Signs of the times

I am upset right now because of a  video that I saw of a 12-year-old boy being handcuffed and put in the back seat of a cop car. I am not upset with the cops, I am upset with the boy's family. Living in this world, it is hard to walk among the thorns of life without getting a few scratches every so often as I did today. So, I am going to write about it. Maybe it will come off as more ranting.

Because of the nature of the video, the language, I will not post it hear. If you want to go to it, click the photo for a link. Schroll down to see the video of what happened. This is, unfortunately going to sound political, but it is not not. It is spiritual believe it or not.
​

We hear cries of how the police treat minorities, but then act like animals when they come around. Yes, I am considered a minority because I am one of 12 percent of the population in the United States who identifies as racially Black. Because we are minorities we are supposed to be given a pass at the others in our groups who behave poorly and villainize the cops always.  

If my kid were to behave like that 12-year-old did in the picture above (as you can see on the video if you click on the photo) I would beat his butt. No respect at all, which starts at home. My kids know that when the police come around to keep their mouths closed. if there is any injustice, let it come out in the courts! No, the courts are not always fair, but it is safer to present a plea in an environment designed for those things than at an arrest scene. Did not Jesus teach us to agree with our adversary while we are in the way with him? That applies to officers arresting us whether it is just or unjust. 
"Agree (be kind, respectful) with thine adversary quickly," Jesus taught according to Matthew. "whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison." Matthew 5:25

That tells me that I should not act the fool screaming what are my rights or not to people who will arrest me anyway. Being agreeable helps me live to fight another day for justice. 
​For Example:

One time an officer did come for me and my boys, screaming at us because Ephraim, my youngest son, open the van door when the officer was behind us. I did not know we were being pulled over since we were parked getting ready to go into a building. I told my boys to be quiet and we waited for the officer doing everything he said.

I thought I was going to be shot, but it didn't happen. We know what type of society we live in and where most of the crime seems focused, in our Black communities. Of course, cops are extra jumpy around minorities when we are the focus of all the crime when we are the least of the population. Knowing that we law-abiding minorities need to live in reality and know that we are going to be targeted.

It is not fair, it is not good, but it is what is happening and will not change in the near future. We need to be awake to the truth of our society and not crying foul at the wrong times. Resisting the police is not the right time to stand up for our rights. It is in court. Court officers are less likely to shoot a person for speaking up for justice.

Everything that happens in life is not sweet and requires faith. The reason why my boys and I did not get into trouble with that officer who pulled us over is because We Prayed the whole time through. We did not want to give him a reason to think we would attack him so that he did not feel threatened. After the whole ordeal, he apologized and explained why he was so apprehensive that night. Those officers get attacked so often in the neighborhood we went to that he was on edge. 

No person, citizen or not, should feel like the law interacts differently with hin or her because of race, but it is true. While it is happening, we need to be ready to respond to be safe and fight the injustice in our communities by taking them back from crime and gangs and in the court when appropriate. 

Moroni Perspective

It is easy for me to write these things living in the securing of the suburbs. I recognize that. I am going to pray for strong men and women in the places of crime to rise up to change things with protection from God to do it. 

"O ye Gentiles," laments Moroni to those of our day. "it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get power and gain—and the work, yea, even the work of destruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the justice of the Eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and destruction if ye shall suffer these things to be.

Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you; or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who built it up."

Whether it is from the gangs of multiple names or those who infiltrate the governments of our lands, we need to seek them out where we can and with Gods help so that the innocent do not die in vain, because they will die. At this time in most of America, we can control the narrative of how people live because the  corruption is no all too complete yet. If we do nothing, we ill be just like the Nephites were, entrenched with murderers and criminals if we are not vigilante.

"For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up," Moroni continues about the corruption of a few called secret combinations in government and the community (gangs) "seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that same liar who beguiled our first parents, yea, even that same liar who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath hardened the hearts of men that they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning.

"Wherefore, I, Moroni, am commanded to write these things that evil may be done away, and that the time may come that Satan may have no power upon the hearts of the children of men, but that they may be persuaded to do good continually, that they may come unto the fountain of all righteousness and be saved." Ether 8:23-26

Just like the Gadianton robbers in the Book of Mormon, criminals are everywhere in society influencing government where they can and outright killing where they cannot be discovered. We will lose many good people before we weed them out, but hopefully, we can do it with some help from God and good people who love truth and justice for all. Yes, some are on the police force. More are in the community than we feel comfortable to admit. We need to get them out and exposed if we can. We need to be careful in doing so. President Nelson has told us that we will need the constant guidance of the Holy Spirit in revelation now more than ever to survive spiritually in these last days. Evil is at the door, and we must keep it at bay. What has Moroni revealed to you?

---