May 31, 2020 we have reached the 76th day of shelter in place, and there is so much bad news of deaths, injustices, and fake news exacerbating it all. This is not an easy post to write, nor to read. So, you can choose, whether or not to engage. I don’t propose a quick solution to the heartache, but share some long ago insights and some recent findings, that might help us all a bit.
In this month, we have been restless to return to normal life and gatherings. Many countries, and many US states have taken steps to “open the economy.” Photos have emerged of large gatherings in pools or on beaches – folks with drinks in hand, blithely partying, as if the grim milestone of >100,000 dead to COVID-19 were unknown, and disregarding it’s steady march to claim more, especially among the unsuspecting, or their family members. Many of us remain wary of gatherings and spreading this disease that several of our friends and family members have overcome, and a few have not.
In this month, we have also heard that the mortality rates among our black and brown brothers and sisters is much higher than that of our white ones. Why? We discovered there is nothing inherently unhealthy to the increased melanin; the statistic reveals a complex history and society that has created disproportionate poverty among our black and brown neighbors, disproportionate employment in the service sectors, and thus, disproportionate diseases of poverty, disproportionate exposure to the virus, and thus greater susceptibility to it.
We have also learned of the senseless deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Brionna Taylor, George Floyd — the first two happened in March, two months before they came to the public eye, the 1st and 3rd were captured on video. I can’t bring myself to watch the videos, but have heard of them — how callous and calculated they were. Three unarmed African-Americans murdered, two at the hands of people who are supposed to protect (arguably all three, since one of Arbery’s murderers is a retired policeman). I want to be clear – we know that most police do protect their communities, but why is there so much protection of the bad apples among them? Why protect those who have used their role, not to enforce order but to exact lethal punishment for the crime of being in the wrong place at the wrong time???!?!?
I can’t help wondering, like many others, about the Michigan protestors toting their assault weapons into the Capitol building and demanding the reopening of the economy. If they had more melanin, would they have been allowed into the State house? Would they have been arrested? Would they have been “shot in self-defense” or wrestled to the ground, because fear was greater than the Michigan law allowing open carry? These are painful questions, and the image below is a painful one to see in the USA, a place that had been a beacon of hope, a beacon of democracy and stability to the world, and one that is succumbing to fake news and divisiveness.
I wrote this to friends today… Big, heart felt air hugs to you all.
Thank you all for sharing your feelings, perceptions, reflections (E pointing out the intense highs & lows in news this week; C sharing the Kegan reflections).
I too have been crying, easily and frequently. Yesterday I went to the marches for justice (I stayed at the edges and most everyone was wearing a mask). Much justified anger, many chants & powerful signs, and while emotions are high, the march/protest was peaceful focused on justice, on acknowledging the faulty (often subconscious) narrative within US history of racial hierarchy vs equality, & how it plays out in policies, personal interactions, etc. It was moving, and a bit scary– given pandemic distancing.
There is so much to be sad & angry about, but
1) “The arc of the moral universe bends toward justice” as abolitionist Theodore Parker & later MLK jr said. We just have to help it along, by focusing on bringing people along & together, discussing and internalizing our values, and acting on them… [sigh]
2) I remain wary of things I hear (except from friends& reliable sources with journalistic standards) because there is much evidence that foreign agents are once again showing divisions and fanning flames, through disinformation (2 links in a moment – in blog post part 2), including by focusing on the few dozen looters (violence is never the answer, even when anger is justified) vs the thousands of peaceful demonstrators.
I heard Bryan Stevenson speak last week, at my brother’s virtual graduation from law school. You may have heard about his book Just Mercy, [recently made into] a film. He is founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, and an eloquent advocate for criminal justice system reform. One of the first things in his awe- inspiring speech was the story of how he discovered the difference between law & justice. I’m happy to share more, but will hold back for now. Please see part two of this blog for clarifications on #2, above
This blog post was originally posted on our sister site, experiencetoresilience.com (or E2R.online)
No Comments Yet