Shining some light
on a dark subject...racism, part 2.
I just finished reading "Between the World And Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates.
Coates paints a vivid picture of growing up a black man in America, as it was for him and will be different for his son. Parts of his story have been alluded to in TV and movies. I'm glad to have a real glimpse into a life so different from my own.
It reinforces my despondency over how my ancestors have treated people of color. It also gives me more motivation to make change.
The most important idea I took away from this book, paraphrasing from page 98: that we must look closely at the horrors we have been accepting, let go of the shining example we think we are, and take action against the problems we have not been addressing.
It is not enough to think and behave without racism. We must take steps, even little ones, toward putting an end to oppression in our country. While sharing my thoughts with you is important, I need to share these thoughts with the politicians. With our current Republican administration, we have a steep hill to climb.
What has taken me so long to see this clearly? It is weighing on my heart that I have been so complacent for the last 46 years. Things are changing.
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