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What is it about pain, anger, suffering, anguish, and death in America, that has desensitized us, it boils our blood at the time, much like the news that the innocent were done wrong? But then we sink back into complacency and sit there, like bumps on a log, until something else comes along. What and why the ignorance, after the last couple of weeks, of school shootings, shocking statistics, and eye-opening headlines? What must be done, to make us look at each other, not as another statistic, stereotype, number, minority, majority, white, green, foreign, angry, Liberal, Republican or another person on the news, who by society standards has failed and is now imprisoned without access to the help that they may need?
I think I may have reached my answer. The thing is in the word Ignorance. Not just ignorance in its traditional sense, of not knowing and assuming without questioning. But in a new way take the word ignorance and break it down, and we get what Hill Harper, a well-known actor, and public speaker, sees to be IGNOREance. The fact that we turn a blind eye. Oh a five-year-old girl was shot while enjoying her breakfast. Our thought process may go a bit like this, “ Oh, that’s too bad, I hope they catch the crook. Hmm I’ll pray for her, and hold a prayer for her at church.” 5 minutes later “oooo, what’s on Facebook?”. Yes throughout that thought action in a way was taken. But what happened to people being fired up, what happened to us being the marchers, the protesters, the non-silent, and the vigilant against injustice? I mean we may point fingers at Cairo, Russia, and Greece, thinking to ourselves, why in the world are they protesting? Why so much anger, zest, and even what may be deemed as cruel action? But here in the United States we started as a country quite on fire. And now here we are in 2014 and where’s the fire, I’ll tell you it’s definitely not out in the streets making noise, causing reform, or questioning institutionalized ideas, or even in grilling our politicians on policy that not only affects us but other human beings as well. It’s in our minds, our thoughts our “sympathies”, our social media. And that’s where it ends. I might even argue that it’s in our “Save the Earth” groups that meet every week, and talk with no action.
This upcoming month is Black History month, and one of the most well known figures during this time will be Martin Luther King Jr. Yes, we think we knew Dr. King, he was this pastor who turned into an activist and followed Gandhi principles to in a way revolutionize the world for not only African-Americans but for everyone. Yes, we all know that textbook version. But, do you think for even one second if MLK wasn’t actually PISSED about Jim Crow and the blunt inequality in America that he would ever have stood up? If he was complacent would he had risked not only his life, but also others life to change history? I think not, I not only think but I know that Dr. King had to be beyond PISSED off to do something about one of the most ingrained behaviors in American society that has ever existed.
I am not advocating overthrowing of the government or even, taking action that may physically harm, what I’m saying is let’s get PISSED not just PISSED but really PISSED and let’s see what we can do to stop being complacent in a world that seems to always be in trouble and in need of saving. Let’s not only be that agent of change, but join me in being action for change.
