It feels inappropriate, to say the least, to write about the
things I was planning to write about this week—simple pleasures, everyday
adventures, my summer fun list and summer reading list. The protests taking
place all over the United States, and the world, have filled my mind and heart
to bursting, made me appropriately uncomfortable, forcing me to think about
concepts and experiences of which I’ve been largely oblivious.
It shouldn’t have taken multiple publicized deaths and
nationwide protests to wake me up to what life is like for people of color in
this country. It’s time to examine my own biases and beliefs and how they’ve
been influenced by the culture I’ve grown up in, as well as educate myself
about underlying structural racism.
Since I’m still at the beginning of my learning—where I
should be listening rather than speaking—I thought I’d share a few links to
material written by people who have eloquently and usefully examined this
topic, as well as links to a few anti-racism resources I’m exploring. I hope
they prove helpful to you. (And please share in the comments any resources
you’ve found helpful.)
Column: George Floyd, Central Park and the familiar terror they inspire. The author writes:
“For those of you who are tired of reading about racism, I’m
tired of black and brown bodies being killed by it. I’m tired of watching some
white people be more upset by those who are protesting racism as opposed to the
racism itself. Being numb is characterizing what happened to Floyd,
Cooper, Ahmaud Arbery (who
was hunted, shot and killed by two white men while jogging), as unfortunate,
disconnected anomalies. Feeling is understanding they are not disconnected at
all but, rather, the reason why James Baldwin once said ‘to be a Negro in this
country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the
time.’”
With Liberty and Justice for All. In this thoughtful piece, Gretchen Rubin shares part of a
speech John F. Kennedy gave on June 11, 1963 after the Alabama National Guard
had to enforce a court order requiring the desegregation of the University of
Alabama. Here’s a part of the quoted speech:
“I hope that every American, regardless of where he lives,
will stop and examine his conscience about this and other related incidents. This
Nation was founded by men of many nations and backgrounds. It was founded on
the principle that all men are created equal, and that the rights of every man
are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened….
“The heart of the question is whether all Americans are to
be afforded equal rights and equal opportunities, whether we are going to
treat our fellow Americans as we want to be treated. If an American, because
his skin is dark…cannot enjoy the full and free life which all of us want, then
who among us would be content...[to] stand in his place? Who among us
would then be content with the counsels of patience and delay? …
“Now the time has come for this Nation to fulfill its
promise.”
I ask myself, as Rubin does at the
end of her post, “How can I, in my own life, live up to my country's highest
ideals?”
Jen Louden suggests in “White People, Please Don’t Give In to Despair,” that we “Start from wonder and love and steady effort. ‘I wonder
how I can learn today? I wonder who I can help today?’ Don’t make it about what
you haven’t done cause that’s making it about you. Make it about now.”
She continues, ‘Stop believing the Hollywood version of change you see in
movies. That’s not how real change has ever happened or ever will. Real change
happens because of millions of small acts by millions of people. What you do
matters! Start today.’”
