May 31, 2020 | Young protesters rally in uptown Charlotte, NC | Tyler Capel When is it appropriate to talk about life? Equality? Fairness? Morality? Race? The challenges of our country? One would think these are questions that most could respond to quickly and easily. Yet, we struggle! We struggle to find the right moment. The right place. The right atmosphere. So, when? When do we have “The Talk?” The graphic death of George Floyd forced the world to see just how imperfect our Union is. Wherein we often find beauty in imperfection, this tragedy further exposed the ugliness of our experiment in democracy. What was normal suddenly appears to no longer be acceptable. But why now? Many recordings of law enforcement officers ignoring their oaths to “serve and protect” have come to light before. Yet, this time, “I can’t breathe!” not only signified life being taken away from George Floyd, but the igniting of a fight for answers and accountability! George Floyd was not a well-known athlete, politician, or world leader, but the world has been awakened by his death. Millions are marching, protesting, and demanding change! From Minneapolis, to New York, Los Angeles, Raleigh, Boston, Atlanta, Paris, the U.K. and around the world, George Floyd’s plight and the request for people of color to finally be treated equally and with respect rings out! While the leader (of what has been) the world’s most respected democracy offers to “dominate” protesters, and many with influence continue to deny the inequalities that exist, we march! Non-violently! For answers: We march! For democracy: We march! For our now: We march! For our future: WE MARCH! On foot, and online: We march with enthusiasm, and with purpose!
Now is a time to honor the work done by previous generations for “US.” The United States that is. We continue to face challenges as we struggle to understand the basics of equality, shared prosperity, health, and safety. Still, every day is a new day that offers the opportunity to make “US” better. As James Baldwin said: “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” The power of now, this moment, can insure that we get closer to being that nation envisioned in the Preamble: “We the People… in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility…” Now is a time to honor the work. Let’s face our challenges head on!