archbishop desmond tutu

i saw the archbishop desmond tutu speak tonight at trinity church. he was really amazing, and said a few especially interesting things.

the interviewer asked him and john allen (his biographer) about how the churches mobilized the whites and the blacks during apartheid and tutu reminded the audience, "the christian faith is responsible for some of the most horrendous atrocies." applause from brave audience members. he continued, "christians are responsible for the holocaust. christians are responsible for slavery. christians are responsible for apartheid."

he said that the struggle against apartheid has been compared to the civil rights movement in the usa. but it's NOT--"people in south africa--every person--must change. unlike the us." which is why we still have racism and have a concrete ceiling for women of color in the business world.

to desmond tutu, "the primary violence of apartheid is the injustice of apartheid."

to him, nonviolent protest was, "confronting without weapons in your hands--and call out the violence of your opponent."

he's amazing. i'm so lucky to have heard him speak.