{"id":5000,"date":"2013-06-27T10:48:51","date_gmt":"2013-06-27T14:48:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/doinglifetogether\/?p=5000"},"modified":"2013-07-04T10:38:30","modified_gmt":"2013-07-04T14:38:30","slug":"what-do-trayvon-martin-and-paula-dean-have-in-common","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/2013\/06\/what-do-trayvon-martin-and-paula-dean-have-in-common.html","title":{"rendered":"What Do Trayvon Martin and Paula Deen Have in Common?"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’m doing tomorrow’s blog right now. The reason is I couldn’t believe the sound bite I just heard from Fox News<\/a>. It was an audio piece from the Trayvon Martin case. The star witness from the prosecution, Rachel Jeantel, was asked about \u00a0her phone conversation with Trayvon Martin moments before he was shot.<\/p>\n

She reported that Trayvon said, A ” creepy ass cracker” was following him. When she was asked if she thought this was a racist comment, she said NO. \u00a0The defense attorney repeated the question again to make sure she understood and she held her position that Trayvon’s comment was NOT racist.<\/p>\n

Next, I heard the sound bite from Paula Deen’s apology with Matt Laurer on Today.<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>She, if you don’t know, \u00a0has admitted to using a \u00a0racial slur. She claims she used the “N” word 30 years after a gun was put to her head. Some people think her apology was insincere. I don’t know. Only God knows her heart.<\/p>\n

But I was glad she apologized and admitted making a mistake. What else can people do? Once they’ve made a mistake, asking forgiveness is the right response and then do what you can to make things right.<\/p>\n

Still, apology or not, she is being crucified in the media. People will have to decide what to do with her in terms of her celebrity.<\/p>\n

I wonder if the media will pick up on the star witness’ comment that calling someone a “creepy ass cracker” is not racist. Will they be outraged by that?<\/p>\n

Look hate speech is wrong. It shouldn’t matter who says it.<\/p>\n

Many people in our country have grown up with bigotry and discrimination and need to be confronted when it comes out. But to ignore specific racists comments and then feature the ones you choose is wrong.<\/p>\n

Again, hear me. Both comments are racially discriminating. I am not justifying either person.<\/p>\n

And Yes, Deen is a celebrity and influences far more people. But what is really at the root here is what is in the heart of people.<\/p>\n

You can outlaw hate speech, but you can’t outlaw what people think and feel.<\/p>\n

The solution isn’t to crucify people in the media. It is to look honestly at the heart.Scripture tells us that a person’s heart reveals his or her true nature. God cares about repentance and external action.<\/p>\n

Jeremiah 17:9 that the “heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.” Thus, we need to examine our hearts and allow the Holy Spirit to show us those things that are not pleasing to the Lord–discrimination of any kind is one of those things.<\/p>\n

In Luke 12:34, Jesus says that “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” In Luke 21:34, He warns us to “be careful” in the end times “or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life.”<\/p>\n

Most of us could do better at looking inward and examining our hearts. I pray Rachel comes to understand that Trayvon’s comment, if true, was racist as was Paula Deen’s. Maybe we can all learn a little from these stories.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I’m doing tomorrow’s blog right now. The reason is I couldn’t believe the sound bite I just heard from Fox News. It was an audio piece from the Trayvon Martin case. The star witness from the prosecution, Rachel Jeantel, was asked about \u00a0her phone conversation with Trayvon Martin moments before he was shot. 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