This isn’t new. But this feeling sure is getting old. I have been so sad, so tired, and so devastated by the lack of justice when it comes to the lives of black people. I’m talking about all of us — men, women, boys, and girls.
If you haven’t been following the latest news updates about yet another murder of a black man — captured on video and at the hands of police officers — I challenge you to open your eyes. Not too long ago, it was a black woman.
Yes, it’s painful. Yes, it’s confusing. Yes, it’s infuriating.
But yes, it keeps happening.
It is always personal. Black men are my family. They are dearly loved. Seeing live murders of black people has made the trauma of losing my brother to police brutality even worse.
I’ve cried this week. I’ve been angry this week. In fact, it still comes in waves. I hug my husband even tighter. I think of my recently married son.
Like everyone, God created us with value and dignity. We are image-bearers. Sadly, some people will only see my husband and sons as threatening black men. A threat that somehow warrants soon-to-be deadly force and a failure to even attempt to save their lives.
I don’t have the answers, but we can’t stay silent. Start here:
Say something
You don’t have to be a black person to see that racially-motivated violence and murder are wrong. Speak up. Call it out. You don’t have to jump on social media or change your profile picture. It starts at your dinner table. It starts with speaking up at work. It starts by speaking up at church. Racism is wrong. Murder is wrong. We’re all seeing the same thing. We can’t afford for only a few people to speak the truth.
Stay away for a bit
You can still be informed of ways to take action or follow critical updates about arrests or court details. Social media, while great, has also become the place where one image will be of kids playing at the beach — the next video may show a black man being murdered. It can be too much. Y’all, we need time to grieve. To be honest, I don’t know if we will ever properly grieve, but I want you to know that it is okay to step away. It’s okay to seek counseling about the horrible images you have seen. This is trauma.
With prayer, strategize
I will always pray for the Lord to change hearts. With my prayers, I’m also aware that we are surrounded by systemic racism. We’re past due for leadership and policy changes. Today, make sure everyone is registered to vote in your family. Consider joining your local community efforts. Take action at the polls — starting with local elections. Take care of your neighbors. Look out for black men, women, boys, and girls. Listen to them. Weep with them.
Thanks for listening, y’all. Stay safe.
