I thought long and hard about what to post about the inhumane killing of George Floyd. Am I upset? Absolutely... Am I afraid?... honestly... yes. When I read Taylor's response I knew I had to share it. Taylor and I attend the same church. We served on the same team, and we ultimately serve the Same God. Taylor's unapologetic approach has enlightened me. Taylor is a teacher. I would love for my son to be in her class one day.
Please read below:
In regards to George Floyd, and every other racially charged police brutality occurrence that has recently happened...I saw the hashtag #whitepeopleareyoumadyet.
Yes, yes we are.
And I’m here to apologize...on my behalf, and any other white person who realizes their mistakes. I’m sorry for when I said “I don’t see color” as if the pigment in your skin doesn’t matter. While said with good intentions, it’s a lie. I do see color...because I see you. And seeing you, truly seeing you, has opened my eyes and heart to so much that goes on in this world.
I’m sorry for the times that I saw or read about something inhumane and thought “there must be more to this story..” because there isn’t always more to the story. Sometimes people are just evil.
I’m sorry for thinking that I could “raise my kids right” and not have to deal with the “race issue”. For thinking that, somehow, ignoring it would fix it.
I’m sorry that I let my privilege distort reality. No longer will this happen. No longer will I claim “I don’t see color” but I will acknowledge it. I will acknowledge your culture, I will acknowledge your struggles, and I will acknowledge your successes. No longer will I turn a blind eye to the evil in this world simply because it is hard to look at. No longer will I naively hope that my kids don’t “deal with race”. Rather, I will tackle the issue head on...ensuring that they fully understand what racism is. That they can recognize it. So when they inevitably face a racially charged situation, they will be aware, vigilant, and confident in their stance...a stance full of compassion and love for God’s people...all of them.
So, white people, are we mad yet?
