Love wins

In my class this semester, Hope and Despair, one of the common threads throughout our reading has been the importance of art in the process of hope building. Art is the lament through which our pain is exposed and witnessed. Art is the protest through which we stand up against injustice. Art is the ritual through which we heal. These three artistic elements—lament, protest, and ritual—are the building blocks of sustainable hope. The Bible, in its entirety, is a masterpiece—poetry and prose, parables and prophecy—that paints the hopeful story of humanity’s relationship with and redemption by the Divine. It is the oral tradition that enraptured the Israelites around campfires in the desert. It is the lament in harrowing cries as the walls of Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians. It is the Odyssey of wandering and the Epic of unlikely heroes. And its message is hope and a demand for change. 

This week, right here in Orlando, we witnessed the use of art as protest and promise. Sometime overnight from Wednesday to Thursday, Florida Department of Transportation painted over the rainbow crosswalk that stretched across the street in front of Pulse Nightclub. The rainbow crosswalk was a vibrant memorial and lament to the souls of 49 victims who lost their lives in 2016; and overnight it was shrouded in funereal black. The Department has vocalized its disapproval of rainbow crosswalks in the past few months, even threatening to pull transportation funding if they are not removed, citing safety concerns and inappropriateness of political messaging. When Orlando officials chose not to paint over the crosswalk, the state officials did. 

The outcry was immediate, with Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and State Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith both taking to social media to voice their dissent. Meanwhile, the community was taking to the streets armed with sidewalk chalk and rainbow signs—to paint their protest in a rainbow of rectangles, promising to continue to color love over hate.

Art, even in its simplest form, is powerful. It speaks when there are no words and fights without weapons. It is a peaceful protest that demands to be seen. It is a chorus of voices who will not be silenced. It is as moving and scandalous as the dance of David. It is as soul-wrenching as the poetic questions of Job. 

And I deeply believe that it is holy work. 

So, let us continue to paint love over hate and gather in the joy that is birthed from the courage to take a stand.