Speak Positive Sunday 33~Self Evaluate & Conversate

Hello Inspirers! I hope that all is well with you all.  It feels good to get back to posting.  We are still getting settled in, but I wanted to go ahead and share my thoughts on some things. 

Thinking about all that is going on and noticing some comments from others in regard to police brutality and racism really had me disgusted with some people in this world.  Even though, I had shared my thoughts on my personal page and replied to some comments on posts, I told myself to step back because I refuse to argue with people who are stuck in their closed minds, racism, or whatever it may be.  One night as I laid in bed thinking, two words came to me: self-evaluate and conversate.  We cannot fully be united and change things until we self-evaluate and then conversate.  We must self-evaluate to search for our own biases and find the willingness to learn through a conversation with some who does not look like us. 

Let me share some of the comments that I am seeing over and over.

There is no racism or not as much racism. 

Racism has not gone away. It is still here and comes in different forms.  Many hidden racists are coming out.  Racism also goes deeper than the definition in the Webster Dictionary.  There has been change, but we still have a long way to go. Just because someone has not experienced racism does not mean it does not exist.

All Lives Matter

This is true.  When we say Black Lives Matter, it does not mean others do not., but this the narrative at the moment.  That includes all Black lives-whether through police injustice or senseless violence.  We can care for more than one cause.

Police killings are rare. They should be concerned about black on black crime.

I hate the term black on black crime, and once I learned how it is only used with the black community I quit using it when I speak about violence in our communities.  Crimes are never referred the same way in other communities (white on white, Asian on Asian, etc.) when crimes happen in all races.  They bring up stats like we don’t know what is going in our communities, and when you tell them that communities are actually working on change in their neighborhoods they ignore what is said and continue to deflect.

Wrongful deaths by police may be rare, but that is only for those being reported/recorded now.  Imagine all the ones we do not know about. There should not be any injustices by police, but since there are that is more reason for everyone to be standing up against it.  They will comment more whites are killed by police, and my question to them is why aren’t you protesting to make sure those deaths are justified?  Most people get it, and we are seeing a diverse group of protestors marching together for change. 

Blue Lives Matter/All Cops Aren’t Bad

Again, this is true.  Most of us are not saying all cops are bad, but these forces are allowing these bad cops to remain as officers and causing communities to feel a different way about cops.  There is no way that a cop who has been disciplined/fired for misconduct be allowed to get hired at another police department because their attitudes and behavior will follow them.  Some departments need to be defunded and reformed. 

I cannot recall if it was New York or New Jersey but one of the police departments were intentionally targeting minority neighborhoods and arrested people for crimes they did not commit to make their numbers/arrests records look good.  Then there is the stop and frisk in those neighborhoods.  Police injustice is real.  It goes higher than the police also, it’s the district attorneys, judges, and politicians.  I also recently read about a judge selling black males to the prison system. 

These are just some of the main responses I am fed up with seeing.  In my state, our district attorney is charging innocent protestors and reporters, even medics with inciting riots, arson, etc. and they had no part in the riots and looting.  This is wrong on so many levels.  I do not mind having conversations with people who want to fight for change, but I refuse to give my energy to racist people. 

I want to challenge all of us today to self-evaluate and then have a conversation with someone to gain their perspective on life and learn about their experiences. This must be done with an open heart and mind. 

Remember just because someone has not experienced racism/injustice does not mean it is not real.  I have experienced racism.  I have not had a bad encounter with a police officer, but I know others who have. 

Self-Evaluate and then Conversate.

Prayer/Positive Thoughts

My mind and my heart are heavy to see the division in our country.  We need minds that are open, hearts that will listen, and eyes that know we are all part of the human race but realize that many may have different experiences because of the color of their skin.  Racism does not have to exist in this world.  We can truly unite if we are willing to learn in love.  I ask that we all use the platforms we have been given to spread love, positivity, and knowledge but let us not waste our energy on those not willing to change.

I pray that you all will continue to be blessed in all areas of your lives.

Love,

Randa B.