I can’t

As I sit here in the comfort of my home, I can’t pretend to imagine what a day in the life is like for black Americans, or people of color in our country. It’s easy to use phrases like those to sound politically correct, yet be stunningly generic. So let me try again.

I can’t imagine with a day in the life is like for my friend Brian, as he goes about his everyday while raising his intelligent, thoughtful, beautiful daughter in a society where the deck has been stacked against them for far too long. I can’t imagine what it’s like for Rod Gilmore, a well-recognized college football analyst who is also a practicing lawyer, that still gets harassed by police more times than he cares to mention.

Those are two very small, yet very real examples. I know there are many more.

It’s also easy to say “I can’t” and then rattle off a bunch of thoughts.

Instead, I’m going to focus on what I can do.

The deck is stacked against people like Brian or Rod? I can help shuffle that deck by voting–in every election. By voting for candidates who will bring change to law enforcement or the justice system, either directly or indirectly.

And that starts at the local level.

I can listen. And try to understand. And then listen some more.

I can speak up when I see something’s not right.

And most importantly, I can teach my children to do the same. To do better than my generation and those that came before me did. To be better.

That’s what I can do.

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