Having grown up in the sixties and having always an advent researcher of past history, I am intrigued at where we are as a country today. I am also excited, yet hesitant about the future of our country.
The murder of George Floyd at the hands of law enforcement which was broadcast throughout the world has ignited a demand for police reform and equality for blacks and minorities. George Floyds death was not an anomaly, but a visual depiction of what has happened to countless African American men and women in this country for many years.
The video of his death spawned protesters of every race all over the united states and the world to take to the streets with a theme of Black Lives Matter. After seeing a man pleading for help and crying out for his dead mother as an officer knelt on his neck unabated and eventually killing him, the world now had video evidence of what Black Americans have experienced at the hands of law enforcement since the start of police departments in the United States in 1838. Given the tainted past and now video evidence to support the assertions made by victims and families for decades, who would be opposed to changing the way law enforcement works in this country, no one right?
When a mostly black coalition of people began to chant Black Lives Matter after the death of Eric Garner at the hands of Law Enforcement. The rebuttal from mostly non minorities was Blue lives matter and All lives matter. Many White people seemed to be angered by the sheer notion that someone would utter Black Lives matter aloud. The United States Government attempted to label Black Lives Matter as a terrorist group. It referred to them as thugs and an anarchist as they chanted for Justice. In the 21st Century how could anyone be opposed equality for everyone? The following is some incite into the reason why.
Sympathy and Empathy
In later posts I will go into some of the distant historical data relating to race in this country but for now I would like to focus recent history and two words to help build some understanding. Sympathy as described in the dictionary is “feelings of pity and sorrow for someone else’s misfortune.” Empathy on the other hand is described as “the ability to understand and share the same feelings as another.” The meanings are very similar but nowhere near synonymous. Since the ending of slavery in 1865 until today there have been many people who have had sympathy for black people, but far less who have had empathy towards the plight of African Americans in this country.
As we look at the word sympathy in relationship to black people, you will find non minorities who hear of unarmed blacks being killed at the hands of law enforcement will acknowledge that “it’s to bad” “so sad” “praying for the families” but they will follow with “why didn’t the person just obey the officers.” “if they hadn’t been doing any wrong that wouldn’t have happened to them”. With sympathy they realize a life has been lost, but not to the point that it affects them personally. It is like sending a sympathy card to a friend who has lost a relative, you understand the feeling of loss but not to the extent that it is a part of you.
Those who are so quick to reply with “All Lives Matter” when they see or hear or Black Lives Matter are most likely in the category of the people who walked by a man who laid beaten in the street as described in Luke 10:25-37. There is no desire to be a good Samaritan, because it’s not their problem. They have an attitude of being better than others and will be the first to say they are not racist and at the same time quickly point out “what about black on black crime?” and “you know he had a criminal past.” These are the same people who point out they have black friends as a way to show that because they have a black friend that eliminates any degree of prejudice or racism. In turn they will declare we had a black president who served two terms so that shows systemic racism no longer exist.
For decades the promises to move our country forward into one nation under God and justice for all by our Government have been dismal. We will always have those who hate people based on the color of their skin, but they are a small number compared to those who for years have had sympathy for the black community. The thing is, sympathy does not move people change. Sympathy is even sometimes disguised as compassion when in reality it is just pacifying with words of hope but never actually supporting change. In this context sympathy is; I feel sorry for your condition, you should change, but it’s not really my problem, it’s yours. It is the same attitude that prompts a tv talk show host to tell a Black Basketball player who speaks out about equality to “just shut up and dribble.” People will never understand what they refuse to see.
There was a resounding effect around the world when on video a black man laid dying, handcuffed, pleading for his life and exclaiming “I can’t breathe.” In pain as his life was leaving his body he cried out for his dead mother. At that moment there was a shift in the world for a real majority of people. As many of them would see the video over and over they transitioned from multi degrees of sympathy to empathy. Now not only are they grieved by what happened, they can understand and feel what so many black mothers have felt at the loss of a child. They can rationalize, understand and actually feel the helplessness so many black men have felt under pretense of law and order. This time in history is like no other. When you become empathetic towards a circumstance or a cause you have compassion which is a driving force for passion to make a change, a passion to fix what is broken. At his point it no longer a “their” problem but it transformed into an “our” problem. It is not just a majority of black people protesting, but rather people from every walk of life. Mathew 22:39, the second great commandment ….Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
This is our countries time to stop kicking the can down the road. As difficult as it may be, it’s time to reconcile the past that has held on to our future long enough. In coming info, I will be discussing the resistance to equal rights, the true meaning of the phrase Law and Order.” Also hope for our future along with some plausible solutions for change.