Ok, let’s talk about this picture.
That’s the one. An acquaintance and friendly local photojournalist Andy Sharp snapped this photo of me on Saturday, June 25 at Taylor’s “pride” festival. Below is Mr. Sharp’s caption of the photo.
062522 TAYLOR, TEXAS: Mac Pena, left (tilda over n in last name) was one of several festival attendees blocking access to Pastor Caleb Ripple, right, outside the Texas Beer Company during the Taylor Pride Festival on Saturday, June 25, 2022. A drag discussion panel and show was going on inside. Two discussion and show participants were 12-year-olds. Ripple, a pastor at Taylor’s Christ Fellowship Church, was one of several opposed to the presence of minors taking part in the show. Photo by Andy Sharp.
When my friends saw this picture they sent it to me and we all had a good laugh because what was going on in that moment was still very fresh in our minds and the photo did great to capture my gentle side even if the context was nicely being smothered in the corner behind the goons I am pointing to.
Acknowledging that this photo, without the historical context, could be perceived as less than flattering, not only to myself and my pointer finger but also to my fellow brothers and sisters who may be left questioning my demeanor and the use of said pointer finger. I decided, in an effort to guard the dignity of my fellow Christians who may be tempted to assume the worse, to leave a comment on Mr. Sharp’s post which read:
I appreciate your write up @andybobsharp. However, I would assume you could see how your snapshot of me could possibly make me look like the aggressor in that particular situation. What that photo does not capture is my pregnant wife and two other young women from our group being smothered into the corner behind two women and the tall man in the red shirt and hat, and being repeatedly touched against their will. This photo doesn’t show that I was standing there to get our women out of the corner without touching others when the man I am pointing to came out of the bar and stood six inches in front of my face. This photo doesn’t capture the part where the police commander sees our women being harassed and boxed in behind the tall man in red and the man I am pointing to, and tells them to move out of our way. I understand the photo cannot capture everything but I would appreciate you to at least personally acknowledge here that the man came and stood in my face and not the other way around as some may wish to assume. I appreciate you Andy and I look forward to seeing more of your pictures. Peace, brother.
To which he replied:
Good to know this, Caleb. When taking photos then I was pretty much hemmed in, not able to see much beyond what was right in front of me. Thank you for the additional clarification. Best to you and your family. Andy
You see, as we were recording the child exploitation that was going on in Texas Beer Company, the man in the red shirt and tan hat, along with two women, came out and boxed my pregnant wife and two other women from our group into the corner and closed in on them where they could literally not move without touching their aggressors who were trying to keep us from seeing and recording the child drag show. These folks were repeatedly touching our ladies even after being repeatedly asked to stop and to please back away. See my live video here.
As I stood in the corner, before I came over to assist our ladies, one fella came and squeezed in right in front of me, apparently in an attempt to intimidate me. I did not move my feet toward or away from him but continued doing what I was there to do, document the child exploitation.
Shortly after this, I realized that our women were being smothered in the corner so I went to them. The police were there but were very passive and did not want to prematurely get involved. I moved over to the other side of the entry way where our women were.
In that moment, the question to be answered was not whether or not I was going to be gentle, rather, who was I going to be gentle to. Was I going to gently back away and let the goons continue to push our women or was I going to stand firm with our sheep. I did not back away from our cornered ladies until they got out without touching those seeking to intimidate them.
Some may argue that we shouldn’t have been there in the first place. I understand that argument coming from pagans. However, as the Church, we understand that we assail the gates of Hell while unbelievers vainly defend against the dominating Kingdom of God. This means that besides the immediate context of what was happening to my pregnant wife and two other ladies, we were there to expose the child exploitation that they claimed to be proud of. If they are doing this to these kids today, imagine what they will be doing to the next generation if we, as Christians, do not stand up and refuse to back down from the truth no matter how that stand may be misconstrued or what it will look like. Are we going to be willing to stand up to the goons in order to seek to protect future generations of children or are we going to be more concerned about our reputations and how people perceive us? Let them call us mean and let us rejoice and be glad.
Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Matthew 5:11-12