Don’t Say His Name

President Nelson made a statement about the killing of George Floyd and subsequent violence on his Facebook page on Monday (and it was also published at the Church Newsroom). There is much that I like in the statement. For example, he said in part,

We abhor the reality that some would deny others respect and the most basic of freedoms because of the color of his or her skin.

I’m frustrated at his vagueness, though. Unlike statements made by many other churches and their leaders (many compiled by Sam Brunson at BCC), he doesn’t name Floyd or specifically mention his death. His statement is boilerplate enough that it might have come in response to any unjustified killing of any black man. Or, really, any race-motivated incident of any kind anywhere. Well, except for his explicit calling out of “looting, defacing, or destroying public or private property.” He saved some specificity for that point.

I think it’s great to condemn racism broadly. But I also think it really waters down his statement when he’s so broad and vague. I would much prefer that statements issued in response to an incident like this actually name the incident and name the crime and name the person killed. Doing this would make the statement more effective at pointing out the particular wrong that needs to be corrected.

Vagueness in responding to race-related incidents has failed the Church before. You probably remember back in 2017, when the Church issued a vague “don’t be racist” statement after someone drove a car into a group of people protesting a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. It said:

It is with great sadness and deep concern that we view the violence, conflict, and tragedy of recent days in Charlottesville, Virginia. . . . . Our prayers are with those who are suffering because of this intolerance and hatred. We pray for peace and for understanding. Above all, we pray that we may treat one another with greater kindness, compassion, and goodness.

After their statement itself was taken up by Mormon white supremacists as evidence that what they were really condemning was racism against white people, they issued a second statement that was more clear in naming the wrong. It more specifically named the wrong, rather than vaguely handwaving about “violence, conflict, and tragedy,” and refuted the Mormon white supremacists’ point.

It has been called to our attention that there are some among the various pro-white and white supremacy communities who assert that the Church is neutral toward or in support of their views. Nothing could be further from the truth.

It is to their credit that Church leaders issued the second statement. But now just a few years later, President Nelson is making the same mistake over again in being vague. I fear that, in spite the precedent of the improved second 2017 statement, he’s concerned about being too pointed in what exactly he’s condemning, for fear of offending Church members who lean white supremacist, or even are just politically conservative.

Church leaders clearly have little concern for offending those of us who are politically liberal. I wish they would rhetorically take off their gloves and condemn the killing of Floyd with even a fraction of the directness that they use to condemn things like gay marriage.

Say his name. His name is George Floyd. Black lives matter.