Dimming the Light

It's a sad world when we have talk to our children about how to act if they are pulled over or stopped by the police. It is not just our black sons, but daughter's that need to understand this concept as well. I am a biracial woman raising two black young ladies and I fear for the world they are walking in. They will be looked at differently than my white friends children. They may be fair skinned, but there is no denying they are black. All parents fear for their children, but in many different ways. We all worry about the safety of our children as they climb a tree, or try a new stunt, or walk to school. Black parents, we fear that each time our babies leave our presence, they may never return. In fact, we fear that even in our homes we are not safe. 

It seems that every day there's a new video of a black person dying at the hands of what should be trusted public servants. Yes, all people make mistakes but it is hard to believe these are all coincidence or mistakes. Why are they filmed? That's simple, the more it is shown the less it can be denied. Our community must stand up for one another in a peaceful way. If for one moment we show anything other than peace out lives may be in danger. Today, I found myself in tears as I watched videos fill my social media accounts. Videos of black Americans lives being taken by public servants. Too often, these public servants face no time served. I'm sure there lives are ruined in other ways, but they still have life. Where does it end? 

How do I even begin to explain these atrocities to my twelve and eight year old children? How do I tell them that while they have more privledge than a darker skinned black American, they are not exempt from these hardships? How do I tell my innocent babies that the world is an ugly place for them? How do I intentionally dim that light? 

My head literally hurts thinking about it. I mourn for the mothers who have lost a child to this foolishness. I mourn for the witnesses. I mourn for my children, my friends, my colleagues as we navigate this together. I yearn for the friends that don't understand to ask the questions they need. I yearn for honest conversation about this.