My earliest encounter was in Decatur, Alabama in the 70's. I went with a friend to spend a few weeks with her grandmother. I was so niave back then. I grew on military bases as a kid. Although I am sure it was present on base, as kids we were kind of stuck together. My friend and I went for lunch in town. I remember we were going to church for lunch. I don't know why but it was a thing. I entered the front of the church to go to the bathroom. I didn't think anything of it. A woman began yelling at me can't you read!!! I never really saw her but I was so scared I ran. I kept running until we were back at her grandmothers. There was a sign that said "Whites Only". To this day I can still see the sign in my mind. I never returned to Decatur after that incident.
My second occurrence was in Germany. My then husband and I were looking for an apartment. We had arrived at what promised to be a great location and great size apartment. Out of a window a woman screams " Schwarze hier nicht gewollt" meaning that blacks were not wanted there. We left with the leasing agent immediately. I am not a person brought to tears but I was at that moment. I can't even tell you why. It hurt. We eventually found an apartment and I never walked that street again.
If you do not know much about me and my family, we are a mini U.N. My DNA reads like a globe. My children are half Turkish and half black. That adds so much more to our background. I am proud to be so diverse. I am 52% African and 48% European. There are so many nations that make up both of those percentages. It has never really mattered more than it does now. Our blended familly is from Africa, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Scottland, Spain, Turkey, Yemen, Korea, Vietnam, Russia, Northern Europe, and Northern America.
I challenge you all to look at your background. Discover who you really are and where your family is from. It is a rare thing to be a pure race. Unless you are a tribe deep in the Amazon forest, or something of this nature it is highly unlikely. The more you discover about your background, the more you will discover that we are all the same.
No matter the rhetoric why are we still having this conversaton? I was not even born during Martin Luther King's time. That means this has been going on for over 60 years. I am watching the protest on TV, things are wrapping up. Of course things are turning tense. I understand the anger. I do not understand the hate. Hate does nothing. We need to come from a place of love to resolve this. Love for one another. Sure there will be people you do not care for in your life. I get that. But hate is the devils work. Hate is a negative emotion. Negative emotions bring negaive into your energy space.
Why are we not voting? No matter if we are African American, Latin American, Asian American, Caucasian, why are we allowing this to continue? Why are we allowing the bullies to push us around? That is what is happening. We are allowing the bullies to control us. With race relations, with sex trafficing, with child abuse, all of these negatives. This is the time that you have to get to the poles and vote. Vote to change. You are the change. Get to the polls and make a difference.
There is an easy way to look at all of this. We are simply the human race. We all come here the same way. We leave the same way. No matter if you are a believer or not. (I sure hope you come to Christ, Buddah, Allah, or believe in a higher power). Pray in whatever way feels comfortable to you. Love one another.
We are all still recovering from Covid. We all need love. Pay it forward if you can. Speak kindly.
For those of you saying as I myself did, #Alllivesmatter. Yes, they do! However, at this moment in time Black lives are being affected more than most. Just as in the bible the shepherd left his flock to save the one of the 100.
Matthew 18:12
How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?
We need to leave the 99 (#Alllivesmatter) and save the one (#Blacklivesmatter) it is that simple. It is not that one is astray. That one is being persecuted over and over. The officers that are doing so are in the minority. It is time that we the majority hold them accountable. No one should be sitting back in the shadows. Everything is out in the light right now. Keep it in the light!!
