“Never Forget,” what does it mean. Many have associated this phrase with the Jewish Holocaust of World War II, when six million Jews were senselessly slaughtered by the Nazis for no known reason other than the fact that they were Jews. The phrase itself was first used as part of Allied de—Nazification efforts, when an exhibition entitled “Never Forget” opened on September 14, 1946, in Vienna to memorialize the tragic crime against humanity administered by Nazi Germany against the Jewish people.
Since that time the Jewish people have ensured that no one on the earth would ever forget what was done to them, while all the world watched and did nothing to stop the atrocities inflicted upon them in plain sight by Hitler and Nazi Germany. And the result of the Jews dogged determination to ensure that the world would never allow such inhumane treatment to ever be inflicted upon them again, caused the U.S. Congress to summon several presidents from some of the most prestigious universities in America to address the public protests that students have engaged in on their campuses. The reason has been because of the rhetoric some protesters have used mentioning things like “genocide” directed toward Israel and/or the Jewish community.
Academic freedom and free speech became an issue, as each president attempted to traverse the fine line between intellectual freedom and the moral standards of civility and human decency on their campuses. When the presidents were asked about the calls by some for the genocide of Jews in their protests and how they would characterize such speech, for some reason the presidents found it difficult to denounce such speech as out of bounds and beyond the pale of moral civility or free speech. One of the presidents has already resigned and apologized for her hesitance and equivocation on the matter. It is clear that such ambiguity on an issue that in any way threatens the safety, security and welfare of the Jewish community or the nation of Israel is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in the United States of America by anyone, even though America has played no direct role in causing any of the harm that has been imposed upon the Jews in the past.
As I reflected on this chain of events and how definitive and exacting the entire society is on any issue that in anyway threatens the dignity, integrity, honor or safety of the Jewish community. When I think of how quickly and unequivocally any attempt that is made to dismiss, deny or reinvent the factual history of what happened to the Jewish people during their holocaust is immediately denounced and negated by all quarters of society. When I realize how much no one would allow or tolerate such things to ever happen or be done to the the nation of Israel or the Jewish people by anyone in America. As an African American, I am amazed that in recent days, similar attacks directed toward the African American Community seem to be not only tolerated but encouraged; by a nation that is directly responsible for atrocities they have exacted upon African Americans that far exceed what was done to the Jews during the holocaust.
Let me be very clear, I wholeheartedly stand shoulder—to—shoulder with my Jewish Brothers and Sisters against any and all attempts by any and all systems or people that would attempt to belittle, denigrate or dismiss the tragic and heinous genocide that was imposed upon them by Nazi Germany. I am equally horrified by anyone that attempts to claim that the holocaust never happened or that claim, the Jewish people themselves were responsible for the holocaust inflicted upon them. Such ideology or thinking is evil and demonic. It represents an inability to admit the wrong that has been committed by one group of people upon another and represents an unwillingness to take responsibility for one’s actions. There is never an excuse for such a response for the wrongs one has done to someone else and such thinking and behavior reveals a deep moral lapse and social disorder that needs serious attention to those who hold such views.
Having said that, I find the manner in which America collectively and publicly has related to the African American community in recents days, and the way it has attempted to dismiss, negate, invalidate or reinvent the African American past to not only vicious, vindictive, cowardly, intellectually vacuous, historically mendacious and shamefully unChristian; but unAmerican and morally wrong.
My specific reference relates to the recent national movement that has been mounted to nullify and erase anything that in some way truthfully and accurately presents the history of the African American experience that reveals and exposes the atrocities and sins of America’s past. To pass state legislation that refuses to teach “African American” history and specifically single out a particular ethnic community, the same community that you as a nation held in legal slavery for 245 years and legal segregation for an additional 100 years is depraved, profane and morally bankrupt. And the reason given for refusing to teach African American history, no matter how true and accurate it may be, as stated in the legislation is because teaching African American history may cause: “A person, by virtue of his or her race, color, sex, or national origin to…feel guilt, anguish, or other forms of psychological distress because of actions, in which the person played no part, committed in the past by members of the same race, color, national origin, or sex.”[Florida Legislation Against teaching that Cause Ill Feelings from Wrong Acts]
So if a student may feel guilt, anguish or distress when they learn about the past acts of racism, genocide, slavery, lynching, rape, Jim Crow Segregation and other heinous incidents of inhumanity that America imposed upon African Americans, because those responsible for administering the oppressive injustices against African Americans is of the same race as the students they should not learn the truth about the past. And Americans have wholeheartedly embraced this as an acceptable means of dealing with its past history of racism, genocide, exploitation, inhumanity and other immoral atrocities administered by white Americans corporately and individually against African Americans and refusing to have the history taught. Really…
Let me ask some opened questions to everyone. Where do we get the idea that hiding, rewriting or denying the facts of history is good for any society or people? Since when is refusing to face the truth about oneself and the truth about their past a healthy way for an individual or a community to become healthy and well adjusted. When has denial ever been a healthy means of dealing with any situation in life no matter how painful it may be. Denial never resolves the reality of facing the truth and only delays the inevitable. And the result of such a path only leads to feelings of isolation, anxiety and sadness; the very emotions that the legislation which forbids the teaching of African American history claims it is trying to help students avoid experiencing.
And where does the notion come from that feeling guilt or anguish for doing wrong, a negative reaction or response to immoral or wrong acts of behavior against other people. Guilt is an important response that every normal human needs whenever they do something wrong. It is what every normal humans inner restraining system does to control their actions and tell them that something they’ve done is wrong, or that they’ve gone too far. It is their inner warning signal, their stop light that tells them to press the brake and stop.
When a person feels guilt for doing something wrong or recognizes wrong when it is done by someone else, even someone they know and love, it’s called having a moral conscience. That is a good thing that we should all encourage and celebrate in ourselves and others. When a person has no conscience or feels no guilt or shame for the wrongs they do, we call that kind of person a sociopath. People without a conscience that feel no guilt or shame when doing wrong or inflicting pain upon others can become mass murderers and a danger to society. Is this the intent behind the legislation being passed across the nation in many states in America that is outlawing the teaching of African American history because it may cause some students to feel guilt or shame for the past wrongs that have been done in America. Are we trying to breed a generation of vacuous, conscienceless sociopaths who feel no guilt or shame for exploiting, demeaning or discriminating against other people that are unlike them?
And to be clear, the Bible says facing the truth about ourselves and feeling remorse and guilt when a person does wrong is needed to cause a person to seek God’s grace and mercy. It says in Proverbs 28:13–14 NLT—“People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy. Blessed are those who fear to do wrong, but the stubborn are headed for serious trouble.” When Cain tried to ignore the wrong he did when he murdered of his brother Abel, it was God that told him in Genesis 4:10—Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground!” The idea of living a thoughtless, guiltless life, ignoring the wrongs that we or that others do does not come from God or the scriptures.
So the question is, who are we really protecting when we attempt to ignore the egregious past of African Americans by dismissing the teaching of African American history. And why is America extending its attack and alienation further by discontinuing, dissecting or dismantling any corrective that in any way promotes or addresses the issue of diversity. These acts are so unlike the way America views and treats the Jewish community that finds everyone in support of everything that affirms its history promotes their existence and serves as a corrective for its community. While several presidents from prestigious secular Ivy league universities were summoned by congress and challenged for allowing the Jewish community to be threatened by hate speech against them on their campuses; on Christian Campuses, some Christian Presidents are dismantling diversity positions and siding with the most conservative elements in the community that have been indifferent and hostile toward the African American Community. How does Christian civilized America explain this kind of duplicity and indifference towards African Americans, the people they are directly responsible for imposing their most egregious acts of harm, oppression and discrimination. Why are all negative acts and behavior toward the Jewish community denounced while at the same time negative pronouncements, legislation and actions toward the African American community being welcomed and embraced in some circles.
Right now on one particular Christian Campus the University President has decided, as one of his first administrative acts, to dismantle the V.P. for Diversity position, a position created as a corrective for a history of past acts of racial insensitivity and discrimination practiced by the institution. However, the president says this dismemberment of the position is to “align” the department with the university’s mission. What mission could that possibly be when one examines the university’s racial past. A past filled with a history of racial bias and discrimination. If the president carefully investigated the institutions past before he made this ill—advised decision he would have realized how desperately the institution needs to buttress the diversity position not dismantle it. Why are some conservative Christians so anti-diversity and anti any attempts to correct past ills of racial bias and discrimination and instead push to dismantle anything that requires them to face and/or confront the sins or moral failings of the past? Where do they get this proclivity from? It certainly is not Biblical or Christian.
It should be noted that those who agree with the decisions to dismantle the diversity program of the university have never been seen to champion any correctives to address the past discriminatory practices of the institution. They have been narrow in their views, have espoused, agreed or practiced biased and discriminatory positions and have falsely attacked diversity programs with slanderous and misleading information. This is not the kind of community that any president should have as an ally or proponent in promoting any new initiative he is presenting on a Christian university campus. This alone should raise a red flag when making such a decision.
When asked very pointed questions about the reason for this drastic ill-advised change, the president has given no reasonable or Christian reason for his decision. Using “God—speak” and “religious rhetoric” does not make the secular or discriminatory spiritual. Calling something “missional,” does not mean it is mission—driven. No one person, entity or community of people own God, His position, His purposes or speak for God as His lone oracle. God does not work through some secret entity that alone has a sole connection with Him that no one else has access to. When Peter thought God’s spirit and anointing was only reserved for the Jews, God revealed He is “No respecter of persons.”
However, It appears based on his actions, that the president feels he is accountable to no one but himself and/or some constituency that does not include the African American community or others that do not think as he does. What is most troubling is that it seems he feels he does not have to represent these constituencies. Of recent days, there seems to be a growing number of people in leadership that no longer believe they have a responsibility to represent certain communities or people groups that are not a part of their constituency. This attitude or thinking in the 21st Century is no longer acceptable, especially among Christian leaders. No President should be allowed to lead any institution, especially a Christian University, where young impressionable minds are being shaped, that believes he or she is not accountable to or does not represents the entire constituency of that institution.
So, today, on December 12, 2023, I am specifically calling out the President of Andrews University who has displayed by his behavior, rhetoric and actions, that he is unresponsive to certain segments of the university constituency, that are unlike him in their appearance, thinking, philosophy and understanding. He has shown by his actions, exchanges, and decisions, an exclusivity toward the African American community specifically and other constituent groups, whose lives and experiences differ from his. This close-minded way of thinking and operating is not in keeping with Christian principles and moral values. It does not comport with the Christian precept of servant leadership that was practiced and modeled by Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. I therefore am calling for an immediate investigation into his recent actions regarding the restructuring and or dismantling of the V.P. for Diversity Position of the Campus of Andrews University, a position that was created to address the past history of inequity that existed in the institution and his fitness to serve as President of Andrews University. No one that exhibits these characteristics, and ignores these important issues of inclusion and diversity, should serve as the president of a university with the second highest ethnic diversity index of 0.77 in the United States.
This is the first step in a process of investigation that I am calling to be initiated by the Board of Trustees. I will be sending a similar letter to the Chair and Vice Chair of the AU Board, asking for an immediate response to this request. As an alum of Andrews University, twice a graduate, a former employee of close to sixteen years and a present employee of the Seventh-day Adventist Church of over 40 years I expect my request to be taken very seriously. If it is not I will take further steps with regard to this matter.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church leadership in recent years has taken a direction that many have observed to be insensitive to a growing number of its membership. This insensitivity has been noticeably felt by the absence in our church of the millennial generation and others who feel disaffected, ignored and forgotten in growing numbers. This is a reality that I am pained to acknowledge. The leadership of our church seems to be drifting away from its people whom they are no longer accountable to when making decisions. But the insensitive detachment from the body of Christ must be called into question and challenged by those that love Jesus Christ and love His people, His church.
There are some that may misinterpret or misunderstand the impetus behind this lengthy discourse. And there will be some who will be tempted to attribute it to bitterness, anger, hate or some personal attack against one or some individual; it is not. None of those things are the motivating factor behind this. After spending nearly sixteen years on the Campus of Andrews University and forty plus years of pastoral ministry in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, there is no issue more important and more critical for the Adventist church to address than the issue of diversity and inclusion. This is not a political or social issue. This is a moral Christian issue and the time has come for the Seventh-day Adventist Church to make a decision on this issue for Jesus Christ and what represents Him and the unconditional love, equality and acceptance of humanity. And on this issue I will neither apologize nor equivocate. The greatest, thorough, honest and most incisive analyses are always prompted by love. It was Martin King who said, “The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists who are dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood.”—MLK Jr. “Strength to Love”
timothypnixon 