Injustice

by Dave Hogan

I am Dave Hogan and serve as an elder at church. Pastor Ken asked me to write about an event that happened to my daughter and her husband several years ago.

I am a white man as is my daughter. Her husband is a black man. I am very proud of both of them. Their walk with God is exactly where it should be. His love and respect for my daughter as his wife is also exactly where it should be. Their love for God is what fuels their love for each other.

Several years ago while they were still engaged I got a call from her telling me what they went through that evening. They were simply driving down the street in Compton and where pulled over by the police. They immediately wondered why as they were not speeding nor had broken any traffic laws. Her husband was driving that night.

The police got to the car and immediately asked him to step out of the car. They then had my daughter get out and put her in the back seat of the police car. They took him to behind the police car and started to interrogate him about what was going on and what he was doing. They never said why they pulled them over or stated that any laws had been broken. They questioned him about why he was with a white lady. He controlled himself with how he responded even though he was very upset. He was mad that she was in the back of the police car. Why didn’t the police even have the decency to keep them together and why only question him.

She was getting very mad and hurt that this was happening. You see she had never experienced the racial profiling that was taking place. She was hurting for him and realizing that this would be a part of their life. She started to become protective of him in regards that this racial strife. You see, she realized that if the police were profiling him, how many white people were doing so as well. She struggles with this as it is not how she was brought up. She was taught through the God’s word to love everyone just has Christ loves her.

I also was very upset that they had to go through this. My immediate thought was what could I do to protect them from this injustice. I hurt for them with their going through this experience. I know I will not allow racial strife to be a part of my personal life and will do all that I can to combat it. I do not accept it to happen around me and will speak up to defend those who are persecuted for the color of their skin.

My prayer is that all people will learn to love everyone else. My life is based on Christ’s sacrifice for me to give me life. His love to death for all believers to what can change this hatred for each other. His love that is so pure and complete is all that we need. Please love each other, respect each other, support each other, and strengthen each other.