I WONDER if America can become a society where people can stand up for the peaceful protests, demand justice create meaningful change for all AND stand up for law enforcement.
I WONDER if we will ever live in an America, “where the color of a person’s skin is of no more significance than the color of their eyes…where basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all, without regard to race.” (H. Selassie, 10/4/1963 – speech to U.N. General Assembly)
I WONDER if America can ever return to being a country where our children will never see #GeorgeFloyd, #AhmaudArbery, or any other black man being murdered on TV by an officer, or civilian.
I WONDER if America can become a country where these murders don’t happen in the first place.
I WONDER if America can return to civil discourse through actual conversations that lead to change, instead of ravaging and pillaging the communities and businesses that serve, or getting into shouting matches on social media to be right.
I WONDER if we will live in an America again where the press is not being arrested for reporting, their first amendment right.
I WONDER if we will live in an America where the stories of people coming together, across race, class, or anything else to stand up for basic humanity will be the dominant headlines that instead of the dividing headlines that show up.
I WONDER if we will live in an America where the stories of law enforcement walking alongside protesters, or taking a knee alongside protesters will dominate our headlines…instead of the divide that seems to dominate our news cycle.
I WONDER if America can become a country where the many good law enforcement officers out there…white, black, brown, and more…will no longer tolerate bad officers and systems that tarnish their good reputation.
I WONDER if we will live in an America, where we can differentiate between peaceful demonstrators seeking meaningful change and rioters destroying communities.
I WONDER if we will ever live in an America again, where we don’t have to be either: “with me or against me.”
I WONDER if America can ever fulfill the Declaration of Independence statement: “…that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator, with Certain unalienable Rights that Among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” I wonder if we can remember that…Breathing helps in maintaining these unalienable rights.
I WONDER if my kids will continue to grow up interacting with others kids of all different races and be judged by the content of their character…NOT the color of their skin, like I was as a 3rd grader.
I WONDER where we are at on this path…AND where this path leads?
I WONDER how to explain any of this to our children and their children.
I WONDERED…if I should even enter this conversation and was reminded of the deafening sound of silence… I usually stay out on social media, but could not sit on the sidelines for this one…
I WONDER…can we find some level of core values as a nation that we can operate from to move forward, and create meaningful change?? I don’t know that answer…but I do wonder.
We are a mixed race household that could not have even been together not all that long ago. I do not take that lightly, and have shared that with our children many times.
I hope that we can come together to answer these questions or share our thoughts as a nation, to find common ground and create meaningful change. I also realize the conversations start locally and at home…
What are you wondering about right now?
With Love Always…
Darren
