We do not watch a lot of TV. Really, if we watch anything typically it is something that will have high pitched voices and over-sized orange noses due to the interests of our mini-miracle human. With an occasional brain numbing show on Netflix and Hulu that Chris has made me painfully sit through. Out of touch with the haps of the world you probably ask? Not really, I get my news by ways of social media, NPR and wherever my keyboard may roam.
I saw the hashtags begin to overpower the streams of the electronic spaces. #BlackLivesMatter was the trending tag as my heart sank…again. You pretty much can figure out from just that what has happened. A bit reluctantly, I began reading the news reports as they poured in. Yep, another killing of a black male by police hands. I feared that this would not just be a spark added to many before it … rather, it would be napalm dropped onto a 5-alarm fire of unrest. It is both deeply saddening and predictable as to what will transpire as a result.
I looked over at my now 2 year old and thought of a recent encounter I had at the grocery store. We were in the checkout line and she pointed to the grocery bagger and yelled out “BIG! Mama, Mama, look BIG!” Yes, he could possibly be considered a rather portly fellow but I didn’t expect these kind of observations this soon. In a panic and horrible attempt to save face, I said YES, that watermelon in the cart is big. Hey! Want to help me unload the grocery cart?” It was a successful distraction but I know that grocery employee heard her and I also know that although as innocent as it may have been, it hurt. But somehow along the way we humans learn that there are differences in others. The confusion comes with how to handle these conversations with our children. Hate is not born, it is taught. Differences in others should be celebrated, not utilized to isolate, ostracize, or otherwise demean.
“Why is it that we are so easily polarized? Why can’t we just be outraged by injustice, no matter who inflicted the injustice? Why can’t we love and support our brothers and sisters in blue and still demand accountability and changes in a system that is so evidently broken? At the same time, why can’t we call bad behavior bad and acknowledge that the breakdown of the family is partially responsible for many of the problems in our cities where crime and educational problems persist.” Jamey Stuart, Sr. Pastor of Believers Church
Do I fear the future? Yes. I stayed awake last night as rolled around all of the the scary future thoughts in my mind. I wondered how I can protect the next generation, my daughter from the hate affect. You know, the process of one bad person or action that’s stims a domino effect motivating more bad persons.
The predictable happened in Dallas, hate begat hate. 5 police officers were killed and many others were wounded, with far more being emotionally wounded than physically. Why is it as humans we can have such disregard of life?
There are a lot of good people out there. Most of our brave in blue are, there are a few bad apples too, who undeservingly tote a badge. There are a lot of good people they protect and in the same vein there are a few who ruin it for society.
So where does that leave Chris and I with my daughter who is now starting to take notice of differences in others? We fought so hard to be parents and now I have to fight to protect her from hate and the ugly world around us.
Here’s what we will do, I will make it my goal as her parent to make sure that the hate affect never begins in our home. I cannot protect her from the outside hate that sadly she will one day witness. But in my house, in our home, in our values we do have the ability control. We will guide her through these challenges to love, the way Jesus loved others. I will give her the tools to celebrate the differences in others as she will be noticed for her differences.
Senseless killings out of hate or as response to that hate . Either way chicken or the egg. It needs to stop.
I was a pretty big Live fan in my tween years (yeah yeah… you youngins out there are probably like what, who is Live??
There is a song that has always had a special meaning to me and always will. It is this:
“And I believe that maybe today we will all get to appreciate the beauty of Grey.” – Live
Go ahead, jam out like it’s 1991 and listen to this throwback tune: 
