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Our purpose for getting together was not to discuss any of
these issues, we get together for food, conversation and
girl talk, however our “synchronistic vibe” took us there
and I’m so glad it did.
So, let me be honest!
Truthfully speaking, I’ve found myself disheartened,
disgusted and annoyed with white people who call themselves
my friends or who profess to care about me but who show more
anger and compassion over a gorilla being killed than when
unarmed black people are killed. Or who don’t understand why
it’s offensive to me as a black person when they condemn
Kaepernick for kneeling during the national anthem but are
not bothered by the injustices that provoked his stance, or
how they can support Donald Trump in ANY capacity knowing
his racist views but more specifically, why it’s offensive
to me as a black person when they say “All Lives Matter” in
response to “Black Lives Matter”.
We live, work and even socialize with each other and yet
will not discuss these issues out of fear and lack of
comfort, so the elephant just stays in the room, stays on
our jobs, stays in our churches and in our social settings.
I agree 100 percent with Beth when she says we need to have
the conversations. She also expressed how she feels SHE
needs to say “Black Lives Matter” because, as a white
person, her white voice matters on the subject of race. In
her words, “It matters because so many of us were taught
that black lives don’t matter, so it’s not enough to say
“All Lives Matter” - right now.
For a while, and as long as it takes, we have to make sure
black lives are included in the “all lives.” I can do that
by saying it, pointing it out, and including it in my
conversations. That seems as important as anything else I
can do on this subject. Black lives matter, I have to say
it. (#takeastand)”.
I also love what the founders of Ben & Jerry’s Ice cream
said in their support of Black Lives Matter;
“Choosing to be silent in the face of such injustice is not
an option. We’ve come to understand that to be silent about
the violence and threats to the lives and well-being of
black people is to be complicit in that violence and those
threats.”
I will find any excuse for a photo shoot and saw this as the
perfect opportunity to express myself through my two
passions, photography and writing, and asked Beth if she’d
be willing to take a photo with me. She replied, “Yes, as
long as I can wear the Black Lives Matter t-shirt because
‘I’ need to say it.”
I can hear the critics now saying actions speak louder than
words or talk is cheap, anybody can pose for a picture. Well
let me remind you that a picture is worth a thousand words.
Some of you are too afraid to post a
#blacklivesmatter
hash tag let alone a picture of yourself wearing the
t-shirt.
My goal is not to condemn and I’m sure I can speak for Beth
when I say our goal is to rock your consciousness to the
point of having the difficult conversations that lead to
understanding, that lead to action, that lead to change. We
all have a part to play, this is ours.
The reality of it is that black people will continue to
fight with or without the support of white people however ,
I can’t help but wonder how much easier the battle would be
if white people began to take the stand that black lives
matter and stand against police brutality toward ALL people
of color? How much easier would it be if white people
started the boycotts or used their white privilege to
challenge the injustices and violence against black people?
What would your white friends say if you asked them to take
this picture with you? Are you afraid to ask? Someone needs
to start the conversation.
#blacklivesmatter #takeastand
#Ineedtosayit
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