Amy Jimenez
Dr. Tim Sensing
BMIS 640W1 Leadership in Intercultural Contexts
11 November 2011
Giving Thanks Case Study
The best way to unite adversaries is to agree on a common enemy. An ancient
Arabian proverb says, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”1 Historically, President
George W. Bush went from an approval rating of 51% to 90% before and after the
terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, as the country rallied around
a common enemy in Al Qaeda. Similarly after the attack by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor
on December 7, 1941, the country unanimously endorsed Franklin D. Roosevelt with an
approval rating of 84%.2 In Exodus 23:22, God is assuring the Israelites of his care and
protection against their enemies as he leads them to the promised land, when he says, "I
will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you."3 In the case
“Giving Thanks,” the merchants and residents of the South End Community are at odds
and tension is building. I will assess the case based on the shared philosophical foes of
1
"The Quote Cache," accessed 30 October, 2011. Online: http://
quotes.prolix.nu/Proverbs/.
David W. Moore, "Bush Job Approval Reflects Record "rally Effect,” accessed
September 18, 2001. Online: www.gallup.com/poll/4912/Bush-Job-Approval-ReflectsRecord-Rally-Effect.aspx.
2
3
Exodus 22:23 (New International Version,1984). Unless otherwise noted, all
future Biblical references will be from this version.
the participants and provide solutions that attempt to unite the community in a common
purpose to battle their enemies and thus promote peace.
The first participants in the case are Tom Park, President of the Korean Merchant
Association and Kim Song, Secretary of the Association. Mr. Park and Mr. Song
represent merchants who live and work in the South End, a neighborhood community that
is part of a larger city. Park and his members appreciate the success they have achieved
after 10 years of participation in the ethnically diverse business district of the South End.
They desire to support the community and desire to give back as a way of thanking their
patrons. Mr. Park seems to be a man of integrity. He wants to keep his promises, cares
about the people, safety, care of his community, philanthropy, and maintaining good
business relationships. His association has passed out flyers, advertising a Thanksgiving
Block Party for the community the Sunday before Thanksgiving at South Park, where
they will distribute 500 turkeys and donated shoes and clothes to community members.
They are surprised by anonymous opposition to this party exposed by flyers distributed
throughout the community calling for a protest rally and boycott of the event at the same
location. Mr. Park has petitioned his pastor, Sam Lee, for advice on how to proceed. He
obviously values biblically sound advice, as he has sought out Godly counsel from a wise
and spiritually mature advisor.4
Pastor Sam Lee is an important player in the case. He is concerned about the
community as well, seeking to understand the issues surrounding the conflict by talking
4
Ken Sande, The Peacemaker, 3rd ed (Grand Rapids, MICHIGAN: Baker Books,
2004), 250. Sande advises seeking relationships that will encourage and give advice in
difficult conflicts. Hes says that "one of the best ways to avoid straying from the Lord is
to surround yourself with wise and spiritually mature people who will encourage you to
stay on a biblical course, even when the going is tough.".
to people in the community to promote peace. (reference importance of communication)
He speaks to five people who give him further perspective. Each person shares a
common interest in the safety and asthetics of the neighborhood. They all oppose
violence and crime, want the young people in the area to succeed and stay out of trouble,
and are actively contributing to promoting goodwill in the South End community in
various ways. They differ in suppositions regarding the mounting conflict.
Reverend Joshua Taylor, an AME pastor, representing a large African-American
population in the South End, is concerned about the tension and is open to dialogue. He
knows that many of his congregants oppose the sale of cheap malt liquor in local delis.
His perspective is that many of these delis are owned by Korean merchants, so he
questions their gesture of kindness in giving out gifts at Thanksgiving, proposing that
they are trying to buy the silence of the protesters. Eli Johnson, an African-American
businessman and community activist opposes the block party. His feelings are personal
and emotional. He owns a business, close to a deli that serves beer and is owned by a
Korean merchant. He has witnessed kids drinking and fighting over the summer and
blames the Korean store owner. He provides a nomothetic (nomothetic reference)
perspective of the collectivist Korean culture, disliking their interdependence on family
members as they rarely hire other community members to work in their stores.5 He
seems personally offended that the Korean Merchant Association did not recognize the
name change of South Park three years earlier by his community to Malcolm X Park. He
demonstrates the influence of the bias of cultural gestures and symbols in shaping
5
Mark Lau Branson and Juan F. Martinez, Churches, Cultures and Leadership, A
Practical Theology of Congregations and Ethnicities (Downers Grove, ILLINOIS:
Intervarsity Press, 2011), 155-156.
perspective. (reference) Doris Allen, a resident and director Community Social Services
program assesses the situation from her context, which is work amongst the poor. She
has an ideographic perspective of needy families in the community who need the
clothing, shoes and food the Korean Merchants Association wants to provide, so she
supports the block party. She is embarrassed by the opposition. Bill Kennedy, a local
businessman and resident, is the president of the South End Business and Residents
Group. His group has worked to beautify the neighborhood and seeks partnership
relationships between residents and merchants. He seems offended that the Korean
Merchants Association did not consult with his organization in the planning of this event.
He opposes the event because he sees it promoting racial tension. Captain Larkin, a
police officer in the community is the fifth and final person that Pastor Lee speaks with.
He represents an objective voice, observing the Korean community members positively
contributing to the community by promoting neighborhood youth programs and being
involved in church efforts. He offers a different perspective than Reverend Taylor in that
he sees a very small percentage of delis actually owned by Korean merchants. He
supports all opposition to the selling of the malt liquor especially to young people, and
wants to ensure a peaceful outcome from the block party and protest rally with the use of
his police force.
Issues in a conflict can be defined as personal or material.6 When engaging in
conflict resolution it is important to define these issues and decide which ones are worth
fighting for and which are worth sacrificing. The personal issues in case involve what is
going on inside and between persons, usually affected by attitudes or feelings. Tom Park
6
Ken Sande, The Peacemaker, 3rd ed (Grand Rapids, MICHIGAN: Baker Books,
2004), 80.
and Kim Song feel frustrated that Koreans are blamed for all the problems arising from
the sale of cheap liquor to minors. Park says, “Koreans own only three of these delis in
the entire South End…We cannot control those who sell beer, yet we are blamed for all
the problems.” Song says, “There’s nothing political about what we are trying to do. It’s
not a trick. It’s an open-heart gesture.” Eli Johnson has taken personal offense to the
Korean merchants not recognizing the African-American name to the park is upset that
the specific deli near his store does not hire young African-Americans that need jobs.
Bill Kennedy is upset that the Korean Merchants Association did not include his
organization, the South End Business and Residents Group, in their decision. He feels
that their authority and influence in the community were minimized.
The material issues in the case involve the more objective matters such as
property, money, rights and responsibilities. At stake, in this case, are the needs of the
hungry families in the community, the collection of a significant amount of money and
goods to give away, the selling of cheap liquor to minors resulting in violence, shootings,
and disturbance, the desire of the residents to elevate their living standards, expecting the
rights to a safe, aesthetically pleasing community, where opportunities abound for young
people to contribute and thrive.
I find several common enemies amidst all these issues. Each participant wants a
good, safe and peaceful community to live in and is against violence. Most (Parks, Song,
Lee, Thomas, Johnson, Cpt. Larkin) are against the sale of cheap liquor to minors which
leads to violence and trouble for young people. All the participants want to give back to
the community in some way, Lee and Thomas as pastors, Parks, Song, and Johnson and
Kennedy as merchants and activists, and Allen as an advocate for the poor.
God has often called his people to come together in unity of purpose. Paul says in
Philippians 2: 1-2 says, “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if
any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and
compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love,
being one in spirit and purpose.” (Emphasis mine) Ephesians 4:2-6 says, “Be completely
humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to
keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (Emphasis mine) There is one
body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one
Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all
and in all.”
God made us in his image, the image of three persons working toward a common
purpose, to reconcile God and man. (2 Cor. 5:17) He intends, and thus makes it possible,
for his people to live in harmony with those around us. Christians are called to be
reconcilers. Romans 12:17-18 encourages the believer, “Be careful to do what is right in
the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with
everyone.
There is precedent in scripture of unification around a common enemy. The
Isrealites as slaves in Egypt were united by Moses to break free from the oppression of
Pharoah. Though they numbered in the tens of thousands, Moses was able to unite them
to orderly leave their homes and face the unknown of the Red Sea and the dessert. The
Isrealites would prove that they were a complaining and self serving group, but in that
initial descent, they were united against the oppression of slavery and were able to
function as one cohesive group, empowered by the presence of God in their midst (a
cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.)
In the New Testament, great opposition and persecution arose for Christians
committed to the Way. Though the church scattered, this common struggle bound
Christians together in solidarity and unification as they met together in homes and in
underground meeting places, facing fear and death with confidence in God and in each
other.
In times of unity around a common enemy, or oppression, personal rights become
less important. Sande says that “rights are not something you deserve and possess for
your own benefit. Rather, they are privileges given to you by God, and he wants you to
use them for his glory and to benefit others, especially by helping them know Christ.”7
We may be called as witnesses for Christ, to give up rights that are morally and legally
justified in order to honor God or benefit others. Jesus offered the ultimate example of
this in Philippians 2:6-8:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be
grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made
in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled
himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!
Matthew 5:9 says, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called sons of
God.” In conclusion, I believe that God often calls us to lay down our rights, and unite in
common purpose with those we might consider our adversaries in order to be
peacemakers, to reflect God’s glory to the world.
7
Ken Sande, The Peacemaker, 3rd ed (Grand Rapids, MICHIGAN: Baker Books,
2004), 94.
In the case Giving Thanks, Pastor Lee is asked by Tom Park and Kim Song,
“What do you think Pastor? Perhaps we should proceed as we had planned?” I believe
that he should advise them to proceed but with a compromise to promote peace. Perhaps,
they could modify the party atmosphere of the block party to a community service
project. With the help of Ms. Allen, groups could be formed to deliver the turkeys,
clothing and shoes to needy families in the area. Other members could set up an area at
the park to give away additional items as planned, but could also provide entertainment
for the community to enjoy, like a Thanksgiving concert or speaker. As far as I know,
the original flyer, did not already commit to the details of the party.
To calm the anger and fears associated with the anticipation of the event, I believe
that Pastor Lee should instruct the Korean Merchants Association to define the common
enemies they share with each of the individuals and groups that Pastor Lee spoke to in the
community, and put them into distinct statement form. I advise them to put these
common statements into the form of a flyer, printed in English and Korean, and petition
the individuals and groups that Pastor Lee has already spoken to for signatures of
solidarity. Perhaps, Mr. Park and Mr. Song, could start with a flyer announcing one
common enemy that they share with many in the community. It might say something like
this:

We oppose the sale of cheap liquor to minors in our community, and do
not support nor condone businesses that sell liquor to minors.
A second flyer could include another line:

We oppose the sale of cheap liquor to minors in our community

We oppose outbreaks of violence and crime in our community.
A third flyer could include a statement of unity and purpose as well:

We oppose the sale of cheap liquor to minors in our community

We oppose outbreaks of violence and crime in our community.

We support a well kept, safe, and economically stable community
environment for the South End Neighborhood.
They could use these flyers, with the presence of Pastor Lee as a mediator to start
discussions with key community players about these issues. Those who agree to the third
flyer could sign their name to all three. Those who agree with the first two flyers could
sign those. At the end of the day, the flyer with the most signatures from community
representatives, could be printed and distributed to the community.
Additionally, I think an appearance by Mr. Park or local television news and/or a
spot on the radio, offering a heartfelt message of his opposition to the sales of liquor to
minors, highlighting that only three delis are owned by Koreans, and the desire of his
Korean Merchant Association to simply say Thank You to the community would be an
appropriate measure to help to ease tension and promote peace.
Jimenez, Giving Thanks
WORKS CITED
"Bush Job Approval Reflects Record "rally Effect"," David W. Moore, accessed
September 18, 2001, www.gallup.com/poll/4reflects-record-rally-effect.aspx.
"George W. Bush Presedential Job Approval," www.gallup.com/poll/approval-ratingsbush.aspx.
"The Quote Cache," http://quotes.prolix.nu/Proverbs/.
Branson, Mark Lau, and Juan F. Martinez. Churches, Cultures and Leadership, A
Practical Theology of Congregations and Ethnicities. Downers Grove,
ILLINOIS: Intervarsity Press, 2011.
Sande, Ken. The Peacemaker. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids, MICHIGAN: Baker Books, 2004.
Sande advises seeking relationships that will encourage and give advice in
difficult conflicts. Hes says that "one of the best ways to avoid straying from the
Lord is to surround yourself with wise and spiritually mature people who will
encourage you to stay on a biblical course, even when the going is tough.".
1