{"id":3107,"date":"2018-10-11T10:00:34","date_gmt":"2018-10-11T15:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/advocacy\/?p=3107"},"modified":"2018-10-11T12:11:42","modified_gmt":"2018-10-11T17:11:42","slug":"the-continued-struggle-for-voting-rights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/advocacy\/the-continued-struggle-for-voting-rights\/","title":{"rendered":"The continued struggle for voting rights"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our guest blogger, the Rev. Kwame Pitts, helped draft and present the ELCA Social Policy Resolution \u201cVoting Rights to All Citizens\u201d<\/a> adopted by the Churchwide Assembly in 2013. She shares her poetically presented thoughts in 2018 here.<\/p>\n

\n

THE RESPONSIBILITY I CARRY INSIDE MY DNA: THE CONTINUED STRUGGLE FOR VOTING RIGHTS<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

By guest blogger the Rev. Kwame Pitts, Campus Pastor, Augustana Lutheran Church of Hyde Park in Chicago (bio)<\/small><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Simply because they refuse to assimilate<\/em>
\nKowtow to the dominate culture<\/em>
\nTo the poisonous American nationalism.<\/em>
\n2018<\/em>
\nWe are still having this conversation<\/em>
\nThey tried to wipe our rights.<\/em>
\nThey tried to cripple the peoples of Georgia<\/em>
\nThe tired, the poor, the abused, the violated.<\/em>
\nWe are still standing.<\/em>
\nSo please,<\/em>
\nDon\u2019t tell me to conform<\/em>
\nTo stick to the sickly sweet,<\/em>
\nFeel good Gospel<\/em>
\nANY THEOLOGY,<\/em>
\nThat does not address the suffering<\/em>
\nANY DOCTRINE<\/em>
\nThat chooses to ignore the cries for justice<\/em>
\nANY DENOMINATION<\/em>
\nThat co-signs off on the slavery and the destruction<\/em>
\nOf God\u2019s People,<\/em>
\nOf Black and Brown Bodies<\/em>
\nOf Indigenous and Ancient Bodies<\/em>
\nOf those who Love Authentically,<\/em>
\nEven if that makes folks uncomfortable<\/em>
\nOF those who rejoice the Creator,<\/em>
\nIn so many beautiful and original ways\u2026<\/em>
\nWill not be the religious tradition that I will ever follow.<\/em>
\nSo,<\/em>
\nWhat side are YOU on?<\/em>
\nWill you speak prophetically,<\/em>
\nUnapologetically<\/em>
\nAnd defend<\/em>
\nThe right<\/em>
\nTo<\/em>
\nVOTE?<\/em>
\nAche\u2019<\/em>
\nAmen<\/em>
\nAmeen.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

B<\/b>iographical submission:<\/strong> The Rev. Kwame Pitts understands her role in the scheme of things as a weaving of both academics, theology and the practical. Currently she serves as Associate Pastor for Body and Soul UChicago Campus Ministry at Augustana Lutheran Church, Hyde Park. Campus Ministry, under her tutelage, is being redefined as a resource for public theology and an example of public Church. Pr. Pitts holds a M.Div. degree from LSTC, is working on her final STM thesis on syncretism and oppression and has been accepted to an Ecumenical D.Min. program concurrently. In 2013 she wrote and presented to the ELCA Churchwide Assembly the Social Policy Resolution regarding Voting Rights and subsequently partnered with ELCA Young Adults and Racial Justice Ministries to form #ELCAVotes. Currently she serves on both boards of SOUL (Southsiders Organized for Unity and Leadership) and Emmanus Road, another faith rooted organization located in NYC. Pr. Pitts has no apologizes for her voice and where she places herself in faith rooted organizing for all people. She is also known for her poetic voice both academically and theologically, and this is reflected in the blog.<\/small><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Our guest blogger, the Rev. Kwame Pitts, helped draft and present the ELCA Social Policy Resolution \u201cVoting Rights to All Citizens\u201d adopted by the Churchwide Assembly in 2013. She shares her poetically presented thoughts in 2018 here. THE RESPONSIBILITY I CARRY INSIDE MY DNA: THE CONTINUED STRUGGLE FOR VOTING RIGHTS By guest blogger the Rev. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":254,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[16292,18348,5853],"class_list":["post-3107","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","tag-elcavotes","tag-guest-blogger","tag-voting"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe continued struggle for voting rights - ELCA Advocacy<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/advocacy\/the-continued-struggle-for-voting-rights\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The continued struggle for voting rights - ELCA Advocacy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Our guest blogger, the Rev. Kwame Pitts, helped draft and present the ELCA Social Policy Resolution \u201cVoting Rights to All Citizens\u201d adopted by the Churchwide Assembly in 2013. She shares her poetically presented thoughts in 2018 here. THE RESPONSIBILITY I CARRY INSIDE MY DNA: THE CONTINUED STRUGGLE FOR VOTING RIGHTS By guest blogger the Rev. 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