I condemn violence and selfishness, which seems to have become the order of the day. Too many people are more concerned with their own desires than they are with anything else. “I care about my life more than I care about yours, so if you threaten my life in the slightest way I’m going to use lethal force.” “You unlawfully took the life of someone that I love or someone that looks like me, so I’m going to unlawfully take your life.” “This child in my womb is going to make my life difficult so I’m going to take its life.”
I understand the emotional and visceral response that most of us have when we see an injustice; as I have deeply experienced those feelings while watching the deplorable actions of some police officers while growing up on the streets of Detroit. But if you respond to an injustice being done by committing another injustice, then you my friend are doing it wrong.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” We all want fair treatment but those who are calling for or using violent means to bring it about are being put on notice. Regardless of your organizational affiliation, your race or your past accomplishments, you do not speak for me.
I believe that all life is precious and that all life should be protected. I also believe that our lives will reach their most powerful potential when we live our lives in service to our fellow man instead of injustice to our fellow man. That’s how we move beyond race, culture, economic status, and all of the other areas that we used to divide and separate ourselves one from the other.
I also understand the outrage that occurs when those who feel oppressed, hear their perceived oppressor tell them not respond in certain ways until “all the information comes out” even when a video clearly shows the oppressed enough information to justify the outrage.
Will you join me and Protecting Black Life to begin the conversations necessary to increase our overall value for life? All life is precious. All life should be protected; even when one makes a terrible choice that costs someone else their life. All life is precious.
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