The image of flames, a blue sky and the silhouette of a woman waving a cross all combine to beggar the question, "Dale Farm - What's Christ got to do with it?" For some the answer will be 'nothing' whilst for others the response will surely be 'everything'!
The imagery of the powers of darkness (the police, bailiffs and Basildon Council) being repulsed by the powers of light as seen in the Cross of Christ (but made flesh in the residents and protesters of Dale Farm) is powerful indeed. If only it were as simple as that, but life just isn't is it (or is that just my life)?
The facts are clouded and misrepresented by many factors but my understanding is:
i. The site was illegal,
ii. Appeals were made to the legal system to keep the residents on the land.
iii. The same legal system, when it failed to support the residents claim, has been thrown over by the
residents and their 'supporters'.
iv. The police aren't going to come out with anything but bad press, especially as it seem the 'observers' are there to ignore the actions of the Dale farm supportes and focus purely on the police and bailiffs.
v. Basildon Council could have elected to help the residents with a new site but chose not to (which is their right - they could say their only concern is their own patch, everyone else does!).
I see a local RC Priest, Dan Mason, has spoken out critically against the police action yesterday saying that, "The police were not due to lead the operation but ensure that there were no breaches of the peace on either side," something that I think their action actually did. I have little doubt that the bailiff's men would have managed to set the condition for removing those illegally occupying (and they are, according to law, illegal) the site. In fact I have to say I think the police were amazing yesterday; Criticised for using tasers when rocks, stakes, urine and other stuff was thrown at them (didn't see anyone vilify those who did that) and patient in removing people from the precarious places they had placed themselves. Applause - not brickbats is the order of the day from where I watched!
The problem is that this is descending into a 'them and us' situation. Nice people against the pikeys and all that. I see that one poll has 93% of its respondents in favour of the evictions and the attitudes against travelling folk will be hardened as a result. Basildon loses money but I think the travellers and Gypsies (not always the same) will be the biggest losers at the end of the day!
So where is Christ in this? He is on the side of the marginalised, the oppressed - the weak, poor and abused and the problem is that lost within the actions of muppets with face-masks, hoods and helmets are people who are vulnerable and about to lose their homes. The problem is that lost within the desire to be right and the desire to keep certain types away from 'nice' and good citizens we los the fact that travellers are people too.
Where I am, we had an influx of travellers some time back and the rise in petty theft, violence and other community-unsettling happenings was all pretty much attributable to this presence. The same people who broke the law used it to enable them to walk free and act against those who were protecting themselves. The law was a friend when it aided their cause and ignored when it acted against them. The parallels with Dale Farm are real and obvious. But still, these people are exactly that - people and to deny them that is to deny the visible image of the unseen God before us and thus remove any Christian warrant from our actions and removes any hope of a Christian response within it as well.
Where is Christ in this?
As close as those involved wish Him to be.
Standing next to the oppressed waiting to be involved with them - not throwing bricks or waving sticks, but covering the downtrodden with His love and seeking for them to act as He would have done. Whether this means turning the other cheek or the tables - that's another question for another day perhaps, but I know which of the two is right here.
Pax
3 comments:
I dont think the lady is saying - 'God forgive them for they know not what they do' more like 'Vengance is mins so says the Lord!
It's odd how some will bring Jesus into a situation in some sort of 'righteous anger' mode and yet, by their actions and attitudes evidence that He's not in their lives.
I was saddened to see what some in the media made of this 'God's gift' photo opportunity which one hack said was potentially up there with the great news photo's.
It is sad that there wasn't a move to settle this ten years a go and work at providing a place where all sides could be satisfied; The travellers housed in their caravans and the Council safe in its position and provision - that was where Christ would have surely been found :-(
Not even sure that it should have been Basildon's job to sort this out. Government has been so pathetic on this issue for decades. It's time that they stepped up to the plate and set some proper rules and regs. on place.
Felt very sorry for the police who, as you say Vic probably ensured that a minimum of disorder occurred, have to put up with so much. Big story on tazering - but it appears that it was against a single person who was threatening the police. OK, to have two tazerings like this is probably a bad idea - and the police will need to review their policy about who can tazer, perhaps by having a 'lead' officer whose responsibility would be to ensure that this doesn't happen again.
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