I have consciously chosen to not speak out on the violence
that continues to plague our country. I am heart broken and I was unsure if I
would be able to convey my thoughts clearly. Today, with a second ambush on
police officers in Baton Rouge, I felt compelled to sit down and get my
thoughts out.
I am not sure where and when this country became this
broken. I know one thing is certain – there is not one person or group to
blame. WE ARE ALL AT FAULT! As citizens of this country, we all bear the responsibility
of upholding the principles it was founded on. As humans, we all deserve
respect. However, respect is not just given. It is something that is earned. If
you act a fool, then you will be treated as a fool – regardless of your skin
color.
I am not going to debate whether this is a race issue. Until
I walk in another person’s shoes and experience what they experience on a daily
basis I can have no idea how that affects them. What I do know is this. I grew
up as the daughter of a police officer. My father-in-law is a police officer. The
police are here to protect me. It’s who I call when there is something wrong. I
was always taught to give respect. I believe that is what is missing today –
RESPECT!
In my belief, the focus needs to be on working together to
come up with a solution. Meeting violence with violence doesn’t solve a thing.
Our children have enough to worry about. We all need to take the opportunity to
teach one another instead of resorting to violence.
I see it every day. People hurting. They have no idea how to
cope with it. Some are angry. Some are depressed. Some are anxious. Some resort
to self-harm to alleviate the pain. Some bury it deep inside. The reality is we
need to reach out to one another. It is about being kind to one another.
I pray that we can find a solution to this violence. I look
at my little ones and hope and pray it is before they are old enough to
understand.
Until next time…
