Tuesday, November 25, 2014

None of my words sound right but I am writing anyway.

I AM 

... A white, Jewish woman.

... Mother to a young, white, Jewish girl.

... Married to a white man.

... Someone who grew up in New York City.

... Someone with an open heart.

... Someone with friends who are hurting.

... Unsure of the right words.

... Heavy-hearted.

... Frustrated.

... Trying to figure out how justice is for all when it does not always seem to be so.

... Stuck.

I AM NOT

... Someone without understanding and concern.

... Someone without worry.

... Someone without my own fears. Anxieties. Heartaches.

... Someone who will take these moments to compare my own to anyone else's.

... Sure how to explain any of this to my own child.

... Someone who will just completely not try anyway.

... Sure how to keep my child safe, for always.

... Someone who expects to figure that out.

I AM ALSO NOT

... A black woman.

... Mother to a young black girl or boy.

... Afraid for my child's future because of the color of his/her skin.

There are so many more things I am not - but I stop with this because my G-d - consider it. Imagine it. Can you even begin to try?

Whatever your thoughts on how things have been in our world these days, you must truly consider this. There are parents everywhere, mothers just like you and me, fearful for their children's safety because of the color of their skin.

Take that. Understand it. Dwell in it.

And then help change it. Change that fear. Help eradicate it.

You don't have to know how. I don't have that answer. I don't know how, either.

Honestly, I don't care how. Just do it. Start with a dialogue.

SAY something.

Because that fear? It shouldn't be. It shouldn't happen.

It just shouldn't.

4 comments:

  1. Wow as white Jewish woman from NYC who lives in SC but is in Atlanta for the holidays I so understand.

    I'm not a parent but I promise I'm a good person who has always been dedicated to change because it's right; I was brought up on stories of oppression and vowed from the youngest age to help make the country I love a better place. And now there are a lot of young women I know well who I want to have at least as good a life as I have--at the very least.

    Your words are wonderful and much needed!

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  2. Well said. I used to be teased as a kid for my skin color. I was a fearful and cautious child. Fast forward many years and I can still feel leery looks when my family and I go out, me a dark skinned Asian Indian and my husband a light skinned Mexican. It saddens me that people pass judgment based on skin color. Bullying in my day didn't involve adults discriminating against me or guns for heaven's sake. It's so scary to be a parent in this day and age, let alone living in an environment where you are judged by how you look.

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