Black lives matter
This has been a week. I am a word person, and my first response to an emotionally devastating situation is to write about it. But there are no words. The savagery against people of color, not just in the past week, but for centuries, is inexcusable. The senseless death of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arberu, Breonna Tayler, and others, reflect the horrors of injustice and oppression that still pervade our entire country. Society has failed when those whose role it is to protect lives, use their power and authority to take lives. Society has failed when people of color are more frequently arrested, more harshly judged and more severely punished than whites. Society has failed when the only recourse for victims of systematic oppression, is violence.
I do not have the solution. But I can and do recognize my privilege which allows me time and space to consider the problem rather than deal with it daily as a matter of life and death. I cannot fix the problem, but I can make myself more aware of racism in all of its subtle and pervasive forms. I can stand against racist behavior when I see it, and I can open my heart to the possibility of a future with liberty and justice for all.
Black lives matter.
Comments on this post (3)
Well said!
Not difficult to see why Americans of color are angry. I certainly am.
— Charlie Watson
Ellen-
Thank you for these words. It is perfectly clear as to why you refer to yourself as a word person. Do you mind if I post your link on my FaceBook page? Black lives DO matter. And, whatever we can do to help people understand what you wrote is critical. I lived though the riots in Watts. I’ve lived through the time of segregation. I have seen and witnessed racism, and I don’t like it. It is so sad that some people cannot see past the color of a persons skin and look at their hearts. My mama, who is now pushing 102 was born and raised in Alabama, but she taught us that the color of ones skin does not matter. She also told me stories that her family in Alabama hid Indians out on their property during the Trail of Tears. She has never said that her family was part of the Underground Railroad, but I wold not be surprised if they were. Again, thank you for your words!
— Carrie Williams
Ellen-
Thank you for these words. It is perfectly clear as to why you refer to yourself as a word person. Do you mind if I post your link on my FaceBook page? Black lives DO matter. And, whatever we can do to help people understand what you wrote is critical. I lived though the riots in Watts. I’ve lived through the time of segregation. I have seen and witnessed racism, and I don’t like it. It is so sad that some people cannot see past the color of a persons skin and look at their hearts. My mama, who is now pushing 102 was born and raised in Alabama, but she taught us that the color of ones skin does not matter. She also told me stories that her family in Alabama hid Indians out on their property during the Trail of Tears. She has never said that her family was part of the Underground Railroad, but I wold not be surprised if they were. Again, thank you for your words!
— Carrie Williams