It's a lot...
Jul. 14th, 2025 10:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rosa_heartlilyA year ago I was getting irritated with some men that I'm also rather fond of, enjoying new and old songs in church, making (slow) progress with BG&ER, and enjoying Psych.
Today started with cancelling a 9am meeting! Mostly because the person who asked it to be moved to 9am on a Monday decided yesterday to take today as leave. Irritated Rosa is irritated. But it's now scheduled for a much more humane timeslot.
Next up was my new spiritual director. I told them about my thoughts on yesterday's sermon (really unusual for me to retain a sermon for this long!), and about my desire for justice more generally. They asked how I live that out and I told them about my charities - even though there's part of me that disagrees with charity in principle because it doesn't actually solve anything. But they pushed a bit more - what do I actually DO?
Well, my husband's health takes up quite a chunk of my time, so my capacity for what might be termed 'direct action' is limited. But I've engaged with the Slavery Truth Project (more on that below), online petitions and writing to my MP - and I regard voting as a duty.
As I've reflected on the question during the day, I've also realised my desire for justice also impacts my spending habits and choices, my love for my church and its congregation, my continued engagement with the Church in spite of its failings, my support for the Hillsborough Families, and my challenge to the university regarding our pension fund. So, I might not be waving placards or marching on Downing Street, but I do attempt to live out my principles. Of course, I'm also embedded in a society and economic system that makes it VERY difficult to really live them out...
During the conversation, and again tonight, I realised how much I owe to Ambrose Lace I - and his grandson Ambrose Lace II. ALI engineered a massacre of 300 traders, soldiers and enslaved Africans at the Old Town of Calabar, Nigeria. As a direct result, the balance of power in the chattel economy shifted from Bristol to Liverpool. I often say my story starts with the River Mersey. Without the Mersey there is no Liverpool, without Liverpool my parents couldn't meet and I wouldn't exist. Well, there's no Liverpool (as it is today) without ALI either. And ALII was Chair of the Board of Trustees for my church in the 1850's - so I owe the Lace family for my place of worship, too.
And yes, I do feel more than a little uncomfortable about all of that.
Today started with cancelling a 9am meeting! Mostly because the person who asked it to be moved to 9am on a Monday decided yesterday to take today as leave. Irritated Rosa is irritated. But it's now scheduled for a much more humane timeslot.
Next up was my new spiritual director. I told them about my thoughts on yesterday's sermon (really unusual for me to retain a sermon for this long!), and about my desire for justice more generally. They asked how I live that out and I told them about my charities - even though there's part of me that disagrees with charity in principle because it doesn't actually solve anything. But they pushed a bit more - what do I actually DO?
Well, my husband's health takes up quite a chunk of my time, so my capacity for what might be termed 'direct action' is limited. But I've engaged with the Slavery Truth Project (more on that below), online petitions and writing to my MP - and I regard voting as a duty.
As I've reflected on the question during the day, I've also realised my desire for justice also impacts my spending habits and choices, my love for my church and its congregation, my continued engagement with the Church in spite of its failings, my support for the Hillsborough Families, and my challenge to the university regarding our pension fund. So, I might not be waving placards or marching on Downing Street, but I do attempt to live out my principles. Of course, I'm also embedded in a society and economic system that makes it VERY difficult to really live them out...
During the conversation, and again tonight, I realised how much I owe to Ambrose Lace I - and his grandson Ambrose Lace II. ALI engineered a massacre of 300 traders, soldiers and enslaved Africans at the Old Town of Calabar, Nigeria. As a direct result, the balance of power in the chattel economy shifted from Bristol to Liverpool. I often say my story starts with the River Mersey. Without the Mersey there is no Liverpool, without Liverpool my parents couldn't meet and I wouldn't exist. Well, there's no Liverpool (as it is today) without ALI either. And ALII was Chair of the Board of Trustees for my church in the 1850's - so I owe the Lace family for my place of worship, too.
And yes, I do feel more than a little uncomfortable about all of that.
(no subject)
Date: 2025-07-15 06:47 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2025-07-15 08:32 pm (UTC)