Part I: I Am Alton’s Mom
Who do you think of when you hear the name Alton? For me, I think of my son. But after July 5, I can’t help but think about another Alton and it angers and saddens me. My son’s name will forever be a reminder of our country’s current state.
We are more polarized than ever. We seem to be stuck in a mindset of divisiveness that has plagued us for longer than I’ve been alive. And for what? Blame has gotten us nowhere. Ignoring the issue has gotten us nowhere. And hate has definitely gotten us nowhere. Is this the legacy we want? A nation that’s imploding, angry and afraid.
We must do better. Stop blaming and start doing. We are better than this. Our country is broken and it is unfair to place the burden of piecing it back together on my son, your son, your daughter and those who haven’t even been born.
We must be better and channel our negative emotions into positive solutions that are truly inclusive. Our children’s lives depend on it.
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Part II: Moving Images
The very first film was of a race horse. 15 seconds of that. And, at the time, it was unbelievable. Who knew in 1878 that this fancy new medium would become a revolutionary tool for documenting our world?
Video is powerful. It can be visceral. And it can build movements. This month, not one, but two cell phone videos captured the murders of two black men. Video made us witness to the horrors of violence. And we could not turn away. Protests erupted. Bang, bang, bang, bang. Then retaliation. Bang, bang, bang, bang. That is what video does. It burns images into our mind. Some so ingrained in our psyche that we can never unwatch them.
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Part III: A New Perspective
We’ve been overwhelmed by so much tragedy recently that it’s become the new normal. Orlando. Dallas. Nice. Baton Rouge. How many more cities will we pray for? How many more communities will be rocked by violence? As we see all of this unfolding, I ask myself, how did we get here? And the most simplistic way I can answer that question is: Because of an idea.
Ideas are powerful. I think this quote by former Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas accurately describes how powerful ideas can be:
You can argue that social media has helped propel ideas for better or worse. Social media has given extremists a platform to spread their hateful messages. Social media has galvanized people to organize against injustice. Depending on your perspective, these two can be one in the same. “Everybody believes they are the good guy,” is how an ex-CIA agent stated it in this viral video.
Our immediate and unlimited access to and exchange of ideas have made it easier for us to take sides, pledging our allegiance to what we think is right. But what if we did more than that? What if we actively question those ideas and really try to understand our opponents’ perspectives?
A yoga instructor once told me that it takes more energy to resist than to accept. So, instead of trying so hard to resist what we don’t want to hear, let’s allow ourselves to listen deeply so that we can shape our own perspectives and write our own narratives. And hopefully, somewhere along the way, we’ll find peace.
