Over the last month, we have repeatedly heard the word “insurrection.” It means, “ a violent uprising against an authority or government.” That is exactly what happened at the Capitol on January 6, and it is the basis for the impeachment trial of Donald Trump that begins this week. The more information and video clips that come out about the storming of the Capitol, the more we realize the horrific violence of that insurrection. In stark contrast to those scenes of mob violence, I want to lift up a much different witness of people who protested injustice and worked to change government policies of racial segregation. In addition to being Black History Month, February is also the anniversary of the beginning of the lunch counter sit-in movement of 1960. The first picture posted above is of the “Greensboro Four.” These four college freshmen at North Carolina A&T decided to sit-in for service at a segregated lunch counter at the Woolworth’s in Greensboro. Although they were denied service, their action sparked a movement of similar sit-ins by young people throughout the South. Their non-violent protest was regularly met by violent retaliation from those who supported this widely accepted form of racial injustice. The peaceful protestors were often arrested while the perpetrators of violence faced no consequences. The second picture posted above is one example of this violence. Yet the legacy of the lunch counter sit-ins is that faith based non-violent direct action is a force more powerful than violence. One of the young people who participated in the sit-ins of 1960 was John Lewis. He went on to be a major leader in the Civil Rights Movement and later served for many years in the House of Representatives and was known as the “Conscious of the Congress.” The video posted below is a glimpse into the sit-ins of 1960 and the witness of John Lewis. Take a few minutes to watch the video and catch a glimpse of the power of non-violent love that changed our nation. As followers of Jesus, we are called to resist injustice and advocate for justice for all God’s children. Yet the means by which we pursue justice must be consistent with the ends we seek. The way of non-violent redemptive love continues to be more powerful than any insurrection.
