Step 11: Think Twice. Be an Agent of Racial Change.

Now for the grand finale! This is the simplest yet most important bullet, and so I’ve saved it for last.

Over the last few weeks we’ve dug into a bunch of different concepts and actions we can take to be “a part of the solution” for black citizens. Some of them require introspection and self-education. Others require engaging in uncomfortable conversations and more closely examining the people in our orbit who wittingly or unwittingly contribute to the continuation of systemic racism. All of them, however, require a willingness to confront and shift our paradigms and push forward from the status quo. An underlying theme of all of these steps is that they require us to use critical thinking.

To drill home this point, let’s circle back to the catalyst for this conversation, the death of George Floyd. As the outrage over his murder starts to dissipate, the loud politicization and division over this topic takes to the forefront. In a society capable of even politicizing the core science of safety in the middle of a pandemic, it was perhaps inevitable that the spark of unifying outrage would devolve into division. We need our critical thinking skills now more than ever.

I’m asking that none of us succumb to the cheap politicization of black lives. Yes, we will certainly need the mechanisms of government to issue new policies, new laws, and new approaches. But we need to thread the needle and avoid the theater of politics. Cable news and other partisan news outlets so often conflate reporting on current events with the theatrical nature of storytelling. It’s entertaining for sure, and I myself spend a fair amount of time basking in the cathartic light of hearing my political suspicions confirmed, my opinions validated, and my favorite narratives spun in a fantastical way by beautiful people using all of the words I like. The problem with this though, is that when our partisan ideals are stirred in this way, we walk through the world with a clear sense of protagonists and antagonists. We are lead to believe Utopia is waiting for us on the other side, if only ‘those antagonists’ would get out of the way. Narratives like these are remarkably dangerous. Because right now, for half the country, the antagonists are framed as ‘the evil police’, and for the other half, the antagonists are framed as ‘the black lives matter crowd and thugs supporting them.’ All partisan news outlets, in their own way, in effect deepen this tale of black vs. blue. In a country where we will never get rid of blue, no matter how much we defund It, and never get rid of black, no matter how much we imprison it, we create a collision course for more problems.

So please, right now, think critically, and as the title of this post suggests, when it comes to being confronted with information, think twice about it. Don’t accept anything at face value. As a liberal, I still refuse to accept variations on the “ACAB” (All Cops are Bad) narrative, because they’re not. I refuse to say “Defund the Police” because as much as I support the key changes that can evolve the way we protect all of citizens, there is no good-will built in a phrase that reflexively threatens the livelihood of those sworn to protect and serve. Likewise, I call on my conservative brethren to reject narratives that show looting as the primary accomplishment and action of those who’ve been out protesting injustice. I call on them to reject the All Lives Matter rhetoric, and I beg for their sensitivities at this flashpoint in our society.

So the last point is just this: Think Twice. When you are in a position to provide an opportunity to someone out of your own network of people who primarily think, act, or look like you, think twice. When you hear a racially charged news story that breaks your heart and fills you with rage - dig into it further, and think twice about it. When you’re channel surfing and picking what to watch with your family this weekend on netflix and you can choose between The Green Book or Tiger King, think twice.

I, and the people who look like me, need all of you to help push us to a place where we feel safer in this country we love.

Thank you everyone who has taken the time to read these posts, and I want to leave you with some thoughts I expressed in a comment last week, that highlight the personal gravity and importance of this topic, and why I am calling on all of you, regardless of anything you have thought before, to help out:

My American Dream:

While I'm far from perfect, each day, I do my best to be a good person. I try to be good to my friends, I try to be helpful to my wife, I try to look out for my family. I've worked extremely hard, I've gone to the best school I possibly could, I try to obey as many laws as the next guy -- in short I've done everything in my power to live "The American Dream."

Let me tell you about my American Dream. My American Dream includes making sure I never leave my house without my ID incase I'm stopped and asked who I am and what I'm doing wherever I am. My American Dream includes wearing the least offensive clothes possible when I leave the home -- I'll point out that since my teens, and especially since Trayvon's murder, the statistical chances of you seeing me wearing a hoodie are extremely low. My American Dream includes being hyper aware of my actions and tone at all times, and when in public doing my best to not bring too much attention to myself, or act in any way that might cause offense or unfounded fear in the mind of white bystanders. I won't even laugh loudly in an unfamiliar place. My American Dream includes a quick flashing moment of sheer terror at the sight of an unfamiliar police officer, even if it's just in a Starbucks, until they either pass, or smile, or give some other nod or acknowledgement of our shared humanity.

My American Dream involves carefully selecting where I vacation with my wife like we're in The Green Book, making sure to vet any location for its proximity to a liberal-minded or welcoming community. My American dream includes making sure that any medical appointment includes me repeating any symptoms I have ad nauseam to the doctor to make sure they hear me, as extensive research has shown how often black patients are ignored, or presumed to be fabricating or exaggerating their pain or discomfort.

My American Dream includes a daily sigh of relief that I don't have a black child to worry about in this country, as I swear to you on all that is Holy to me that I would do everything in my power to make sure that child approached life here with the same caution I do. Because that’s the type of caution that so far, has gotten me home safely each night.

I don't need you to agree with me on the definition of racism. I don't need you to agree with me on root causes. I don't need you to see the world the way I do. I don't need you to validate my experience, because I live it.

If you have a vested interest in me and the people who look like me having a better experience, please pick up a fire hose. The house is on fire.