MLK, Jr Day

Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, in honor of his birthday, which was January 15.

On Facebook there is a feature called “memories”. The website pulls up a memory from the past that you posted about. Today I noticed one from six years ago which read “Went to see the movie Selma with Lauren today. Really moving and important to see. It’s also a amazing how little has changed”

How true. That was six years ago and while the Black Lives Matter uprisings found new energy (among white people because Black people have never stopped their fight) after George Floyd was murdered, there has been little change within the broader system.

We all watched in horror as American insurgents broke into the Capitol a few weeks ago. We now know that in addition to being a giant pack of morons, they had serious intention of doing harm. And of course we all could see plain as day how they were treated compared to how Black protesters have been treated for doing far less.

They acted with white supremacy and were treated with white privilege.

Last week, a Black man was fatally shot on his front lawn after his family called for a mental health check. This is why there are discussions of defunding the police. More money needs to go into efforts to handle any emergency calls that do not require violent action because although it’s not always the case, police are armed for violence when most instances do not require it. Police forces are not trained to deal with many events they are called to deal with.

Inability to respond correctly however does not give them right to respond violently.

This year I decided to read Letter from a Birmingham Jail. This letter, written by Martin Luther King, Jr while he was in jail is dated April 16, 1963. The parallels to today’s Black experience (from what I understand, obviously I am not speaking for the Black community) are astounding.

It’s being read to you int he clip below.

Today I am going to meet with a friend, get a coffee, and take a walk. One thing I am realizing is while I am happy to hang out in my bubble – organizing closets, learning how to bake macarons, watching movies – it is far more fulfilling to connect with human beings if it can be done safely.

So that’s on my list to do today. See a friend, have human connection.