Tuesday, May 25th, 2021 marks the one year anniversary of when the world woke from its latest hit of the “snooze”. Most of us do it. Hit the snooze on our alarm multiple times in the morning, only to ultimately after several brief rests, determined it is finally time to become full awake.
Our nation experienced the emancipation of black slaves in 1863, in 1870 black men (not women yet) could vote, in 1964 the Civil Rights Act was passed prohibiting discrimination based on race and in 1994 Rodney King was violently beaten by police while the world watched. There have been these and many other events, often tragic, that were intended to wake us up, yet we hit the collective snooze button on progress. Rather than embrace ongoing and progressive change, we chose to fall back to sleep, just for a little while longer. We didn’t want to face the day; the day that requires us to change, rather, if we just close our eyes for a few more moments, we can enjoy the extended, brief slumber.
The murder of George Floyd serves as another, one of the latest, opportunities for us to wake up. To embrace the needed change of the systemic inequalities that have existed for generations. To acknowledge that it is hard work and takes time, yet it is work that is worthwhile, because every person is – worthwhile.
If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. Let’s get together and agree that the work of antiracism is work we will do, so we will go together . . . and farther this time.
Richard Bahr 