I’m Convinced!

Reviewing news coverage about the number of incidents that occur between white people and the police and black people and the police, I’m convinced that there is a conspiracy by law enforcement officers to “kill black people” when they’re confronted, but to “save” the white people (with a few exceptions).

How many black people (predominantly male) have been killed just because of their skin color? Not many institutions will ever acknowledge the number because then they’d have to realize the stark truth of the matter — black people are targeted by their skin color, not necessarily by any alleged crime committed.

Eric Garner — killed when a white police officer refused to listen to him when he told him he couldn’t breathe. Why? I’m betting the mindset was, “one down and how many more to go?” Now, keep in mind, Eric Garner had no weapon of any kind. But then, a white male walks into a Walmart with bullet-proof vest and assault weapon and he’s, “talked down” with no one even drawing a weapon on him.

How many times must black men tolerate being profiled by police officers and “white citizenry” who proclaim fear for their lives just because a black person was in their presence?

Now, to get some perspective on the situation, let me ask this question: How many videos have been made and promoted on social media showing a black person calling the police on a white person just because they were taking up the same air space? How many times have we seen videos of white people, calling the police on black people just because they were black and then making up “absurd” excuses as to why they called. But then again, we’ve seen many videos in which white people harass and try to bully anyone of another ethnicity simply because. Is this the America we all love or is this the America trump has unleashed, full of hatred and bigotry?

I wish I knew Spanish well enough to hold a conversation within hearing range of a bigoted jerk just so I’d have a chance to tell them exactly what I think of them.

People who are fearful — have not love or humanity within them.

People who hate are fearful.

Since I do not fear people, nor do I hate them, I’m free to love all — primarily because I love myself and have love to give to others. I care about the plight of people and when I see injustice, I get angry and want to fight for the rights of others — no matter how many or who I’d be fighting against. I will always stand up for the marginalized groups that are targeted by bigoted, hateful people. We cannot allow hate to severely impact how our children live and play with others or how we all interact with one another. We are all human beings and I am convinced, once we understand that one simple fact and if we have even an iota of humanity within us, we’ll stop the hate!

I’m convinced — the only way we’ll stop all the foolishness we see reflected in our society right now is when we’re willing to sit down and talk “to” each other, not “at” each other. I’m convinced we’ll discover we have more in common than we don’t have; we all want to protect our children, live in a safe environment, and have the means to support our families. We should all want the planet to survive our existence so our grandchildren and great grandchildren will enjoy clean air and water and non-toxic soil so they’ll have food to eat. I’m convinced, I’m not the only person who feels this way and what I’d like to see is for everyone who “knows” not thinks, that all human beings deserve to be respected as such would do just that — treat other human beings the way any of us would want to be treated.

If we are unable to do that, I’m convinced we will have failed as Americans, human beings, and examples for others. We don’t have to agree with everyone else, but we must learn how to disagree agreeably, respecting the rights of others to disagree with us, without calling them names or trying to dehumanize them. It is a very “weak” person who uses such tactics against other human beings.

I’m convinced — we can save the nation by putting aside our need to make us feel superior to others. None of us are superior to any others since we are all, flawed, imperfect beings. Now, let’s convince law enforcement, not to be fearful of black people, until they have ascertained credible reason to fear them. Let’s treat all transgressors of the law the same and try to save them for the judicial system to handle.

If you’re convinced of the same, I’d like to hear from you so we can work together to get America Back On The Right Track!