An ‘Aha’ Moment and Time to Take Action
*Photo by Damian Markutt on Unsplash
By Steve Poehler
I am a white male in my late 30s. I live in a middle-class neighborhood in the suburbs of mostly white Oregon. I certainly do not consider myself “racist.”
I bring all of this up so you can understand where I’m coming from. Let’s just call it what it is—white, male privilege.
Not sure about all of you, but the events that have unfolded over the last few weeks in the United States have made a major impression on me. It’s hard to know how to process it all.
But this article isn’t to complain or say: “Woe is me! Life is so hard! Why can’t we just end 2020 now and move on to 2021?”
No, this is about FINALLY realizing that by doing nothing, I am part of the problem.
A MOMENT OF CLARITY
Why did it take George Floyd, a black man, being innocently murdered by a white police officer while three other cops stood idly by and did nothing to snap me out of it?
Why did it take Breonna Taylor, a black woman, being innocently shot and killed by white police officers for doing nothing other than being in her own home?
And on and on….
It’s like something hit me in the head—an “aha moment.”
I am sickened that it took nearly my entire life to realize this. Maybe it was hearing Mr. Floyd saying, “I can’t breathe” and calling out for his mom, or perhaps it was the pain and hurt on protesters’ faces.
Who knows? It matters not.
What is most important now is to do something—and it starts with each one of us. No more only talking about it, or just “thoughts and prayers.”
No, it begins with a step, and then another, and then another.
TAKING THAT FIRST STEP – AND THEN ANOTHER
Hundreds of years of ingrained racism will not be fixed overnight. So we need to take that first step. We need to talk about it, and we need to listen to others who have been impacted. We need to take action.
Personally, I have started by educating myself. I have added movies and documentaries to my playlists on Netflix and Hulu, and I have put books about racism on my Amazon Wish List. I started following black leaders on Facebook and LinkedIn.
My family and I also watched “Hidden Figures,” a wonderful movie about three black women who were instrumental in helping NASA launch astronauts into space during the 1960s.
That is just the beginning.
We will take action by marching in a local protest. We will support local businesses owned by minorities and start donating to worthy nonprofit organizations whose mission is to fight racism and police brutality and help people of color.
But above all, we will continue to vote! Our voices must be heard.
To clarify, I am not saying you need to do any or all of these things. Please, though, I urge you to do something. Remaining on the sidelines—like I’ve done pretty much my whole life—makes me a racist. I am part of the problem.
Silence is no longer an option.
ALL LIVES MATTER
This is not a political issue of right versus left or Democrat against Republican.
Racism is a humanity issue. All lives matter—ALL OF THEM.
It is easy to get caught up in the news “highlights” and watch videos of broken windows, burning police cars, and destruction. But these images only distract us from what’s most important—George Floyd and everyone else who has been killed and victimized by police and others throughout our country’s notorious history.
All of us are created in the image and likeness of God, and all of us have worth and dignity. No one is “better” or “worse” than anyone else. My Catholic faith teaches me this.
ANXIETY AND TAKING ACTION
Now, perhaps like many of you, I have struggled with depression and anxiety for pretty much my entire adult life. Oftentimes, situations that make me feel “out of control” only exacerbate my mental health struggles.
In this case, doing something by taking action helps to mitigate my anxiety. Sitting around worrying and saying, “Someone else will fix it,” does not help.
No, I need to take responsibility for myself—for all of my actions, my own thoughts, and my own situation. I also believe in God, and prayer helps.
We need to change, and it starts, again, with each one of us individually. We must take that first step. We can do it!
After all, as The Bipolar Battle rightfully reminds us, we are warriors! We will battle, we have to fight, and we cannot give up!
Steve Poehler is a father, a husband, and a huge sports fan. A former sportswriter, Steve is now a CPA who spent five years working at a public accounting firm before becoming a Senior Financial Analyst for a nonprofit organization, the Catholic Archdiocese of Portland. Steve loves to work out, be outdoors, and follow sports, including his beloved Denver Broncos. Steve lives in Portland, Oregon, with his family.
