Black Lives Matter is not only a political issue.
The Black Lives Matter movement is not only a political issue; it’s a human rights, well-being issue. In some respect, it shares qualities with the Covid-19 crisis where quality of life is disadvantaged, lives are at stake and we as local and global communities must support each other.
Covid-19 quarantine and social distancing have greatly impacted our quality of life, our ability to be accepted everywhere, the potential for earning a living, and as the economy reopens for business, higher price points that make many products or services less affordable and attainable.
Those at the mercy of racism suffer in much the same way: denied entry or invite to certain events, denied job opportunities, funding, equal pay, etc. This separation, this notion of “us and them” keeps many from enjoying fully realized dreams, quality of life, being welcomed everywhere, feeling safe when out in the public, the potential for earning a better living, and being able to afford certain necessities and pleasures.
Covid-19 and Black Lives Matter both affect the well-being of humans. This is not about politics, this is about humanity.
Some business owners are telling themselves: “We are okay with posting about Covid-19 because it is about health, safety and affects everyone. But, we aren’t going to post anything political. Politics aren’t conversations we have on social media.”
Racism is not a political issue.
Choosing not to post, means that you are playing it safe and hiding behind the privilege you have at your disposal to do so. You may be thinking: “It’s not affecting me personally and besides, I treat everyone equally, so, I don’t have to get involved.”
So, you are not racist? Great, the world needs more people like you in it. It also needs you to participate in being anti-racist, to help others to understand what racism looks like, sounds like, and acts like, and how to choose better.
But do you know what it takes to employ anti-racist actions?
It starts with listening and learning about what it means to be on the receiving end of racism. How things like language, situations, and visual cues you’ve never considered before because on the surface they seem benign to you, are actually inflammatory or segregating for others.
Once you begin down the path of anti-racism, start posting what you learn so others can learn too.
If you are posting on social media about the pandemic, then posting about how you stand against racism is equally important. We need to stand together on matters of equity and equality for all.
Unsure what to post? Follow those whose voices you respect and who are posting their support for Black Lives Matter and repost their credible and helpful content.
Not feeling comfortable posting? Stop and ask yourself why? Why are you uncomfortable showing your support for the health, safety, and equality of others?
Do you believe you have perspective, kindness, and awareness in your heart? Then share that with others and help more people find it too.
Share the organizations you support that focus-on and aid-in diversity and inclusion to encourage others to also lend their support.
Post about impactful conversations you’ve had with people of colour and share your insights and encouragement for change.
We each have a voice and banned together can bring strong, true, and lasting change.
A few weeks ago, I checked-in on a Black friend (let’s call her Gayle) and she told me: “The silence is deafening.” With that one sentence, my heart broke but I invited her to share more if she felt comfortable doing so.
Gayle went on to share some stories with me, stories she’s never shared before about how she and her sweet son have been scared, have been attacked, have been excluded, and have needlessly struggled. The learning and realization were heavy but I was grateful to know.
One story, in particular, stood out for me: While sitting on a bus with her son, Gayle was verbally attacked by someone who hated her dark skin on sight. The person on the bus hurled nasty, hateful, and threatening obscenities at my friend about the colour of her skin, and even went so far as to threaten “If I wanted to, I can call the police to drag you away”. To which, Gayle thought to herself “Yes, you could, and yes, they probably would”. While Gayle calculated the impact of the attack and how best to shield and yet teach her son how to overcome this type of situation, none of the other bus riders stood up to defend this mother and son from the attack, and the bus driver did not stop the bus and insist the attacker leave the bus.
It is shameful that this behaviour is commonplace and acceptable as a human standard for some.
Although the attack and threats were menacing enough, it was the complacent, spectator behaviour of others on the bus that horrified me. No one thought it necessary to protect this mother and child. Appallingly, this is not the only time my friend has had to defend herself without support from others.
The possibility that Gayle’s son could one day be the victim of violence due to his dark skin and that I would have to hold my friend (mother to mother) while she sobbed and moved through her pain, fear, frustration, anger, and recovery is a future I want to change. I want to take anti-racist action to help protect my friend, her son, and the many others at risk.
For those of you who say: “All lives matter” …Yes, this is true, but right now, all lives do not matter equally.
The movement for people of colour to go from living an isolated, fearful, and unsafe existence to living within their community where the expectation of grace, dignity, and safety is normal, is a significant one.
Anti-racism is not a political issue.
Recently, an article in The Wall Street Journal spoke about how Black executives of top-ranked American companies have begun sharing their personal stories of racism; stories they have never shared before. These stories are not being told for sympathy but for proof of existence.
In part, the article talks about Mr. Witherspoon, the senior vice president of operations at Target Corp who, after an evening jog is confronted by police officers in his backyard with guns drawn as he loaded his dishwasher. Apparently, a neighbour had reported a “suspicious black guy running through the neighborhood”. “Mr. Witherspoon, 46, a former Navy officer with an M.B.A., wanted his co-workers to hear directly from someone they know. “The education, the degrees, the fact that I’m a veteran —none of it matters,” he said. “I’m a black man and someone could perceive me as a threat.”
Hearing these stories brings feelings of discomfort, shock, disbelief, and a reckoning that racism is very much present and active. This unleashing of stories coupled with a willingness to listen has changed the narrative for some from “I don’t see racism” to “I did not understand how to recognize racism before”.
Prejudice isn’t always as dramatic as guns-pointed or as final as lives lost, and can usually be found in daily intricacies as it resides in many everyday instances, actions, opinions, and pre-set thoughts and norms.
For some, it is possible to witness racism as a bystander and yet not recognize it.
We need to be willing to listen to the difficult stories in order to understand what is expected of us to bring change and we must also be willing to share with others.
The daily struggle for people of colour is beyond comprehension for many and this allows many micro-aggressions to slip by undetected. So, hearing these stories are important for us to gain realization, empathy and employ action.
Bringing it back to my friend Gayle, she noted that “You become used to living with a certain amount of stress, a certain level of cortisol coursing through your veins.”
I am without breath when I hear her say this and I know there is deep, long, and hard work to be done to bring sufficient and lasting change.
If you haven’t already begun to reach out to ask how your Black friends are doing, please do so now.
Black Lives Matter is not a political issue. It is a united front against injustice.
Writing this post is far out of my realm of fully understanding the intricacies of the Black Lives Matter movement and I wonder what conversations (comments) will come up that I am ill-prepared to handle. But as awkward as it may be, my intention of support is sincere. My hope is to compel readers to support this movement, to begin having uncomfortable conversations, ask difficult questions and activate their voices for the greater good.
If you are already posting publicly on social media to voice your support of this movement and having in-person, impactful conversations, Thank you!
Source: The Wall Street Journal - https://www.wsj.com/articles/black-executives-are-sharing-their-experiences-of-racism-many-for-the-first-time-11593182200