Update: I thought about re-writing this to update for everything happening in the Spring of 2020 but I felt that it still holds true as a statement in June 2020. People are still dying out there.
I have spent quite a bit of time watching the news cover the Travon Martin issue and then checking in with myself and others in my life and their reactions to the issue.
Fact is that even those of us who have met and processed our propensity for unconscious injustice and dismissal of issues that don't necessarily confront me (I don't live in Sanford, Florida), I have yet to see ANYONE in my communities step up and confront the issue. And so today it begins with me.
I am curious and a little afraid that some people are using a variety of the surrounding issues of this case to shield ourselves from acknowledging and feeling that if the roles were reversed, if you could go to a place where you were touched by the injustice of a young man being killed for what he represented, or a woman being burned for merely being a woman, then you would have to acknowledge that there is a lot we don't know.
It is not about political correctness, racial politics, or whether you define multiculturalism as a socialist plot or some other divisive definition.
It is NOT about the second amendment.
It is NOT about the NRA.
It is NOT about whether or not you like Al Sharpton, MSNBC, or liberal media politics.
It is not about whether or not a young boy ought to wear a hoodie in his own neighborhood.
These things are things that allow my friends and my community to hide behind banners, banners that help them to not feel or even render a supportive opinon. In the end they will miss the bus on what has become an important moment in american history.
It is about a local cultural conspiracy to not confront overt racial violence.
It is about a local sheriff unwilling or afraid to arrest someone.
It is about a local community board and city manager unwilling or afraid to fire the sheriff.
It is about the entire town, county, state, and country unwilling or afraid to confront a system that unfairly targets African American men for death.
We were offered during the election of Barack Obama a series of events in national politics that hinted at an opportunity to have a deeper conversation about race. Maybe it is time to hear the four winds calling us to task once again.
A boy has had his life sacrificed for us to reflect upon. Imagine him to be part of your family, because he is. Feel the pain of a mother, father, family, a neighborhood. Feel the incongruence of a nation built on equality that has to have this happen in order to call into question something that others know all too well. Often it is not safe to be different in America. People die that way.
I remember a literary argument from "The Milagro Beanfield War" that a sacrifice needs to be given in order for the people to understand the importance of what is happening and for change to occur. MY greatest fear is that Travon Martin's death is not the sacrifice, but merely the catalyst to something bigger, and that another life will have to have be lost in order for many of my friends to understand.
My want is for my friends and family to recognize that this issue has the potential to become as important as the murder of Emmett Till, the murder of Civil Rights workers in Mississippi in the 60's, and all the cvil rights work that has been hard fought through the years. It is not too late to send love, care, and understanding in answer to injustice.
Stop, children, what's that sound?
Fact is that even those of us who have met and processed our propensity for unconscious injustice and dismissal of issues that don't necessarily confront me (I don't live in Sanford, Florida), I have yet to see ANYONE in my communities step up and confront the issue. And so today it begins with me.
I am curious and a little afraid that some people are using a variety of the surrounding issues of this case to shield ourselves from acknowledging and feeling that if the roles were reversed, if you could go to a place where you were touched by the injustice of a young man being killed for what he represented, or a woman being burned for merely being a woman, then you would have to acknowledge that there is a lot we don't know.
It is not about political correctness, racial politics, or whether you define multiculturalism as a socialist plot or some other divisive definition.
It is NOT about the second amendment.
It is NOT about the NRA.
It is NOT about whether or not you like Al Sharpton, MSNBC, or liberal media politics.
It is not about whether or not a young boy ought to wear a hoodie in his own neighborhood.
These things are things that allow my friends and my community to hide behind banners, banners that help them to not feel or even render a supportive opinon. In the end they will miss the bus on what has become an important moment in american history.
It is about a local cultural conspiracy to not confront overt racial violence.
It is about a local sheriff unwilling or afraid to arrest someone.
It is about a local community board and city manager unwilling or afraid to fire the sheriff.
It is about the entire town, county, state, and country unwilling or afraid to confront a system that unfairly targets African American men for death.
We were offered during the election of Barack Obama a series of events in national politics that hinted at an opportunity to have a deeper conversation about race. Maybe it is time to hear the four winds calling us to task once again.
A boy has had his life sacrificed for us to reflect upon. Imagine him to be part of your family, because he is. Feel the pain of a mother, father, family, a neighborhood. Feel the incongruence of a nation built on equality that has to have this happen in order to call into question something that others know all too well. Often it is not safe to be different in America. People die that way.
I remember a literary argument from "The Milagro Beanfield War" that a sacrifice needs to be given in order for the people to understand the importance of what is happening and for change to occur. MY greatest fear is that Travon Martin's death is not the sacrifice, but merely the catalyst to something bigger, and that another life will have to have be lost in order for many of my friends to understand.
My want is for my friends and family to recognize that this issue has the potential to become as important as the murder of Emmett Till, the murder of Civil Rights workers in Mississippi in the 60's, and all the cvil rights work that has been hard fought through the years. It is not too late to send love, care, and understanding in answer to injustice.
Stop, children, what's that sound?
Miguel Rath
calling all healing angels,
ReplyDeleteIt was true when you wrote it and it’s true today. I’m working to change the world one mind, one thought, one choice at a time. Starting with me. Thanks for reminding me it’s not too late!
ReplyDelete