The Silence of Friends

My opinion probably doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things, but I wanted to add my voice to the many other voices expressing concern and outrage over the brutal murder of George Floyd.

Yes. I watched the video. It made me sick. I've also watched other videos of police beating people of color senseless and it's upsetting and sickening. It's just not in me to treat another human being that way. I can't even fathom why someone would be that angry. But it happens. All the time. And my simple, God-fearing heart just can't comprehend why, except there is evil in this world and no matter how hard we fight, it seems we lose more battles than we win.

I have to put this into a perspective that I understand. My daughter from another mother married a black man. He is educated and works hard to support his family. He wants what we all want--a safe and loving world where he can raise his son. He's 6'5" and my grandsons call him Uncle Giant. I love him. I love him because he is kind and loving and gentle. I love him because he loves his wife and treats her with respect and compassion. I love him because he is one of the best fathers I know to my adorable adopted grandson. My grandsons don't even see his color. He's just Uncle Giant--the guy who carries them, lifts them on his shoulder, plays with them and loves on them.

I don't see color, but he does. He says people are afraid of him. He says they look at him as a threat without even knowing him. I can't even begin to understand how that feels. People hav "e judged me for my opinions and my views, but never the color of my skin. It breaks my heart that he is afraid for his son and his son's future. It breaks my heart that we even have to have this conversation, but we do.

God said we are all equal--in a perfect world that would be so. But this is not a perfect world. It is filled with evil and inequality. All I can do is be one voice. I can say it's time to stop hating and judging people who are different than you. I can speak up and say it's time to stop talking and take action. I'm not sure what needs to be done, but we need to try. We need to open our eyes and step up when we see abuse. We need to be the example and embrace everyone as equal. I may only be one, but just one voice added to another voice added to another voice can make a difference.

I pray that God opens the eyes of those who are blinded and help them to see that we all just want to be loved and accepted. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."