This past weekend we celebrated two decades post-graduation. We gathered in our hometown on the weekend that is marked by the biggest Fourth of July celebration in the state of Kansas right smack in the middle of town. We gathered to catch up, remember years gone by, and make new memories while reconnecting with each other face to face. We had three days of fun, fellowship, laughs, possibly some drinks, and overall a great time.
In the days that followed, some folks expressed disappointment with the event, the people who planned and executed it, and the people who attended. I'm sorry for them. I'm sorry they can't see past their own insecurities from those years and want to see "cliques" where there aren't any, and negativity where there was only good times. That makes me sad. It makes me sad that the vocal few took to our social media gathering spot not only criticize the work that was done but also to accuse those who did plan and work to bring about an enjoyable weekend of financial wrong doing. Shame on you, Don, for even insinuating such a thing. Shame on you. As a committee member, I say shame on you.
People naturally gravitate to people they know. People naturally want to catch up with those they were close to back then. Even with Facebook, there are still many things we don't know about each other when we don't share the same zip code anymore. It's perfectly natural for those smaller groups to emerge. Is this a clique, or a natural inclination to want to reconnect with old friends? People are attracted to people who share a common interest, bond, or activity. They have common ground and share similar ideas and values. They connect on a personal level. This is often times referred to as a clique in young people, and probably in older folks too, but in reality it's a natural pull. In some cases I'm sure maliciousness comes from these groups. But in the case of my past weekend, it was just a simple re-connection of old friends.
The mess I've seen on our classes Facebook page over the course of the last few days hurts my heart.
The mess I've seen on Facebook and the media regarding the senseless killing of more black men in this country breaks my heart. When is open season on black Americans going to end? When will we the people rise up and say ENOUGH! BLACK LIVES MATTER! Until we no longer have to shout those words, until my friends can walk down the street and not be scared for their safety or the safety of their brothers, husbands, sons; until we can truly live as one peaceful people with the same rights and liberties bestowed to each other as guaranteed in the US Constitution, we will shout BLACK LIVES MATTER.
It's not "all lives matter". Of course they do. But we must keep shouting BLACK LIVES MATTER because of the blatant injustice that puts the black and minority populations of this country at a distinct disadvantage regarding their basic rights to survival.
Dylan Roof was apprehended calmly and without bloodshed. Even though he was the cold-blooded killer of nine innocent lives. In a church, for God's sake! He wasn't killed by police even though he either had or was thought to have had weapons on him. He was taken in, fed and guaranteed the right to a trial.
Timothy McVeigh was also apprehended alive. JFK's shooter was apprehended alive. Yes, he was later killed, but not by the police who apprehended him. History is rife with violent suspected offenders who were apprehended alive and given their trial.
Alton Sterling was denied that right. Philando Castile was denied that right. Micheal Brown. Freddie Gray. Walter Scott. So many others, these men were denied the right to a trial. They were tried and executed by the very people we are supposed to trust with our lives and to enforce the laws that guarantee our rights. They were killed by police brutality.
Not every cop is bad. Not every situation is going to result in the murder of a suspect. I'm in no way "against" the police. I'm against the senseless killing of people who are guaranteed the right to be tried by a jury of their peers. I am against anyone, law enforcement or otherwise, taking the law into their own hands and meting out "justice" on the streets.
Is this a training issue? Should our police departments be looking at how they train those situations? I think at a minimum yes. According to the news reports, Phil Castile had a carry permit and acknowledged as much as well as the fact he had a piece on his person. And the cops fired bullets into his car, a car that was also carrying his girlfriend and her young daughter. This is beyond bad police work, it is murder, attempted murder and child endangerment at the very least. At least, from my limited law perspective anyway.
My heart hurts so much right now. From rude and hurtful classmates to the completely unnecessary loss of life at the hands of those entrusted to protect it, my heart hurts.
Black Lives Matter. I pray one day we won't have to remind each other of that. I pray one day that will be as much a given as "all lives matter". For today, it isn't. Today, we need to say it. Black Lives Matter. Today we need to say their names and never forget where we've come and how far we have yet to go to truly achieve this American dream.
"We will never be truly free
Until those in bondage
have the same rights as you and me." -- L-M. Miranda, Hamilton, The Musical
No comments:
Post a Comment