Ajike Owens was a 34 y/o single mother of four who loved her children. So when her 10 y/o son reported that a neighbor had thrown a skate at him she wanted to know why. She knocked on the neighbor’s door hoping to have a conversation about the incident. The 58 y/o neighbor fired one shot through her closed door, killing Ms. Owens in the presence of her 10 yr. old son. 16 y/o Ralph Yari was shot after he mistakenly knocked at the wrong house while looking for his siblings. 34 y/o Heather Heyer was run down by a white supremacist who steered his car at high speed through a crowd of protesters in Charlottesville Va., killing Heyer and wounding dozens of others.
We are now known worldwide as one of the most violent countries on the planet. The now almost daily carnage America witnesses is breathtaking to me. Our homes, schools, daycare centers, libraries, churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, movie theatres, outdoor concerts, dance halls, nightclubs, streets, and parks. It is not hyperbole to say…there is almost no place that is safe in America. And in my opinion, the 2nd Amendment is now used as a cover for depraved violence and the loss of innocent life. It appears that 2nd Amendment “rights” is more important than protecting our children. We say we are concerned about the loss of innocent life; some say they are pro-life protecting young life…newborn life…the life of fetuses. Really! There are more guns in America than there are Americans! There is no child, newborn, infant, or fetus who can be protected from gratuitous violence, most often with guns in America. In my opinion, Roe v. Wade was not the problem when it comes to protecting innocent life.
We ask…what is happening to us as a people? We feel anger, despair, confusion, and fear. It appears that those elected to lead and serve are more concerned about power and profit than protecting American citizens. And it is emotionally debilitating for most of us. How can we forget Mother Emmanuel Church and the nine parishioners who were shot and killed at a prayer meeting, the beautiful young students at Sandy Hook, Uvalde, and Parkland? How can we not feel for them? We must cry…every time. Because what does it mean for us when we can no longer find our tears in the wake of such tragedies? And so the suffering continues. Because of the wrong ideas about us, many have come to mistrust, fear, and hate fellow citizens. And that is a recipe for the tragedies we see playing out among us almost daily. In the words of Michael Moore, a country that is as afraid of each other as we are should not have guns.
I believe we can do better. We can live in a multiracial/multicultural democracy anchored by non-violence. It will require effort and commitment. It will require us to reach a tipping point. Malcolm Gladwell in his book entitled The Tipping Point suggests that once a critical mass of any group becomes fully dedicated to a new course of action it has reached a tipping point and a new paradigm is created. What would it take for us as a people to reach our tipping point… to usher in a new way of being…a new paradigm? Fortunately, it does not require a majority of the group to reach critical mass. It requires members of the group about 20% who are so committed to the change that they place their whole effort into bringing it about. Are we that dedicated to protecting our children and keeping our communities safe?
How many more babies need to die, how many mothers and fathers will cry, how many must die at prayer meetings, while at the movie theatre, sitting in classrooms or walking in parks, or shopping at the corner store? How many must die in broad daylight full view? How many more can we stand to lose before we reach our tipping point where moments of silence, prayers on the floors of Congress, heads bowed in reverence for those who have been harmed, flags flown at half mast, and pictures of victims paraded across our TV screen will no longer suffice…how many more before we say collectively, with one voice. We have reached our tipping point… Enough!
I suggest we start with a bit of soul-searching by identifying the wrong ideas that are manifesting in our lives. How do they show up in our relationship with each other? Whom do we recognize as a neighbor or a stranger? Do we feel accountable for the common good or do we take care of only our side of the road? Are we willing to offer a helping hand, or do we find satisfaction in another’s failures and shortcomings? And are we comfortable judging people for their vulnerabilities or do we recognize our shared humanity? Are there people who, because of their skin color, gender, social status, or sexual preference we deem not worthy of our care, concern, or respect? Or do we enjoy friendships from diverse communities with different cultural and life experiences? Do we believe that those at the top of the human food chain should have all the power…by any means necessary. Or do we believe that power shared is power multiplied? There is an urban saying that seems appropriate in this matter. We need to check ourselves before we wreck ourselves.The
Everybody as Our Own Movement is bold, audacious, courageous, elegant, compassionate and ethical. Let’s start the wave and create an Everybody as Our Own nation.
You Are Welcome Here.
Lutricia (Pat) Callair