As another black man is shot by police after an interaction with law enforcement, Southern Baptist Convention President JD Greear has taken to social media and declared that the spine-shattering shooting happened on account of racism, an all-too-familiar pronouncement from the denominational leader who is slowly assuming the role of “Al Sharpton for Evangelicals” on account of his burgeoning propensity to declare near everything “Racist!”
The thoroughly expected and predictable summation from the SBC Leader comes as the usual suspects of woke evangelicals foment and virtue-twerk all over social media regarding the shooting of Jacob Blake, proffering his shooting as more proof that the police are systemically racist and that white folk are allowing the black race to be systematically “Epsteined” by law enforcement one proverbially crushed hyoid bone at a time.
This is not the first time that “Hold-my-beer Greear” has jumped headfirst into the fray and used his pastoral powers of discernment to peer deep into the hearts of the offending parties, acquired full knowledge of their intents and motivations, and declared racism to be a key factor in any tragedy, especially this one.
Immediately after Ahmaud Abery tragically passed and before anyone knew any details whatsoever, JD Greear raised his hand and declared it a racist act. The same thing occurred again shortly after George Floyd died, with Greear going on social media and declaring that he was killed on account of racism, co-authoring a Statement on the death of George Floyd where Greear once again ascribes the choking death by Derek Chavin and others as racially motivated, and not due to possibly poor training despite there being no evidence whatsoever that it had to do with racial motives.
After the death of Rayshard Brooks, the man shot and killed by police after the Wendy’s drive-through tasering incident, Greear’s website described the incident as an issue of racial injustice.
And now, with the shooting of Jacob Blake (which by all accounts seems to be a completely justified resolution – we’ll wait and see and not make pronouncements prematurely) Greear once again pulls out the race card, stoking up those fires to burn hot, and demonstrating that there is likely no death or injury of a black man by a white man that Greear would not cluck his tongue at and attribute to racism.
These continued actions by JD Greear are, we believe, sufficient cause to mark him a “race-baiter.” His consistent modus operandi of stirring up and inciting racial hatred and disharmony have been made manifest. He accomplishes this by bringing race into every action between police and visible minorities, in this case blaming a “racialized society” rather than the undeniable depravity of man and a splash of personal responsibility. These comments inflame racial groups against another.
It’s clear that JD Greear has not learned anything since he implicated himself in a similar mess years ago with the Covington Catholic kids. At the time, Greear saw the video and decried the racism and hate therein. It was only after more facts came out, after he let the information sit and percolate a bit, (part of the due process) that he had to eat crow, apologize, and resolve to do better.
We look forward to the day that JD Greear can comment on a tragic situation on social media and grieve with those who grieve without pulling out his go-to racialized trope.
Until then, Al Sharpton has a seat saved for you on the blame-game train, Mr. Greear…
