Black Lives Matter

Tonight was the first night in a long while that I noticed quite so many lightning bugs out in force, enchanting the lovely summer evening. The mosquito bites were worth it.

Now, I sit and confront my privilege. My privilege to be able to sit here and enjoy the night when Philando Castile and Sam DuBose will never get that chance again because they were killed by police.I have the privilege to know that as a white women I do not have to worry about the police one day taking my life. My privilege to be able to think about their deaths, be sad, and move on. My privilege to want to be shocked that Castile's killer will not face legal charges. I'm not shocked, I'm not even surprised, yet again America's legal system fails to serve justice. I want to say the system is broken but I'm not sure it is anymore, it might be working just fine to protect the status quo.

I am still working to process how it can be Castile's wrongful death, dare I say murder, did not matter to the jury acquitted his killer. I am now more worried than ever that Sam DuBose's life my not matter enough in his current trial to bring his killer to justice. And let's not forget about Alton Sterling, who lost his life on the same day almost a year ago, we are still waiting to see if charges are going to be brought by the state of Louisiana, and yet we can expect the same pattern to continue--to the state Sterling's death might not matter either. And this is wrong.

Black Lives Matter. Black Lives Matter. Black Lives Matter.
What do we need to do to make the system, and the people in the system, act in accord with this basic truth: that black lives do in fact matter?

I have the privilege to be sitting here, thinking this, knowing that it this status quo needs to change, and not knowing what to do.

What more can I do? There has to be more.

Here with the Black Lives Matter movement is a place where you and I can start doing more.
Please remember my voice is very far from the most important voice on this matter, please seek out other voices speaking up and out about anti-racism and related issues. I am publishing this tonight because it is important is important to be not to be silent on the issue, for I have learned that silence can hurt as much as silencing. Let's work together to amplify as many voices, especially of those most effected, as we can. On that note I'm also going to direct you to Shaun King's work via Facebook.