White friends, let me ask, what would you do?

Photo by whoislimos on Unsplash

My white friends, we don’t fully understand the pain of our black friends. We haven’t lived their pain. So, now is the time for empathy and listening. If we are quiet, there is a lot we can learn from our friends of color.

With that in mind, let me ask you:

• What would you do if you grew up in a system that worked against you, fearing authorities and the police in particular?
• What would you do if you raised children, and as a part of parenting them had to teach them what to do when they are pulled over for no reason?
• What would you do if a part of raising your son was explaining to him that he will be detained or arrested by the police at some point in his life, even if he didn’t do anything to deserve it?
• What would you do if you grew up in a country where you were regularly slandered and maligned for the color of your skin?

Now, here come the bigger questions.

• What would you do if people that look like you, that could be your friends or family, were regularly killed by the very people sworn to serve and protect?
• What would you do when you no longer feel safe in your own community?
• What would you do when you can’t go…