So many people have asked me
what's ferguson like?
How can I put a community into a box?
what kind of description can contain it all?
the mechanics who not only fix my car and the farmers' market van
but bring their own equipment out to the farm and fix our tractors
and help the farm's neighbors take their fence down
yet have their windows boarded up in fear of protests
and our other neighbor who is furious
because all the water drains off into her backyard
She accuses me of running the irrigation on purpose to flood her
And the black farmer who teaches classes to our apprentices
who fears being pulled over because she's running late
and is driving 40mph in a 35mph area
whereas I get pulled over for not having my stickers up to date
and drive off with a warning
I can see my white privilege here; it is not hidden.
How can any 30 second clip of the protests show
the dozen volunteers who start setting up for the market
at 6:30am every Saturday morning
putting up tents, pulling out picnic tables, even helping to carry produce
so that farmers just pull right through the tent set up for them
And the Fourth of July parade
a rainbow of faces
all cheering for a mix of watermelons and perhaps
also for the hope of a country founded on justice for all
domingo, 9 de agosto de 2015
Part of a Movement
Grad school taught me, among other key lessons, that you do not have to march in protests to be part of a movement. Such a relief. I feel so viscerally against marches. Years ago, I took my high school interns to meet with the head of the Massachusetts Childrens' Caucus, who said "every day there are tons of people out front of the State House, yelling at the building. But to really effect change, you have to come inside and talk to your elected officials." I've tried to take that lesson to heart; I put my Senators and Congresspeople's offices in my phone contacts so that when I want to make my voice heard, I can reach out and make a comment directly.
Today, on the one year anniversary of the shooting of Michael Brown, I am not in Ferguson. Yet, this is one of the times when a march is warranted. There is so, so much healing work to be done in Ferguson and around the country, and it is key for us white folks to show up. To admit we have a lot to learn. And to recognize that our silence on these injustices make us complicit in them. I am so, so grateful for each of my friends and those I have not yet met who are standing with the black community in grief, solidarity and shared rage at the system. But I also believe that there are many ways of being vocal. Marching is one. But if you cannot march, write. Call your elected officials. Go get to know people from different backgrounds in your community. Put yourself in a space where you are uncomfortable and try to understand someone who has a different perspective than you do.
Please also join me in 4 1/2 minutes of silence, to remember the 4 1/2 hours that Michael Brown's body lay in the street. But also, please don't let it stop with today. If you see someone being pulled over or treated unfairly, video it. I do believe that these videos WILL ultimately bring more accountability, as infuriated I am with the examples of times when they haven't thus far.
I really do hope that we can find our ways back to the ideals that America was built on - the inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all people. We look back at the past movements for women's suffrage, civil rights and cannot fathom how people could not see that people are created equal. What will we look back on in 50 years and not understand? Fight for that. Fight for the land and the people. There is so much hate in this world. Stand up for love, and have faith in people.
Grad school taught me, among other key lessons, that you do not have to march in protests to be part of a movement. Such a relief. I feel so viscerally against marches. Years ago, I took my high school interns to meet with the head of the Massachusetts Childrens' Caucus, who said "every day there are tons of people out front of the State House, yelling at the building. But to really effect change, you have to come inside and talk to your elected officials." I've tried to take that lesson to heart; I put my Senators and Congresspeople's offices in my phone contacts so that when I want to make my voice heard, I can reach out and make a comment directly.
Today, on the one year anniversary of the shooting of Michael Brown, I am not in Ferguson. Yet, this is one of the times when a march is warranted. There is so, so much healing work to be done in Ferguson and around the country, and it is key for us white folks to show up. To admit we have a lot to learn. And to recognize that our silence on these injustices make us complicit in them. I am so, so grateful for each of my friends and those I have not yet met who are standing with the black community in grief, solidarity and shared rage at the system. But I also believe that there are many ways of being vocal. Marching is one. But if you cannot march, write. Call your elected officials. Go get to know people from different backgrounds in your community. Put yourself in a space where you are uncomfortable and try to understand someone who has a different perspective than you do.
Please also join me in 4 1/2 minutes of silence, to remember the 4 1/2 hours that Michael Brown's body lay in the street. But also, please don't let it stop with today. If you see someone being pulled over or treated unfairly, video it. I do believe that these videos WILL ultimately bring more accountability, as infuriated I am with the examples of times when they haven't thus far.
I really do hope that we can find our ways back to the ideals that America was built on - the inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all people. We look back at the past movements for women's suffrage, civil rights and cannot fathom how people could not see that people are created equal. What will we look back on in 50 years and not understand? Fight for that. Fight for the land and the people. There is so much hate in this world. Stand up for love, and have faith in people.
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