Thread by @thearmchaircom

Ok y’all, I am going to do a point by point analysis of @sparrowwomen’s (non-)apology to @sista_theology. Stay tuned. #Sparrow2019

First of all, @sparrowwomen's #nonpology, as it shall hitherto be referred, is not even on the main part of their website. You have to click through a menu to get to a dropdown tab that says "our apology." Their apology for what? #sparrow2019 #SparrowSoFragile

@sparrowwomen's #nonpology sentence 1: "We are writing to address the content shared during the testimonial interview at the 2019 Sparrow Conference."

"Content"- what does this mean?
"Testimonial Interview"- We'll get to why this is crap here in a moment...
#SparrowSoFragile

So, @sparrowwomen called @sista_theology's interview a "testimonial interview." In the first sentence, they are trying to distance themselves from Ekemini's words. It was her "testimony" and not a part of the teaching of the conference. #SparrowSoFragile

So let me tell you why @sparrowwomen calling @sista_theology's interview a "testimonial" is so damaging. It sets Ekemini's words up as not being biblical teaching. What's even worse is that Ekemini was the ONLY one, to my knowledge, with a seminary degree #SparrowSoFragile

So @sparrowwomen thought it was cool not only to distance themselves from @sista_theology's words but to also ignore the fact that she was there giving sound biblical teaching, which she has the credentials to do.

This is just in the first sentence yall. #SparrowSoFragile

Also, while we're here, let's talk about how problematic it was for @sparrowwomen to have @sista_theology for an interview instead of a plenary session. They had a white woman on the stage talking abt issues in another country and not a Black theologian. #SparrowSoFragile

Reminder. We're still on SENTENCE 1.

Last point on this: @sparrowwomen would rather give plenary time to a white woman doing work in Kenya than to give that time to @sista_theology to teach the Bible for which she has an ENTIRE M.DIV AND IS QUALIFIED TO DO. #SparrowSoFragile

Sentence 2 of @sparrowwomen's #nonpology to @sista_theology: "We publicly apologize to both Ekemini Uwan and the conference participants for not handling such a complex subject with more care and therefore putting everyone involved in a such a difficult place." #SparrowSoFragile

This second sentence is an entire clustercuss. So they apologized to both @sista_theology and "conference participants." So are they are apologizing to Ekemini and to the fragile white women who walked out of the session? @sparrowwomen #Sparrow2019 #SparrowSoFragile

Why is @sparrowwomen apologizing to the fragile white women who walked out of the conference, their actions harming the black women who had to see and hear their nonsense? Side Note: @dee2roe wrote a BRILLIANT article for @TheWitnessBCC on her experience #SparrowSoFragile

@dee2roe's article for @TheWitnessBCC about her experience at #Sparrow2019 chronicles the fragile white women who walked out of @sista_theology's "testimonial interview;" the same fragile white women to whom @sparrowwomen seem to reference in their #nonpology. #SparrowSoFragile

So for @sparrowwomen to apologize to both @sista_theology AND "conference participants" is a load of crap. They don't need to apologize to every participant, they need to apologize to the black women and WOC who were bruised by white fragility at this event. #SparrowSoFragile

@saprrowwomen apologizing to "conference participants" is a sneaky way for them to play both sides in this issue. You can't apologize both to @sista_theology and to the fragile white women who showed their tails. That's not how it works. #SparrowSoFragile.

@sparrowwomen is trying so hard to play both sides and to remain moderate. They are taking the side of those white women who acted up and they are oppressing @sista_theology...but I'm getting ahead of myself, I'll preach later. #SparrowSoFragile

With this #nonpology, @sparrowwomen is talking out both sides of they mouth. If they want to be "peacemakers" they cannot settle for a false peace that placates both sides. That's not being a peacemaker, that's being an oppressor. #SparrowSoFragile

2nd sentence of the #nonpology to refresh you before I go on: We publicly apologize to both Ekemini Uwan and the conference participants for not handling such a complex subject with more care and therefore putting everyone involved in a such a difficult place. #SparrowSoFragile

So @sparrowwomen is 'apologizing' for "not handling such a complex subject" with care. Y'all...@sista_theology's "testimonial interview" contained some of the most basic teaching on "racial reconciliation" that you can do. #SparrowSoFragile

@sparrowwomen has set themselves up to be this space for "reconcilers" and then when people cannot handle 101 level subject matter, they feel the need to silence black women and coddle fragile white women. #SparrowSoFragile

Please understand that I'm not shading @sista_theology's teaching at all. It was 🔥. But it should not be a "complex subject" for anoyne who calls themselves trying to be a "reconciler." @sparrowwomen #SparrowSoFragile

@sparrowwomen apologizing for "putting everyone involved in a such a difficult place" is junk. Once again this is a play to ease the hurt feelings of fragile white women. No one was in a difficult place except for the fragile white women. #SparrowSoFragile

@sparrowwomen has made things difficult for @sista_theology by not giving her her photos and videos like her contract states.

Anyway, Ekemini's teaching was not the problem, but they're acting like it was. #SparrowSoFragile

@sparrowwomen invited @sista_theology, a vocal anti-racist, to their little conference and then have the temerity to treat her like she did something wrong. Like they should've done more to mitigate what she said. #SparrowSoFragile

@sparrowwomen says that they should have handled the "complex subject" with more care. Clearly they mean with more care for the fragile white women and not for the black women and @sista_theology. #SparrowSoFragile

@sparrowwomen does not give a heck about the black women in attendance and @sista_theology, so idk what they wish they would've handled with care. They have done nothing but silence BW from jump street. #SparrowSoFragile

@sparrowwomen filed a copyright claim on @dee2roe's video of @sista_theology's "testimonial interview." They refuse to give Ekemini her photos and video of the conference. They did not mention Ekemini in any of their little "shout outs" to speakers. #SparrowSoFragile

@sparrowwomen has attempted to silence the voices of black women every step of the way. And then they wanna apologize for not handling things with care. Ok, but where is the apology to black women and @sista_theology, because this aint it. #SparrowSoFragile

@Sparrowwomen threw @sista_theology's name in there as a formality. As a, "Can we all get along now?" This was not an apology to Ekemini and black women by extension, but a way to look like they did something without doing crap. #SparrowSoFragle. This is just the 2nd sentence...

3rd sentence of @sparrowwomen's #nonpology: "That is not the heart or mission of Sparrow Women and we take responsibility for what happened." If they are taking responsibility, why haven't they given @sista_theology her photos and videos, as her contract states? #SparrowSoFragile

Per their mission statement, @sparrowwomen: exists to catalyze the next generation of reconcilers. How does silencing @sista_theology and @dee2roe fit into that mission? Or apologizing to fragile white women? Or treating Ekemini like SHE did something wrong? #SparrowSoFragile

@sparrowwomen, how does not repairing this situation to the satisfaction of @sista_theology and all of the black women and WOC who were at #Sparrow2019 fit into your mission? #SparrowSoFragile

4th sentence of @Sparrowwomen's #nonpology: "We want to be peacemakers and see gospel reconciliation and we fell short of our goal here."

Taken with the rest of this statement, it sounds like they are apologizing for @sista_theology's "testimonial interview." #SparrowSoFragile

@sparrowwomen is intentionally vague about exactly how they fell short. There was some "content" shared and a "complex subject" that "put everyone in a difficult place," and the "fell short" of their goal to bring "reconciliation." #SparrowSoFragile

@sparrowwomen, thought that by issuing this vague #nonpology that we could all just be friends and forget about the injustice done to @sista_theology and the harm done to black women. #SparrowSoFragile

@sparrowwomen hasn't taken responsibility for anything thus far in this #nonpology. All they've done is be vague. All they've done is spout "pious irrelevancies and sanctimonious trivialities" (in the words of MLK). #SparrowSoFragile

@sparrowwomen says that they want to be "peacemakers" and to "see gospel reconciliation," but they can't even enter into and live into the very basic principles of that work. They want to take the side of injustice. #SparrowSoFragile

@sparrowwomen has taken the side of injustice because they have not stood behind @sista_theology at all whatsoever. They have all but erased her from the conference. When @dee2roe spoke out about what happened, they tried to silence her, too. #SparrowSoFragile

@Sparrowwomen want to "see gospel reconciliation," but they want to control the narrative and will not release @sista_theology's photos and videos to her. It's her property per her contract. What are they so afraid of? #SparrowSoFragile

@SparrowWomen's #nonpology does not take the position of reconciliation with a sister whom they've hurt (@sista_theology), it is a fortification of white fragility. #SparrowSoFragile

Final Sentence of @Sparrowwomen's #nonpology: "We will learn from this and are praying for healing and peace for everyone that participated in this year’s conference and those that have been affected by this." This is a load of fragile white nonsense. #SparrowSoFragile

@sparrowwomen refuses to be specific, and in their lack of specificity, they do more harm. They are clearly playing the Both Sides Shuffle. They're praying for healing for everyone, but are just fine with harming @sista_theology and the other BW at this event. #SparrowSoFragile

@Sparrowwomen says that they're praying for healing and peace, but they won't give @sista_theology her photos and video like her contract states. #SparrowSoFragile

@Sparrowwomen's #nonpology is the summation of all that is wrong with these so-called "reconciliation" spaces. When the isht hits the fan it always falls on black women. When white women get uncomfortable it's black folks who pay. #SparrowSoFragile

@sparrowwomen's statement leaves plenty of room for it to seem like there was something wrong with @sista_theology's "testimonial interview" and not with the white women who walked out of it. #SparrowSoFragile.

Yes, @Sparrowwomen apologized to Ekemini, but they also apologized to the fragile white women who violated the space, thus negating their apology to Ekemini. When you take both sides, you take the side of the oppressor by default. #SparrowSoFragile

By their actions @sparrowwomen shows whose side they're on. They may have offered an "apology" to Ekemini, but if they were really behind her she wouldn't be fighting them for her photos and video of the conference. #SparrowSoFragile.

@sparrowwomen is out here negating every bit of work that they've done because they can't stand with black women when the going gets tough. This isn't the reconciliation you're looking for. #SparrowSoFragile

So-called "racial reconciliation" spaces will never, and I mean NEVER, be effective if they are not safe for black people. They will NEVER be safe where whiteness and fragility are allowed free reign. @Sparrowwomen #SparrowSoFragile

Until white people and white ministries are willing to divest in their whiteness (the phrase in @sista_theology's "testimonial interview" that seemed to set people off) they will continue to do harm to black people. @sparrowwomen #SparrowSoFragile

Until @sparrowwomen takes ACTUAL, bold steps toward reconciliation, reparations, and healing with @sista_theology @dee2roe and every other black woman and WOC affected by their white nonsense, I will do not recommend we engage with them. #SparrowSoFragile

@sparrowwomen has shown us who they are, and I suggest that we take heed. The leadership of this ministry needs to put itself under the teaching and advisement of black women so that they can do better. Divest, Repent, Repair, Repeat. #SparrowSoFragile END