Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem in peaceful protest of the injustices and systemic problems he saw. He, and those who joined him, suffered repercussions and were accused of disrespecting the flag and insulting veterans. Their message was shouted down. They were ignored and overwhelmed. They needed to be controlled.
Black Lives Matters protested peacefully across the nation. They were shouted down with "All Lives Matter", and their message was ignored. They needed to be controlled.
Now focus of some is centered on the wrongdoing of looters and those who are violent. There is a slight hint of recognition that the police responsible for killing George Floyd were wrong, but again, the message of protesters is being ignored. They need to be controlled.
Tracy Chapman once said, "There’s only so far you can push people before they start to push back,..." Those resorting to looting and violence are shoving back.
I abhor violence and cannot condone looting and stealing. But what is it going to take to get this nation to listen and actually work on systemic changes? What is it going to take? When are we going to stop shouting down those who try to peacefully protest?
This president had peaceful protesters violently remove from where he wanted to walk for a photo op. This president called for liberation of a state where heavily armed white men took over a capital building. There was no call to control those people.
How would he react if heavily armed black men took over a state capital building? Would there be a call for liberation? Would there be an outcry for 2nd amendment rights? Likely NOT!
What is most frustrating to me is that we have so failed as a nation to solve systemic problem and now those on the front line are overwhelmed in addressing the fallout. We have failed our good police officers. They are confronting the fallout of the failure of our mental health system. They are confronting the fallout of the failure of our economic system. They are confronting the fallout from the failure of our education system. They are overwhelmed.
Now the military is being called out to deal with the fallout. "They" need to be controlled. The problem is that actual change will come slowly. And if there are not fast results, the anger that is now a rage will grow. Military resistance will not work. If we want peace, we must be peace.
Peace begins with each of us. I am taking a knee!
Well said! I'm taking the knee to bow in humility for failing to do my duty as a citizen and a child of God to care and protect those whom we were commanded to care for...the poor, the weak, the marginalized, the immigrant, those in prison, and for those who cannot speak for themselves. In sum of the articles I have read here is what I have concluded. We have a huge communication problem. This is a part of our society that for as long as I have lived is crying for help, justice, truth, equality and to be treated as humans.
ReplyDeleteThe article that tore my heart out was a 6-ft, black man, who described himself physically fit, who must walk with his 8-year old daughter and a small fuzzy dog in his own neighborhood to avoid harassment, having police called on him or being shot at by someone who doesn't think he should be in their neighborhood. He said, if he were white, this would never happen but because of the color of his skin, he cannot walk freely as I, a white person can. That is why we cannot fall into the lie of all lives matter...because all lives don't fear when they walk out their door, driving down the street or at any public place that they may not make it home because of the color of their skin.
In short, it's been a week of learning that I have a long way to go in my search for answers and to heal the broken heart I have from people's hurtful comments to me for caring and wanting to make a change in the name of Love, Justice and Peace.
For those who say about the church being destroyed, this is from the Episcopal News Source...the damage was minor and the members and clergy of St. Johns realizes that the damage is a cry for help and the need for compassion. The outrage was that the church wasn't notified that the photo op was happening, nor did anyone ask the church to use their facility. To use the Church and the Word of God for your own glorification and gain is an abomination of that Word. Imagine the Mayor of your village or town, just plopping in on your patio deck, tramping down the plants in your garden that are so dear to you as you're gathering with your family to discuss a crisis that your family was dealing with? You would be outraged and speed dialing your attorney.
I know we all aren't going to see this exactly the same. But let's start with ourselves to look at others through the eyes of compassion, to see each other not as competition for resources, but as ONE HUMAN FAMILY to share our gifts, talents and love that was so freely made available to us because we had a head start in the human race to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness that is promised to each one of us.
I saw a shirt in a shop in the little village where I live that said: YOU WILL NEVER LOOK INTO THE EYES OF SOMEONE GOD DOESN'T LOVE. Yep. Dropped my heart into my hands and my knees to the ground. I realized how I have contributed to the problem and how I must change, not the other way around.