AN OPEN LETTER TO MY FELLOW AMERICANS, WHO JUST HAPPEN TO BE BLACK

Dear Friends,

Ever since I saw the article on the newly opened National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery Alabama to memorialize all the African Americans that have been lynched I can't stop thinking about it. I've heard the 'protests' from white people in the south claiming that this memorial will only make things worse and dredges up old bad feelings from the past. I've heard people are denying that so many lynchings took place and I've heard them say that if the black people can have this then they should be able to have their Jim Crow era memorials to officers of the south during the Civil War.  

Personally I feel it's time we stopped behaving as if a segment of our country's history should be swept under the rug because it's uncomfortable for us white people.  It's my fervent belief, and it seems a tenet of life, that we can't change what we don't acknowledge and by acknowledging the crimes against black humanity of the past perhaps we can begin to change. Not only do we owe it to the black people in our country we really owe it to all people of color that the white European people who came here to find a new life have wronged, subjugated, robbed, raped, murdered and vilified over the last three centuries.  However, for the purpose of this 'rant' I will stick to African Americans and how I feel about the current situation in our country.

I have a feeling that most black people in this country truly feel as if they have no white allies or at least they have so very few as not to have any.  No one, especially in today's social climate, could blame people of color in this country for believing that they are still on their own after all this time. But they aren't. Just like most of us begin to feel as if only hateful and horrific things are happening in the world because of news media and what they choose to report on, I have no doubt that because of how strong and loud racial hatred is right now that many black people feel today as if all of white America hates them and wants to see them gone.  I'm here to say that this is simply not true. I feel very comfortable speaking for millions upon millions of white American's when I say that it's not true, that our fellow Americans who are black do have sincere and willing allies. I can at least speak for myself when I say that at least for me, it's simply not true and that I value you highly as a fellow human being.

I know that us white people don't always know the right thing to do or say to show our unwavering support of our black brothers and sisters. Sometimes no matter how much we want to show our support we fail miserably and I'm sure end up insulting black people as opposed to helping them feel that they have our support. I'm not asking for sympathy because it is our responsibility to learn how best to support and stand with black people. I will say however that for so many of us there's a learning curve and while we may not know how to best support and stand with people of color today, in the future we will get it; with the kindness, understanding, patience and tolerance of those who we want to exhibit our support for and full acceptance of.  But we need to understand that when we are trying and there is angst by those we seek to support in the black community that we must be patient as they may not be used to white people who are in full acceptance and support of them AND we may not be approaching it the best way possible in spite of our desire to be sincere and to be supportive. While the desire is there, sometimes the knowledge needed isn't. I'm not making excuses, but simply trying to relay to people of color that while we are imperfect we do want to be and do better.

I think what I'm trying to get at here is two-fold. First, that there are far, far, far, far more white people in this country who are understanding of  (or at least truly want to be understanding of) the prejudices, discrimination, dangers and obstacles that black people face on a daily basis and who truly do want to put an end to it than there aren't. That there are so many of us whites who sincerely do want total and truly equal equality for all peoples; socially, financially, educationally and opportunity-wise. That there are hordes of us who will treat you with respect as an equal human being. Second, that no matter how deep our desires to support and stand with people of color may be that we may fail at times and we may not seem to fully understand or be able to truly empathize with what it's like to be a black person in America today. For that we ask the African American community to have patience with us when it's obvious that we mean well, even if we aren't saying or doing things that appear to be helpful or supportive. I'm not asking for 'special treatment' or'privilege' but only for the understanding that we are here and we do want to include you in our society as true equals, as friends, as significant others, as valued co-workers, as neighbors, as fellow human beings of equal status and in high regard.

I know and understand that the African American community has been asked to be patient for over two hundred years. Wow, I can totally relate to how one might get really tired of and angry about being asked to be patient to get what all white people, privileged ONLY because our skin is white, get without asking for so damned long. I'm NOT asking anyone to be patient with having equal rights under the law and in society because no one has a right to ask you to be patient a single moment more. I guess what I'm saying is to please try to have patience with us white folks who see you as who you really are in all of your beautiful blackness and love what we see because you are other human beings who are deserving of love, respect, dignity, compassion, empathy and an equal place at the table AND that you are deserving of our voice to join with yours in the ongoing effort to achieve it all for yourselves.  We can, and we will, figure this thing out but the only way we will be able to figure it out is if we work together, if we choose to ally with anyone who sees us as equals and as valued beings in every way, shape and form.  

We got this, but we only have it if we work TOGETHER.

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For those of you who are interested please find this link to the website for the National Memorial of Peace and Justice: https://eji.org/national-lynching-memorial .