Just yesterday, my wife was telling me something important. Almost immediately I was telling her my opinion or maybe even just telling her something important from my day. She said, "You are not hearing me!" I was quick to respond, "Of course I hear you, you said...." She said, "If you heard me, you need to acknowledge me." Too often when we hear something like "Black Lives Matter," and our instant response is to give our opinion or respond back "All Lives Matter." To do this only dismisses the first statement. This movement is not asking for all the problems to be solved immediately. But, like my wife, they want us to take the first step and acknowledge the problem.
Law Enforcement is one of those jobs that I respect. It is dangerous - it takes bravery -- it is pristine in it's intention (to sacrifice your life for others). This is the reason, not the excuse, that members of law enforcement should demand their brothers and sisters be held to a high standard. Even though I have great respect for this profession, the younger generation is losing it quickly. Whenever members of any profession begin to downplay illicit activity, it sows seeds of doubt over the whole profession. Just look how we feel about politicians and professional athletes!
Another communication tool my wife is teaching me is to ask questions. When someone says "Black Lives Matter," couldn't we ask "What do you mean by that?" Might we also ask someone of color "What does it feel like to marginalized?" or "What are some ways I could help improve this situation?" I might just ask myself some internal questions like "How do I treat people on a daily basis -- do all people matter to me?"
Remember it all starts with the acknowledgement of the statement! Back Lives Matter! Yes they do! Let's start there!
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