Good people need to stand for Good Trouble

Russ and I belong to two international organizations.  One is SERVAS and the other is Friendship Force International.   Both organizations strive to create understanding and peace through personal relationships and friendships.  We love both of these groups because of their forward thinking.  Yesterday, Sunday, November 22, 2020,  a small group of masked, Friendship Force member-photographers of Sacramento, went on a walk to see and photograph statues and art around Capitol Mall in Sacramento. I made a short video of the art work and murals 

 The COVID-19 Pandemic has changed our lives in 2020 and most likely into mid-end of 2021,  and  perhaps forever.  If there is a silver lining to quarantine and sheltering in place, it is the time we have had for self-reflection and critical thought. What do we value?  Who do we trust?  Does the virus care about our skin color, our political affiliation, our beliefs, our prayers, our gender, our age, how much money we have or our occupation?  It doesn't care because we are all human beings, our DNA being over 99.9% similarity with small insignificant differences, like skin color.  Race is a figment of our imagination not a reality, and yet so much hatred is based on lies intended to elevate some and push others down. 

Ten years ago,  I retired from the CDE in Sacramento so I welcomed the opportunity to return to the Capitol.   While we enjoyed the company of our friends (from a socially acceptable distance) and appreciated the beautiful sculptures and murals that we had come to see, Russ and I, along with our FF friends, were saddened and disturbed to see the homelessness, remnants of riots and violence, closed businesses, vacant streets (with the exception of a fair-sized group of die-hards protesting the 2020 election results and Pandemic curfews).  We saw people who were mentally ill living on the street, and a few freshly-minted homeless that looked like they had just showered before wrapping themselves in fresh blankets on the sidewalk under an overhang.  We came away haunted and sad.  How can we live in one of the greatest nation's in the world, and not take care of our citizens?

Our greatest understanding as world travelers is that we now know how privileged our lives have been as a people of European ancestry who immigrated to America and were given opportunities because of the whiteness of our skin.  My ancestors may have been poor when they arrived in America, but they had unparalleled access to opportunities over the years that native Americans, other immigrants, indentured servants, African slaves did not have (and still do not have) like jobs, homes, education, and discretionary income, and respect.

 I am not ashamed of who I am, and no one should be ashamed of who they are because  of who their parents are, where they were born, the color of their skin or what they look like.  We can't change our past, but we can change our future.  Those of us who have had privilege are in the best position to help and uplift those who have not had privilege.  We cannot continue to live in a hypocrisy of believing that we have equality and justice for all while inequality and injustice prevails.

What to do?  We don't know what we need to do, but good people need to do something beyond donating to charitable causes, praying, casting their ballots, and building global relationships one person at a time.  These are all good things to do, but these things alone are not enough to stem the tide of inequity, injustice, and deep divisions on our doorsteps.  We need to be brave and stand for good.  Yes it takes bravery to speak up when there are those who are pointing their guns at you.  How else will peace prevail?  Violence is not the solution to peace.

I hope that the next administration can bring sanity, compassion, and dignity back to our federal government.  I hope that SERVAS and Friendship Force can help us bridge the divides we have at home and abroad by combining their resources with other humanistic non-profits, educational institutions and work in partnership with our government.  We must help the needy, but focus our attention on our children, the next generation. Our world depends on the next generation growing up without prejudice and our survival on our planet will only occur if we are united and work together to solve whatever comes our way.