Now is the time to Listen – Ask Questions, Empathy
I’m not black. I’ve never suffered injustices because of my race. Sure, there have been small instances of racism, but nothing that compares to other minorities. I’m not trying to solve discrimination or racism. This is not the issue. I cry at night before I fall asleep and wake up crying because I feel hopeless in a state of chaos. I haven’t been this uneasy about life since I was in high school taking sociology, learning about racism for the first time. My heart aches.
I want to Listen to Trump Supporters
That sounds weird, but I really want to understand the other side. I don’t believe that all Trump supporters or conservatives are against BLM. But why is it wrong to say that Black lives matter. Not even to say they are equal, just that they MATTER. Why would it be a bad thing for Trump to say Black Lives Matter.”? If you say the phrase aloud, does that tarnish your values as a person? Does it ruin the economy?
I want to listen to my conservative friends. If I listen and provide empathy and understanding, perhaps we can have a conversation about priorities. The small details in the current news will show looting. Will show that George Floyd was talking back. Conspiracy stories of coincidences of investigations of Biden at the same time as the protests. If you take a step back from the small details there is a bigger story here. I wasn’t alive during Martin Luther King Jr. or Rosa Parks. ‘Separate but Equal’. What was it like this? Imagine being a supporter of the cops sticking dogs on people? Fire hoses on crowds. Or that while MLK Jr spoke about equality, you mentioned he was a womanizer. Where are these people today? Do they still feel the same way? Do Trump supporters want to be on that side of history?
This from March 7, 1965
Current Events:
Current events vs Past Civil Rights Movements
BLM protests are now in all 50 states. Around the world. Hundreds of thousands of people are risking their health and safety by protesting for injustices in USA. In the future, children will read stories that people looted stores, set cop cars on fire, but that they were also hit by rubber bullets and attacked by cops. The future history books will show how Trump posed in front of a church while people protested. If this were a movie, would it end happily with conservatives squashing protests? As a trump supporter, or a conservative, what would need to happen to make you happy? Is the goal to make all this go away? Will Black people accept their fate? If you are in an abusive relationship and finally speak out? Is there a point in time where you go back and stay with your oppressor for an “easier” life? Maybe. OR will a stranger help you overcome this hardship. I want to be that stranger.
Inappropriate Comparisons
Would you support Nazis? Of course not, no one wouldn’t support Nazis. But thats now. During WWII, people watched Jews being tagged and eventually hauled off to concentration camps.
Am I saying “white” people are Nazis? HELL NO. But what is happening in USA right now paints a picture to me on how it could happen. Jews were blamed for for losing WWI. “They” were bad for society. History shows the racism and atrocities now, but during that time, if a person wanted to protect a Jew, that took a lot more effort than to stay silent.
It takes courage to go against your beliefs and change. United States refused a Jew Refugees sanctuary. Hindsight 20/20 – maybe USA should have saved these people, but it’s too late now. I don’t want my conservative friends to look back at this movement and think it was a conspiracy so that Biden would win the election. Someone didn’t plan for George Floyd to turn into a martyr. It happened because of pent up anger for the past 400 years. It’s about injustice from the people that are supposed to protect all of us.
At the beginning of this, I couldn’t care less if Target burned. I said ALL Cops are BAD. I was tired of the “not all cops are bad” statement. However, a friend pulled me aside. Told me how hurtful these statements were. I thought about it. I was wrong. Some cops are good. They are the ones that will have a harder job to do now. I support all the policemen and women that are protecting are for change. I hope that they have the courage to report the bad ones and help us change for a better society. I’m sorry for saying ACAB.
Just DELETE ME
It’s easy just to delete friends. I admit that I have walked away from friendships. Not my proudest moment. I wish I was stronger to talk to them. Listen and understand, try to come to a common ground. If it’s about the economy, if it’s about religion, if it’s about lower federal regulations – we can still be friends and say we have different priorities. But if we put pause on these issues, can we both agree that discrimination at this level is wrong? Can we come together to set policy changes that includes accountability for the greater good? Let’s come together to try to do one thing right for humans. All humans. We both will live in a safer community than what we have right now. If we fail to make at least ONE change in policy, that means life in the USA now is as good as it gets. Watching a man in hand cuffs slowly die surrounded by 4 cops will become the norm.
For my conservative and Trump supporting friends. If you are against police injustice. Say so. Let people know that you have contacted your city or state representative. Donate to an organization that will fight against injustice. There’s no need to follow it up with “but look at the looting” or “all lives matter”. To say that takes away from the message that you are on the same side for a human rights issue. Over simplification here…. But It’s like telling your Mom she’s beautiful, but she shouldn’t have worn that dress. Sometimes it’s just best to tell your Mom she looks great.
