BLACK LIVES MATTER! BLACK LIVES ARE VALUABLE! BLACK LIVES ARE IMPORTANT!
- Gyimaah
- Jun 7, 2020
- 3 min read
Greetings everyone! This post is here to express how I feel about the injustices that African Americans have been facing in this country and even more prominently, of late. Now, I do not have the "perfect" thing to say and honestly, I'm not sure of what to say but I pray that this post does its job.
To Black America, I am sorry for the pain you feel, especially right now. I am sorry that we have had to experience this as a people. I am sorry that you have had to experience this all your life. I have been in the US for about six years and I can't begin to imagine living in this fear and pain consistently for all my life. You are all strong people and I admire that. I am very pleased that we have been able to unite and stand up for what we believe in, deserve and have always deserved. We will not stop until these injustices are addressed.
To those who feel as though violence isn't the answer, can I just say that violence wasn't the answer of choice but it was the last resort since peaceful ways of communicating were not effective and did not do what they were meant to do. I honestly cannot fathom the hatred directed toward a specific race for no just reason.
I am not here to rehash the painful experiences of my Black brothers and sisters, but to encourage us to keep fighting. Now, honestly, I do not expect this racism and inequality to disappear immediately because it is the very foundation on which this country was built centuries ago. However, what we can do is translate our pain and hurt into a powerful weapon and voice that demands change.
Black lives matter. They matter so much because without them, where will this country be?
To those who believe that "all lives matter", is that really true? If that really is the case, then Black lives should matter as well but with what is ongoing, that statement doesn't seem to ring true. Black lives matter because those are the lives that are on fire right now, those are the lives that are being taken away so painfully, suddenly and cruelly. Those are the homes filled with the most tears and fear. Those are the lives that need love and care right now.
My very good friend Jordan shared this with me yesterday and I think it was a perfect way to explain the situation. In the Parable of the Lost Sheep in the books of Luke 15:3-7 and Matthew18:12-14. Jesus talks about the shepherd who leaves his 99 sheep and goes in search of the missing 1. Now, the shepherd did not leave the 99 because they are not important or valuable to him but because the 1 is also just as important. When he finds the missing 1, he rejoices! That is the situation here. The 1 missing sheep are Black lives- the 99 are all other lives and right now, we are fighting and searching for that missing 1 because it is also very precious and it is the life that needs our attention currently. I hope I made some sense here.
My heart goes out to every Black person living in this nation at this time. I genuinely fear for every African American, especially males. I fear the fact that the liberty to do little things such as going on a run, sleeping, shopping or existing are not that simple anymore. To my Black male friends, I worry about you a lot, I pray for you and your families and I pray that you stay strong.
Please, let us take care of ourselves, especially our mental health during this time. Let us be safe even as we go out to protest. Let us pray for our people and for our nation. Let us use this time to support Black owned businesses, sign petitions, donate funds, uplift each other and most importantly stay prayed up.
"Black Lives Matter" shouldn't be a movement or trend- it should be reality, it should be a part of everyday life, it should be a normal thing that exists in America. Until we get to that point, we will continually speak up and support our Black community. I love you all and I'm rooting for us!
PS: Photos used in this post do not belong to me. Links have been attached.
Until next time,
Be you, do you, stay you
Adwoa.
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