It shouldn't matter if you are First Nations, Black, Asian, Latino, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, or have brightly coloured hair; no one should be 1) afraid of people in authority, 2) shouldn't be treated violently by said people in authority, and 3, shouldn't be shot by random people while out in the community going about their business.
I don't know what it is like to be in a minority. I don't know what it is like to get stares and second glances as I go about my daily routine. I don't know what it is like to be scared that your family member may come home from work or school either traumatized, hurt, or worse, not come home at all. I don't know what it is like to be bullied or have death threats all because of my skin colour. I don't know what it is like to have people second guess me if I am good enough to buy a car, take out a loan, buy/rent a house; start or buy a business, or even get a job; all because of my skin colour.
To do this, I feel that we have to LISTEN, THINK, and LEARN from others! We need to find legitimate agencies and organizations online and read through their website. Find people of colour that you follow on Social Media (Dr. Tony Evans, Michael JR, are a couple I have listened and watched this week) and see what they are saying. Invite people of colour into your houses, schools, churches, and businesses; get to know them. How can we best help them spread the message? How can we help make their world safer? What things are we ignorant about? Have dialogues with your children, your members of your family, friends. Engage with other people of different ethnicities, have your kids make all sorts of friends, have them play with dolls, action figures, and other toys and other activities of various colours. Watch shows and movies with people of ALL skin colours. Talk it over with your Bible study/Care group. Preach it from the pulpit. Teach it to your students. And for pity's sakes, talk about heroes of colour in your country (or anywhere else in the world, for that matter) to your kids. (or look them up for your own knowledge!)! Again, I am disgusted, sad, angry, and ashamed of the world we live in. This may be a race issue, it may be a cop issue, it may be the cops wanting to aduse their authority; whatever the case may be; it's not right. It is not ok! Why must we live in such hate? Why must this still continue in 2020? Why do we have the same conversations over and over again? It isn't about being "colour blind"; we need to embrace and celebrate them for who they are. It isn't about joining a cause (Black Lives Matter, as an example), though there is nothing wrong with doing so. It isn't about going to a protest (peaceful or not). It is about SEEING everyone for who they are. It is about LOVING everyone, no matter their social economic status. It is about CARING for everyone, no matter their (dis)ability.
I also want to touch on the mass shooting that happened in Nova Scotia (Eastern Canada) that took place on April 18-19, 2020. This was the worst shooting in Canada's history. Twenty-two people were killed, and 3 injured when a lone gunman went on a 100 mile shooting spree in of 13 hours. This, my friends, is what we are leaving to our children. This type of thing breaks my heart, and makes me so happy that we don't have kids. But, I worry for our nieces and nephews that this is the world they will be living in. My heart breaks for the families who have lost loved in this tragedy. Again, the people in this instance were going about their business when they were shot. They were at the wrong place at the wrong time. They were innocent bystanders and witnesses to a horrible event. All of Canada mourned (and still is) this loss. It is VERY rare for shootings like this to happen, and even RARER to have a shooting at this level, so when this happened, it shook us all! We watched on our devices in horror as it was unfolding (or as it repeated the same thing over and over). Canada's flags went to half mast (as they did for when the Snowbirds crashed); people cried, were appalled, saddened, and wondered why and how something like this would and could happen. I am thankful to/for the police who did what they could during the tense hours. I am thankful for the police woman who gave up her life in the line of duty. I am thankful to everyone who helped during this time of crisis. I am thankful that I live in a country that is so strong; we love deeply; we love hard. We help each other out. We stand together. But, that doesn't change that this shouldn't have happened here. Or anywhere. At all. This is not ok.
Micah 6:8b says, "To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God'.
As the title and saying imply, "Only love today".
Micah 6:8b says, "To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God'.
As the title and saying imply, "Only love today".
**I had most of this done over a week ago, but I kept forgetting about it, and I also felt like that I wanted to add some more to it. I started it June 5, and 10 days later, I finally end up publishing it! I guess with this new look, it has the original "start" date, vs the publishing date**
Below are a couple of links to articles that I found (which, coincidentally, are my SILs Mom and Dad's story!).
Facebook/Mix in The Six:
https://www.facebook.com/MixedintheSix/posts/2628828280773044?__tn__=K-R
From a church blog:
https://www.themeetinghouse.com/posts/Racism%20and%20Justice
PS: Did you know that June 12th is considered "Loving Day"? You HAVE to watch the movie, "Loving", it is amazing!
PPS: When did the new look happen? I don't like it (yet)! I don't know what is going on, but lately, my blog has been weird, with the text and shade. I have no clue what I am doing wrong, as I have never had this happen before. Maybe it has to do with Blogger undergoing new changes?
1 comment:
Well said!
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