Between the pandemic and the protests, I've heard and read several voices crying out, "when can we go back to normal?"
I assume to them normal means quiet and uninterrupted life; a life of not having to learn the narratives of other peoples' stories; a life of consumption without consideration; a life of tunnel vision; a life of being able to turn off the news because it "doesn't concern me."
But I sincerely hope we never return to that.
I hope, instead, we think of our current state as a necessary disruption to a cyclical, self-destructive life. The social distancing, the protests, the flood of stories on social media and the news, there's a lesson.
As an education major, I find myself constantly wondering two things: 1) what is the lesson here? and 2) how can I get you to understand what I mean?
With my ever-evolving reflections on the current events, here are the answers I have come up with:
- Quiet does not equal just. Tranquility does not equal peace. Personal experience does not equal universal truth.
- Committing actions that are morally sound with no concern for optics serve the best route to justice. To do a good action quietly speaks volumes for your character. To do a good action for the applause riddles holes in your moral foundation.
Let me explain myself a little further.
With each story, there are a thousand others that intertwine with it. To think that if you turn off the news and your phone, the story will lose its meaning is foolish. For when one story is shared, others rise from the ashes. We've seen this with (in no particular order) #MeToo, Black Lives Matter, Gay Rights' Movement, Children's Rights, Disability Rights, and so many more. The longer you plug your ears and hum, the longer you delay change. But no matter the size of the rock, water will eventually erode it. I have never had an adverse interaction with the cops—nothing beyond a verbal warning. But I'm not Black. My single story of neutral experiences do not have the corrosive power to erase the truth: police brutality kills.
As an avid book reader, I stand firm behind my idea that words matter and carry infinite power. But in times of change, words must be supplemented by actions that follow the mantras. Words can motivate, but they cannot do much else. We are being called to action and opportunities are aplenty. Petitions, donations, bail funds are flooding social media highways and they offer opportunities for that change. But we must carry out our actions sincerely. If you only carry it out so that you can post it on Instagram, you have accomplished nothing. Act with meaning or you risk losing the meaning of the action.
The pandemic and the death of George Floyd are calling us to reflect on our lives and our values. Where do we stand? What are we, unconsciously or consciously, contributing to? Are we working tirelessly to craft a better, more inclusive society? To sit idly by is to miss an opportunity to be a part of something bigger than yourself.
When my future children ask me what I did in 2020, the year of protests and COVID-19, I want to be able to say, "I did everything I could to help those who were hurting. And I never stopped."