Let’s talk about race for a minute. But don’t get defensive quite yet. My goal in this piece is to open everybody’s eyes to the issues that are happening in our country today. The issues that are dividing our country more than ever. These problems are putting us back in history instead of fixing what was wrong in the first place. We are arguing over one simple word.
Melanin.
According to dictionary.com the definition of melanin is as follows: “any class of insoluble pigments, found in all forms of animal life, that account for the dark color of skin, hair, fur, scales, feathers, etc.”
That is what all of this controversy is over. Melanin. Doesn’t this seem a little silly that such a wonderful nation is dividing itself because of melanin; someone’s skin color? That's like the stripes on a zebra having an argument on which color of stripe is better. It doesn't make any sense.
We all know about this Colin Kaepernick thing that has been floating around the internet. And we are all well aware of police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement. The issue is that some of us are unwilling and too stuck in our own perfect world to acknowledge or do something about it.
It's a huge problem.
It’s a problem because Colin Kaepernick shouldn’t have had to stay seated during the National Anthem. He shouldn’t have even had a reason to protest.
But our country isn’t listening. We the People are not listening.
It’s a problem because innocent lives are being taken and families and friends are forced to mourn the loss of their loved ones due to the fact that some police officers have a misconception that all black people are bad.
It’s a problem because the black community is not getting to exercise their American rights to their full potential.
It’s a problem because the Black Lives Matter movements are getting ignored and shunned by those with white privilege. Those with white privilege show it by ignoring it. So even if you don’t think white privilege is a thing, that’s a valid example of ignorance right there.
It's a problem because too many people are uneducated on the purpose and goals of the BLM movement and what they stand for. Check out the website here instead of believing everything you see on social media. If you do the research from reliable sources, you'll learn so much more about the topic.
So you get the idea. Our country has a clear problem. And with this upcoming election, it could only get worse. So what can we do in order to fix these problems? Unite with one another. Instead of separating, we need to come together. More white individuals should help in the protests and activism of Black Lives Matter. Step out of your comfort zone and do something for the greater good of the human race. Race isn’t going away, but racism could. So let’s make a promise to ourselves and others that we work together to unite rather than divide ourselves due to that one word. Melanin.
