Take a minute

Last night I finished reading the book The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. First off, it was a really good read. This book is important for every white, middle class American to read. Secondly a common theme stuck out to me throughout the book. Without giving too much away, this book follows the perspective of a teenage African American girl living two very different lives. She attends a private school in the suburbs but lives about 45 minutes away in the projects. She struggles to find balance in both worlds. After she witnesses a childhood friend being murdered by a cop she fights to find justice for his life. In the process she see's the injustices first hand in conversation with some of her closest friends, on the news and in the law. 

One infuriating theme throughout the book was people questioning if the boy killed was a drug dealer. The news would report on his death and lead with "a drug dealer killed by cop." Or you would hear this girl's friends at school talking about it and comment "I heard he was a drug dealer anyways." It was like the fact that he was thought to be a drug dealer justified his death. Spoiler alert, you find out he wasn't a drug dealer which is even more infuriating. Could you imagine if you were killed and all your dirty laundry was talked about on the news to justify your death? People finding dirt on you to get their point across?

This reminds me of the border control issue we're having right now. When you turn on the news you hear "illegal immigrant families being separated at US/Mexico boarder." Notice the "illegal" part leading the story. Reminding us, that because these families are illegal justifies the crimes. 

I was just curious did you know Mexico's drug war is the deadliest it's ever been. According to LA Times Mexico has had 12,155 drug related homicides from January to June 2017. Did you also know Mexico is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor. Groups considered most vulnerable to human trafficking in Mexico include women, children, indigenous persons, persons with mental and physical disabilities, migrants, and LGBTI individuals. The Mexican government says poverty rate rose to 53.2 percent in 2014 and continues to rise (Business Insider) and the average monthly income per household is $10,116 (efe.com). 

Sounds like a place I would want to raise a family. Notice the sarcasm. Just for a minute if you could put yourself in their shoes. Especially being a man of the household, would you do anything to get your family out of that world? Can you see why they might be desperate to come to America? Don't be an American for a minute, be a human...What would Jesus Do? Build a wall? Separate Families? Throw them in jail? Extend a welcoming hand? Love them? Have grace on them? 

I think we all know what he would have done. Why is it so hard for us to except that and live that out? What are we scared of?

This morning as I stare out of my suburban window listening to the birds chirp, watching my daughter safely walk down the street to her babysitter's as I work from the comfort of my own home I feel incredibly grateful for the life I live. But this gratefulness doesn't stop me for caring from those who don't have those luxuries. In fact it does the complete opposite. I am pissed. It's not fair. The worlds injustices are more evident today than ever before. And most of us are just turning a blind eye in hopes it will go away. But guess what? It's not going away. We need to be a part of the solution.

Some simple and tangible ways to do this you ask?
1. Contact you local state representative.
2. Teach you kids about injustices and expose them to other cultures.
3. Follow the example of Jesus's life.
4. Read Books
5. Turn off the news and do your research.