Black Lives Matter

I've been struggling to find a way to explain this sentiment to my friends and neighbors who might reply with "All Lives Matter."

I may have hit on a thought that may work for some.

First, though, we have to agree that the health of the entire human population affects a

• Nation.
• Community
• World
• Church
• WHATEVER.

Understand that when ONE part suffers, we (eventually) all suffer.

This is hard to understand to those of us who have been immersed in White Privilege since day one. White Privilege teaches us that we've earned our life of least resistance. We learn that self-fulfillment is more important than community contribution.

It should be less complicated for any of us who have a faith background, as most faith backgrounds tout the idea that:

• The least of these is as important as "the greatest."
• We are all "one body."
• The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.

Those that pay attention to economics also understand that the entire world is connected.

The current COVID19 Pandemic shows that the whole world is connected.

When we can FINALLY agree that the WHOLE world is one entity; that ALL are part of one body - then we can move on to explaining the importance of "Black Lives Matter."

My current faith de-constructive process has brought me to the conclusion that the entire human race, through-out all time, should be viewed as ONE growing being - that God views us ALL, THROUGHOUT TIME, as ONE growing being.

Now. I could be wrong. But even if I am, most faiths could accept that there's a God that is interested in the WHOLE of humanity.

Given that, can we agree that ALL of HUMANITY affects all of its separate parts.

To move on.

My analogy for why "Black Live Matter" is to ask, if a person received a diagnosis of Cancer, what are the options?

I am now viewing BLM as the DIAGNOSIS of Cancer - the proclamation that a problem exists.  BLM is not the problem. Racism is the Cancer.

White privilege has taught us that us white folk can ignore or even refuse to believe the diagnosis.

We are at a point now, where recent events have made the diagnosis obvious and painful to more of the body.  There's still a bunch (anus and armpits, maybe?) that think it's still overblown and they don't want to even consider treatment. Untreated, it will affect them, too. By then, though, that may be the death of the body.

So - that's my thought. BLM says - "You have Cancer/Racism."

Now - next is, "What treatment are you willing to endure?"

Some are proposing changes to part of the legal system (police reforms). That's great. But, it might only be like treating Cancer with a better exercise regiment. It'll make you feel better, but there will still be Cancer.

If we're lucky, we will figure out how to radiate Cancer or perform some surgery. Until then, the first step is to accept the diagnosis and seek treatment options.