Love One Another

Written June 1, 2020

I am a little late to this conversation because I wanted this to be a thoughtful post that recognized the high emotions going on in the world right now.    Ever since I saw what happened to George Floyd, it has been in the back of my mind.   And this national issue has been on my mind on and off for a while.   I never knew how to address it as a white woman, but I feel like now is the time to do so and I will learn as I go.  

The media, as always and on BOTH sides of the political spectrum, is trying to focus on chaos because chaos is what generates ratings.   Most people do not watch the news for hours on an average day.  But when something is chaotic and horrible, many people tune in and their ratings go up.   Based on the media, it looks like a war.  When you talk to most people in person though, they have similar beliefs.   This country should be a kind place to all people regardless of ethnicity and both cops and protestors need to be respectful during this discussion.   Most people want cops to be fair when looking into criminal activity and to evaluate a situation based on the criminal’s actions and not their appearance.   And most people want the protests to be peaceful so small businesses are not affected and the cause is not overshadowed with violence.

Then you look at news articles or posts on social media and either see cops pepper spraying peaceful protestors or you see rioters and looters destroying businesses.   Mix in a few “unfriend me if you don’t agree with me” posts and people are divided and unwilling to listen.   But yesterday, a few of the great people on my Facebook friends list started sharing posts that were positive.   They were the posts the media isn’t blasting everywhere all the time.   The protestors protecting the cop who was separated from the rest of the group.   The handshakes, hugs and prayers being shared between the cops and protestors.   Because most protestors and most cops are good people and they want peace.   You will always have your hateful people and most of the time they are the loudest and most in your face.   But most people truly care.

As for the situation with George Floyd, I hope the cop pays for what he did.   And I hope people realize there are so many other similar situations where justice has not been served.   The cop probably would have never been arrested if it was not for social media (one of the few good things social media has done).  I am not going to say the cop’s name because he doesn’t deserve to be named after what he did.   We should respect cops, but they should earn that respect.  Our tax money pays for their services and they should uphold a high standard.   They should be people we look to as an example of good and just people and no one should fear them unless they have done something wrong.  And even then they shouldn’t fear being killed unless they are threatening someone else’s life.   I remember a couple years ago hearing my black male coworkers discuss how they felt about being pulled over and that is when it really hit me.   If I saw those blue and red flashing lights behind me, I just hoped they were pulling someone else over because I did not want a large fine.  I never worried for my life.  I have actually always felt safer at events when I see cops nearby because I know I can go to them for help if I need it.   Hearing men who I worked with every day and respected discuss this very real issue helped me realize that not everyone feels the way I do around cops. We should work on a world where you are defined by your actions and treated equally, especially by those who are supposed to serve and protect society.

I realize that I am fortunate to have parents who raised me to be kind to everyone and that no one was above anyone else based on ethnicity or economic status.   I know some people were raised to hate others based on their differences, but now is an excellent time to overcome those ideas.   You have a choice in how you perceive the world and the people in it.   It may be harder for some but God called us all to love everyone.  There were no exceptions to this.   It was not, love everyone unless they disagree with you.  It was not, love everyone unless they are different than you.   We are supposed to love everyone. Period.  Hate and injustice are the opposite of love.   Let’s all do the right thing and practice loving one another when we discuss these important topics.