victim. As victims are often the powerless, that is a great evil.

If this were happening on a massive scale, then I think I might feel I were personally wronged merely by my identity as a white person. That seems so remote as to be not worth counting. I am not affected here. I wonder if those who are focusing on the whiteness of the victim are more uneasy about this happening on an increasing scale and perceiving this differently. (The bias of the media coverage is a different issue. That falls under the "justice" category.) I live in very white place after all and cannot see through their eyes. Perhaps they overreact. Perhaps I underreact.

I may have a bit more go at this on my own site. Those who go both places may see this cut-and-pasted there.

E Hines said...

One note, I don't believe the victim was actually a Trump supporter.

He's mentally disabled; that's reason enough for the Left--not just these thugs, who might be nothing more than thugs--to characterize him as a Trump supporter. Which would be consistent with the Left leadership and their affiliates like the NAACP and BLM having decided to remain silent on the assault.

Eric Hines

Grim said...

It is not our part to be the one's showing mercy, however.

Well, Roof is unlikely to be shown any mercy by our formal system -- nor, I think, should he be. I was thinking more of the spiritual aspect than the justice question.

Of course, there's always a danger in thinking that way that you'll fall into the practice Sir Walter Scott has his jester Wamba mock:

"I forgive you, Sir Knight," said Rowena, "as a Christian."

"That means," said Wamba, "that she does not forgive him at all."

jaed said...

To take up one aspect of AVI's comment: No one was saying the victims of Dylan Roof deserved the crime. No one would even imply that—even to the point of saying that "Well, maybe these people didn't deserve it, but similar people would have...." No one suggested that maybe the crime was understandable, or "legitimate grievances", or any other such moral atrocity.

While that is absolutely hovering in the background of this crime. "Well, Trump supporter... I mean, they're all hateful... and young black people have grown up in a racist society...." No one was saying anything even remotely like that in the wake of the murders in Charleston.

A merciful response might be forthcoming for two reasons: either because the victims or those close to them want to show mercy and be gracious, or because there was some sort of extenuation for or mitigation of the crime and so it's not appropriate to exact punishment fully (or at all).

It is possible, for those gifted with great grace, to show mercy and compassion to a terrible sinner... if everyone is starting from an understanding that a sin was committed. If that understanding is not present, the same lesson will not be drawn. To people who are not clear on the concept that this was an inexcusable crime against this young man, such a response will seem like weakness, a halfhearted admission that maybe it wasn't such a terrible crime. A question about whether what's going on is grace, or a just refusal to exact punishment against people who weren't really criminals, just confused or ill-trained or responding to "Trump supporter hate crimes". This is a fatal confusion.

So... maybe first things first. Clarity on the moral dimension of what has happened here.

Eric Blair said...

I saw the Chicago Police Chief (who is black) just close to speechless over this thing. Cops obviously get up close and personal with the worst of humanity, but he couldn't process this.

Cassandra said...

One note, I don't believe the victim was actually a Trump supporter. He was victimized for being white.

As usual, MikeD nailed it.

douglas said...

" To provide mercy before judgement has been passed is mere capitulation to the wrongdoer, an injustice that refuses to protect the victim. As victims are often the powerless, that is a great evil.
"


Dennis Prager often repeats a saying from the Midrash- "Those who are kind to the cruel will be cruel to the kind". Something too often forgotten by those who feed off of the good feels of giving mercy that they have not paid for.