Generally, I write as a diversion, to offer something funny or strange, an observation or a story from my life that helps you understand who I am or that recounts a twist on an everyday event or challenge you can identify with.
What I share with others is most often meant to entertain, to provide perspective and occasionally, to evoke emotion.
After the George Floyd tragedy and subsequent reactions, events and incidents that have occurred in the past week, today I don’t find it appropriate to offer a lighthearted story from my childhood, or to replay a quirky thing that happened to me over the weekend.
Likewise, I don’t feel qualified (for lack of a better term) to write about the bigger emotional or societal picture that this incident has brought to light, like so many others before it. Besides, so many folks much closer to and more educated and experienced in these issues have already written, spoken and visually depicted what it means, offering a look into the long, difficult uphill battle we still face as a society, regardless of who you are, your age, where you live or what you believe.
At this point, all I’ll say is this. Today, I’m sad we haven’t come further. I’m afraid of the distance we still have to travel to become a safe, tolerant, democratic country that I believe we, as Americans, should all work toward and be able to expect.
And, I’m angry at myself for not playing a larger role in helping the cause toward creating and maintaining peace, love, equality and equity for all … in my community, the nation and world.
I’ll leave it there for now because I don’t know what else to say, except this: We must find a way together because it’s the only way.
© 2020 David R. Haznaw
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