Atonement

I'm struggling to understand why my chest aches from pressure like a ton of bricks piled high and the tears that flow more regularly these days upon my waking...

This morning I came upon this video by Marianne Williamson and her last statement broke a damn of emotions in me. She said, "It is our job to look at our deep character defects, to look at the places where we need to atone."

Atonement is both a physical and spiritual process. It requires one to speak directly to the wrong doing, claim personal responsibility for, and take action towards restitution and reconciliation so healing can be found for all parties. It is a communal effort to air out grievances, practice forgiveness, and discover redemption together.

After our many stunted attempts, we have reached another pinnacle moment to explore the pain of racism. However, this time feels so different, it feels so RIPE FOR HEALING.

It is humanity, like a straggled, thirsty traveler in a hot, scorching, never-ending desert, who comes upon a gated oasis... if only it could get through the gate so it could drink!

It is because of our many steps towards progress, that we have created a space in this moment now that is safer than it has ever been before, to engage a deeper conversation around racism.

Atonement is the step we're trying to move to, yet so many of you don't want to "pick a side", don't want to "talk about color", and want to debate experiences and statistics, so we continue to get nowhere in this conversation.

This is not about picking sides. It's not about creating a race war. It's about taking personal accountability for our shared history and the disparities that exist within our systems and structural institutions that benefit whiteness and devalue blackness. These disparities ARE KILLING PEOPLE.

We must address our history. We must talk about race.

We must specifically speak to the detrimental impact of whiteness in this society. We must have a conversation about the devaluation of blackness in our society.

Your personal worldview of seeing everyone as equal, as human, as "one" does not reflect our lived reality. Stop using it as an excuse to speak towards our lived reality. Racism exists because equality DOES NOT.

Those of you who are unwilling to speak to racism directly are furthering racist ideals and perpetuating the mass injustices of our Nation.

And it is so heartbreaking.

You. Are. Breaking. Our. Hearts.

There is no neutral stance between racism and anti-racism. That is ego protecting itself from the healing work that is required.

The only side that is being asked of you is the side that longs for justice. It is a choice only you can make.

Love and compassion are integrated through your choice. May you choose justice.

"Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals." - MLK Jr.

"Justice cannot be for one side alone, but must be for both." - Eleanor Roosevelt

Video: https://www.facebook.com/williamsonmarianne/videos/187151305975152/