Sticky stuff...

It could be HIM!

My mind is trying to wrap around a recent e-mail I received from my sister.  She shared this message (as she's not a blogger) with a large group of family and friends.  I've thought about it on and off throughout the past couple of days.  I've read the blog post she mentions in her message, as well as my friend Kelly's post HERE.

I'm at a loss as to the best way to lay it out.  First and foremost, it could be my flesh and blood!  Secondly, it could be ANY innocent child!!  It makes me sick that we have such inhumane people in this world!!!!!!  I pray for those people each day.  That they may be blessed with God's love in a way that calms their soul and allows them to see the grace that is within so many more of us.

They need to see the change. They need to believe the change.  And WE need to BE the change!

The e-mail reads...

I've had something so, extremely heavy, weighing on my mind these past few days. The more I read, the heavier it feels. I feel, as a mother, as a daughter, as a sister, as a friend, as a wife, as every role that I attempt to fulfill, it is my responsibility to speak up. Something horrible has happened in our country and I can't find the words to explain how I feel about it. Because I can't find the appropriate words to accurately describe how I feel, I haven't said much.

As citizens of this country that we live in, and that some people receiving this have even fought for, we are blessed with the right to our own opinion. The point I wish to make, what bothers me to tears is one, simple fact: the CHILD that was KILLED just one month ago while walking from the store to his father's house could have been mine! Many of you love me and you love my family. You love my children. My two boys are black and they wear hoodies. Both of them. The oldest, my stepson who I adore, wears them ALL THE TIME. With the hood on his head.  He walks to the gas station less than a mile down the street, wearing a hoodie. ALL THE TIME. You know what he often buys and walks home with? A BAG OF SKITTLES PEOPLE! Do you realize how close to home this hits for me? My child, my flesh and blood. The child that many of you love on and spoil. He too wears hoodies. His favorite candy? Yep, SKITTLES! You know what my husband and I teach our boys? If you are picked on, bullied or attacked by someone, big or small, I don't care who they are, you defend yourself! You make your attempt to escape the situation, but if you're unable, you defend yourself. This could have happened to one of my children. This DID happen to someones child! I compare this to my eight year old child and people probably think that it wouldn't happen to him. It just as easily could. I feel that as a parent, as a person who realizes how easily Trayvon Martin could be one of my boys, it is my responsibility to speak up. This post goes into a lot more detail about how I feel. If you're interested, read it. (http://momastery.com/blog/2012/03/26/for-trayvon/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=for-trayvon) But know that if this issue is ignored, if people like you and I do not speak up, one day very soon, it WILL be one of my boys. I really don't think people understand just how easily this could be one of my boys!

I'm a white woman, but no matter who wants to admit it, my child, my son who is my entire world, is BLACK. And one day, no matter what type of human being he turns out to be, he will be viewed as guilty and up to no good. because he is black. That is his reality. I have said, many times, in many circumstances that it is my responsibility as his parent, as the person who God trusted to raise the best I can, to do my best to stand up for and protect my son. Therefore, I will. It is MY RESPONSIBILITY to stand up for my son and I will do that as long as I am able.

What has happened to this child, Trayvon Martin, is wrong. No matter how you look at it, you listen to the 911 calls. If you truly, without a shadow of a doubt believe that this child deserved what he got, don't do anything. Otherwise, it is your responsibility to speak out. Just a few weeks ago, I saw so many videos about Kony. But this issue that I speak of, it is happening in OUR home. And those who have the nerve to speak out against Joseph Kony, you are right. I agree with you whole-heartedly. I just beg you to do the same for OUR children in OUR country. Because one day, very soon, if not already, my child will be seen as guilty and wrong or suspicious. If you do nothing else, copy my words. Paste them onto your Facebook page. Paste them on your Blog. Forward my words to others. But if you agree with me yet you do nothing, as harsh as it sounds, every time that a child, including mine, is seen as guilty, bad or suspicious just because of the color of their skin and are punished unjustly....  That's on you. I send this not just on behalf of my children that I want to hold just a little more tightly today. I also know that most everyone in my contact list has a child, grandchild, cousin or other loved one who has some color to their skin, whether it's Black, Hispanic, Arabic, or of another nationality. Know that there will be a day, all too soon, that they will also be profiled for that very reason.

Thank you for your time. Thank you for reading this. Thank you for loving my family!

Prayers are with the friends and family of this child!

~Please pray for the people in our world who could do such a thing.  May WE be the change for them to see.~