SCOTUS Has Fallen: A Letter from the Editor

Dear Unbound family,

I woke up this morning with little to no sleep, reading the headlines and watching videos about the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court of the United States. I woke up this morning to tweets and Instagram posts from queer people scared that their marriage will be erased. I woke up to women worried that the autonomy over their own bodies will be stripped away.  My heart is racing right now because I am terrified of what is to come.

Our leaders have failed us by wasting time on a confirmation instead of passing bills that protect and equip the American people during this pandemic. A distorted and narrowed pro-life ideology that ignores the lives that are suffering and living right now is hardening the hearts of one-issue thinkers and politicians. Christianity and Christian values are being co-opted as agents of a false religiosity that centers white supremacist ideals…this is what is happening! Because of these things, the Supreme Court of the United States is poised to make a hard right turn, imperiling its legitimacy and weakening its vital role in our republic.

The team at Unbound want our readers and viewers to know: THAT YOU ARE LOVED, YOU ARE SEEN, AND YOU ARE THE BELOVED OF GOD. No matter what this government or the courts may tell you, you are divinely made. To our queer siblings, will we always stand and fight for your rights and your dignity. To our women identifying siblings, the team at Unbound will always fight for your right to your own body and your autonomy. To our Black and Brown siblings, your lives matter. To people who are suffering with pre-existing conditions, we stand in the firm foundation of our faith that healthcare is a human right and not a privilege.

Unbound is a Christian based platform that speaks to the intersection of faith and justice. Christ lived a life that modeled the ways in which we are to be in this world. We are to love those who are poor, sick, marginalized, alone, and seen as “different” than the “norm”. Christ’s mission included denouncing tyranny and evil systems that oppress. Even Christ’s death was framed in the context of the empire as he stood trial, sentenced, and put to death by the government because he threatened its power.

As a model of our Christian values, we denounce bigotry, racism, white supremacy and actions by our government that places vulnerable lives in danger. We condemn homophobia, transphobia, and xenophobia in all its manifestations including in the law, in the courts, and in the leadership of this country. And we reaffirm our commitment to hold each other accountable as we continue the path toward the kin-dom of God here on earth and for a more just and equitable society.  

In peace, love, and power,

Rev. Lee Catoe
Managing Editor of Unbound