It’s Never Too Late to Do the Right Thing
The older I get and the more I learn, the more thankful I am that it’s never too late to do the right thing. Sometimes we fool ourselves into believing that we’re too old to change. That it’s ok to be set in our ways. That is absolutely never true. We only stop learning, growing, and changing when we choose not to try. When we make the decision to be stubborn and stick our head in the sand and stop making the effort to do good or be better.
I trust you are safe and well in these crazy times. As you may have heard me say before, I believe that Traveling with Purpose is also about having meaning in our everyday lives. I hope you’ll allow me to share some thoughts that have been heavy on my heart lately with the recent events in our country. I just couldn’t bring myself to write about travel, with everything else going on.
Like many of you, I’ve been grieving about the most recent appalling news of racial injustice in my country. I find myself depressed and losing hope about when, if ever, this will turn around.
Will it Ever End?
Will there ever be a day when People of Color can walk the streets and drive through their own city without having to look over their shoulder and wonder if someone is looking to accuse, insult, oppress, attack or even murder them for no reason?
I myself have stood on the sidelines too long, not taking the time to listen and learn. I thought the incidents of racial violence were committed by a “few bad apples”. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a police hater. I have police officers as family and friends. Many officers are kind and good and take their oath to protect and serve seriously. Sadly though, as I’m learning more about the history and trajectory of our criminal justice system, I see that racism and injustice are built into the system and implicit bias taints all of our thinking.
The Tragic Facts
Did you know that “1 in 3 black men and 1 in 6 Latino men are likely to spend time in prison in their lifetime, as compared to 1 in 17 white men? Although black Americans make up 13% of the population, they account for 40% of the incarcerated population.” [stats from the Sentencing Project and Prison Policy Initiative]
40% of the Black population is currently behind bars. Case after case of innocent men are imprisoned without cause. Others are given stricter sentences than their white counterparts charged with the same crime. Let that sink in for a minute.
For many of us (me included), our white privilege has skewed our viewpoint. We’ve been sheltered from the truth of the pain and realities of racial oppression. So much of the time we’ve chosen to look the other way for our own personal comfort. But, it’s not too late to do the right thing. Let’s make a commitment to begin listening, learning, believing, digging deeper, speaking out, and finding out what we can do to make a difference.
How You Can Help
It’s never too late to do the right thing.
An easy place to start learning is by taking a few hours out of your week to watch the documentary “13th” (on Netflix) or read the book or watch the movie “Just Mercy” (available to stream for free in June). These accounts give just a tiny glimpse into some of the systemic injustices in our country. But this is only the beginning of the journey.
The link below is a list of anti-racist resources for white people, but it is in no way exhaustive. Just the beginning of the journey to find out what is and has been really happening in our society and how you can help to change it. Here are a few other ways you can get started.
Learn with Anti-racism Resources for White People
Take a Second to Sign a Petition
Give to Black & African American-Focused Charities
75 Things White People Can Do For Racial Justice
The “75” list above includes helpful resources and ideas for things to do on a personal, local, state, and federal level.
“We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference.”
Elie Wiesel
This “Quote of the Day” is another thought to ponder when the task at hand seems too overwhelming. Thanks for listening to my heart. Please share with others to help them find ways to do the right thing too.
Category: On the Home Front, Quotes & Musings, Travel Inspiration
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
