INJUSTICE
A black woman challenged me today that I was not doing enough to get justice for George Floyd because I did not march in Abilene's protest.
I didn't march because it didn't occur to me. To my nonwhite brothers and sisters, I am sorry. If I knew that a small act could have brought you peace and healing, I would have been there. I am very familiar with the sting of prejudice. I have been persecuted because of my religion and gender my whole life. It's not fair, and I hate it. As a mediator, I have been trained to see both sides of an issue and bring peace through collaboration.
I can't see both sides here. I see a broken white police officer that killed a black man in front of many witnesses. There is no perspective that I can come up with that makes that okay. However, I know if we now hate all police officers sworn to help the justice system because they are the police, that is prejudice and injustice. If we assume, those that didn't march don't care, that is prejudice and injustice.
It is horrific that anybody is getting judged and killed because of the color of his or her skin, gender, sexual orientation, and religion. I told a black friend today that I was sorry about George Floyd, and she said you shouldn't have to apologize for your race. Wow, that was profound. I should not apologize for being white, but people of color should also not have to apologize. So I am going to apologize not for my skin color but for not doing my part.
A few months ago, I was in a restaurant and bar listening to music when I overheard a man use the N-word. I didn't know him, and I didn't say anything. I was scared to get involved. I am sorry.
In that same bar on a different night, two black men walked into the place, and everyone else was white. They walked up to the bar, and several men in cowboy hats were sitting there. I braced myself for an altercation or racist comments because I judged the men from their hats as racist rednecks. They hurried over, said hello, and invited the new guys to sit. In a few minutes, these cowboys had made two new friends. I'm sorry for judging the cowboys.
I don't have to apologize for teaching my kids to be fair and not to judge others by their color. My late husband and I did that right. I do know there are good and bad people everywhere, and we should be judged by our Fruit, not our skin. I am crying that in 2020 we still have to make that point. I'm very sorry about that.