Following the brutal and unjust murder of George Floyd, there was an obvious shift in social media feeds. Enraged, people posted about systemic racism present in the United States. Users demanded justice for George Floyd and all other Black victims of police brutality. Important resources such as petitions to sign, organizations to donate to, books to read, and so much more were all over users' stories and celebrities' pages.
But everyday, less information about the Black Lives Matter movement and protests show up, and more pictures of people's social hours fill my feed.
It feels like so many people are saying that "normal" is in no way normal and should not be a place we strive to return to. But so many people are trying to go back to normal anyway. Our "normal" was racist. Our "normal" saw police brutality daily. Our "normal" can no longer be acceptable.
Personally, I want my feed filled with valuable information that can help me better myself and the world around me.
I understand that some people view social media as an escape, a place to unwind and look at things that make them happy. And I love a good dog video. But now is not the time to escape from the world. Now is the time to be uncomfortable and face the horrors of our world. The world needs to change, and that is something that cannot be ignored.
So, go ahead and post pictures with your friends, but ask yourself if you are also doing your part to change the world for the better and dismantle White supremacy. In order for systemic racism to end, no one can be silent.
"Silence in the face of injustice is complicity with the oppressor." -Ginetta Sagan