Day 711: 5 Minute Freewrite: Tuesday - Prompt: civil rights

Rev. Joe and Mrs. Onyx Baxter were interviewed by both the Big Loft Bulletin and the Lofton County Free Voice following what in the news was being referred to as the “Frat Boy Church Pantry Robbing,” and this brought public attention to the Church in the Midst of Life and its ministries to the people of downtown Big Loft.

“Which can be good and bad too,” Mrs. Baxter said to Rev. Gordon about the matter the following day, “but, with God in charge of both, we'll take it.”

Interest in the church increased … although people generally conceived of folks having the best paying jobs in Big Loft as not having the kind of problems that required “religion” to solve, many high-paid and lonely people often came through just for a bag lunch and a few minutes of conversation with kind people of all races who made them feel welcome while sharing the Gospel with them.

Of course, not all was sunshine and roses. Some of the robbers' older relatives were furious at the interracial ministry for both having their boys caught and also not dropping the charges once those boys were apprehended. One particularly angry old father came to the church and got right up into Rev. Baxter's face yelling about “we never should have given you people any civil rights at all, and I'll be darned if we don't snatch them back!”

The old White man was not ready for Rev. Baxter's most devastating weapon: those pretty white teeth, just smiling in his gorgeously middle-aged mahogany face.

“Sir, the heat is very oppressive today, and you need to come sit down here for a moment.”

Rev. Baxter pulled out a chair and sat the now-confused older man right down.

“I am getting worried about you, because, you know, you can't snatch back what you never gave.”

The older man jumped as Rev. Baxter's smile vanished into a deep frown.

“See, you were on the other side of the civil rights issue, and you couldn't stop what God ordained then, so you're not going to be able to stop it now. My people always had rights, being that we also were given those inalienable rights by our Creator. I'm not saying you know the same God I know, because if you did you wouldn't act a total fool like you are – but, even so, the same God made us both. I'm every inch a man just like you are. You didn't give me and my people anything, so you surely need to be checked for heatstroke if you think you are going to take anything away.”

The older man turned over the chair and leaped up swinging, only to be swept up by Rev. Baxter and slammed up against the church wall so hard it knocked the wind out of him.

“Don't get it twisted, sir,” Rev. Baxter said. “I'm not like the Rev. Dr. King. I don't guarantee you non-violence. You come around here again in a threatening mood, and we'll show you like the Christians in the United States Colored Troops who tanned Confederate hide in 1863, 1864, and 1865 showed Virginia then that we're not having this nonsense from the likes of you anymore, and like the Deacons of Defense showed y'all in the 1960s. We had your kids snatched up, and you'll get snatched too – BELIEVE THAT!”

And then Rev. Baxter put the man, who was now shaking from fear, down.

“I hated to have to do that,” said the reverend, calmly, “but that seems to be the only terms some of you understand. Things don't have to be this way forever, but Black people have taken all they have been called to take. I'm not going to hurt you unless you make me, but y'all need to finally realize: we aren't just here to kick around, and there ain't nothing in the Bible that says we can't defend ourselves and our families and our communities. We ain't your chew toys, your kick balls, your punching bags, your personal property to torture and murder. Those days are over! You remember this day as the day you were told the truth, and God help you if you make us show you that truth.”