You Will Replace Us
In this racially charged and divisive environment in which we currently find ourselves, there is a lot of shouting. Some of it is done electronically in ALL CAPS! Some of it is literal shouting at protests and rallies or around the family dinner table. Divisiveness runs rampant, and people are choosing sides rather than bridging the gap of our differences. It sometimes seem that there is no hope for true unity. Among all the shouting, some of the words could get lost in the noise. But one chant sticks out by its shear absurdity.
On August 11, torch carrying protesters on the University of Virginia campus marched through the darkness chanting “You will not replace us! You will not replace us!” They repeated this mantra as they marched (Spencer). The image of these white men angrily marching is unsettling and alarming. Why would they resort to imagery reminiscent of the Jim Crow south with torches and marches and chants to try to bully and intimidate others. Torches, by design, should illuminate and give light. But historically, when accompanied by shouting hateful protesters, these torches are designed to instill fear. There are a lot of ways we could view this footage, but I want to focus on the actual words they are shouting. “You will not replace us!”
This mantra runs counter to everything for which our country stands. What is interesting about the peculiar shouting of this particular group is that they would say they believe in the ideals and principles that founded this great nation. They would declare that they are patriots. Their passion, they would say, is for the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.
However, at the core of the United States of America is the foundation laid by our founding fathers that this country would be different from England and other countries they observed which hindered and limited the freedom for every man, woman, and child. This nation was designed to be a refuge for people of all nationalities and creeds to come and be free to raise their families and establish a legacy and heritage unhindered by the government. The most well-known words of the Declaration of Independence proclaim that certain truths are evident and applied to all men. Everyone, regardless of religious faith or ethnicity, is “. . . endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” There is no clarifying clause. All are awarded these rights. Of course, we have the benefit of hindsight, so we can look back at the authors of this historically monumental document and observe that they did not fully live out the values to which they professed. Some of them owned people. Slaves were property to some of our founding fathers, to be used and abused and then dispensed of. However, the premise upon which our nation is built is one to which every true citizens of this country would heartily agree.
Going back to the chants of the protestors, the idea that “you will not replace us” runs counter to the original intent of our founding fathers. The truth is that what we have been given, we are called to pass on to others. If I have been given life and liberty and the freedom to pursue happiness, should I not want to pass that on to you? I have done nothing to earn these rights myself, so what makes me think I can withhold them from you? The disturbing statement that this chant is declaring does not belong in a country whose foundation is built upon passing on rights and freedoms to others, and defending those who cannot defend themselves.
Groups like these have been identified as Alt Right, which is short for Alternative Right. Simply put, these individuals and groups are extremists who have rejected what they see as “mainstream conservatism” and are pursuing more “implicit or explicit racism or white supremacy” (Alt-Right: A Primer). As is often the case, the loudest (not the most populated) group with the most extreme views gets the most press. It is interesting that most people say they want unbiased and fair news, and yet the most popular news sources are the most divisive. It is clear that these radicals are misguided in their passion, and because their voice and message is loud and divisive, they get the coverage and strong reactions. Their message is shocking by design.
What is the driving force behind this vitriol and venom spewed by groups like these? I believe fear is behind it. Fear of change, fear of becoming irrelevant, and ultimately a fear of being replaced. All of these are fears to which most of us have succumbed at one time or another. However, the hope is that as we mature and see the privilege that we have as free citizens, we would desire to pass that one to our children and neighbors. As a follower of Christ, this is especially important. The Apostle John wrote, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18 ESV). Love for God and for country should override fear of change. A sense of security in being loved and being free actually leads to a desire to multiply that love and pass it on. Love breeds love.
When I recognize the great cost that was paid to give me my freedom, it is foolish of me to cling so tightly to it that I cannot pass it on. The freedom that I experience day in and day out, the freedom that these protesters have to actually protest, has been procured by brave men and women who gave everything to defend it. So what comes with the privilege of being born free is the responsibility to pass on that freedom to others.
According to Dawn McNeal Ward, there are three scarce resources in society — “privilege, power, and prestige” (Grunlan 120). I need to be willing to give these up. Everything we have, even the things we have work really hard for, are ours in some way because of circumstances beyond our control. Where I was born, the color of my skin, my gender, and many other factors play a role in why I am where I am in society. I must be willing to leverage these scarce resources for those who cannot because their status is different than mine through no fault of their own. The call as a follower of Christ, as a member of His kingdom before I am a citizen of the United States, is to recognize that my platform affords me a power and voice which I did absolutely nothing to earn. How am I going to use my voice? Just as I did nothing to earn my salvation, those of us who had the immense privilege of being born in the United States did not earn our birthright. What did these protestors do to deserve their citizenship in the United States? What gives them the right to demand they not be replaced? It is sheer foolishness.
A quote made popular by Spider-Man has a deeper history of variations. In the story, Uncle Ben told Peter Parker that with great power comes great responsibility. Variants of this quote have been used over the years because the concept is so powerful. Jesus said that to whom much is given, much is required (Luke 4:48). Centuries later, Theodore Roosevelt once wrote in a letter, “I believe in [executive] power; but I believe that responsibility should go with power” (With Great). The humbling truth is that I am going to pass on a legacy when I move on. The question is, what type of heritage will I pass on? I am going to be replaced, and I want the baton that I pass on to propel its carriers further than I was able to run in my race.
What foundation am I laying for you to build upon? What platform am I erecting for you to rise up above the level of racial tension I am walking through? As a Christian, I am called to serve my fellow man with the love which I have received. My call is to recognize that those in whom I invest will carry on the message and mission which I pass onto them. As a follower of Jesus Christ, and as a proud American, my goal is to be replaced by those who can carry on the mission more fully than I am able to in my lifetime
So my message to you is to recognize that you will be replaced. What is your legacy that you are passing on? Who are those who will benefit from your freedom? You have a sphere of influence that I do not have. You have a voice that carries authority that mine does not. It is not enough to not speak hatred, we must speak up in love and defend those who cannot defend themselves. To whom much is given, much is required.
Works Cited
“Alt Right: A Primer about the New White Supremacy.” Anti-Defamation League, www.adl.org/education/resources/backgrounders/alt-right-a-primer-about-the-new-white-supremacy.
Grunlan, Stephen A., and Milton Reimer. Christian Perspectives on Sociology. Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2001.
Spencer, Hawes, and Sheryl Gay Stolberg. “White Nationalists March on University of Virginia.” The New York Times, 11 Aug. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/08/11/us/white-nationalists-rally-charlottesville-virginia.html.
“With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility.” Quote Investigator, 23 July 2015, quoteinvestigator.com/2015/07/23/great-power/.
