Following the murder of 37 year old mom Renee Nicole Good by ICE, Minneapolis pastor Rev. Kenny Callaghan heard whistles and car horns near his church.  He went out to see what was happening and saw a black ICE SUV with protesters near it.  He joined them and saw that agents were attempting to arrest a brown-skinned woman.

Rev. Callaghan told the officers to arrest him instead because he was not afraid.

“What did you say?” the officer asked.

“I’m not afraid,” repeated Rev. Callaghan.

The ICE officer put him in handcuffs and escorted him in the back of his vehicle but not before pointing a gun in his face and asking: “Are you afraid now?”

Rev. Callaghan was held in the back of the car for half an hour with repeated visits from ICE officers; each time being asked if he was afraid yet.  “No,” he responded each time.

Finally, an officer came back to the car, looked at him and said: “Well, you’re white, and you wouldn’t be any fun anyway.  Get out of the car.”

Rev. Callaghan later recalled: “It was at that point that I realized that this staging, these ICE raids were really all about fear and intimidation.  They were there for sport.”

This is Christian witness at its finest and most courageous.  Would any of us have the courage to act as Rev. Callaghan did—especially just after a deadly shooting?  It is hard to imagine.  

I thank God that there are those like Rev. Callaghan out there whose faith calls them to confront evil so directly.  Our prayers are with him and those like him and for the spirit and resolve to practice such faith.  

May God be with those being arrested, their families, and for so many who are living in fear.

See you in church,

–Rev. Dominic