ella jones said that it’s a time to “have courageous conversations.” she is the first black mayor of ferguson, missouri and, as i listened to her speak, i wrote down these words.
have courageous conversations.
senator lisa murkowski, a republican from alaska, said, “perhaps we are getting to a point where we can be more honest with the concerns that we might hold internally and have the courage of our own convictions to speak up.” i read her words, thought “it’s about damn time!” and took a screenshot.
the courage of our own convictions to speak up.
former president barack obama addressed a virtual town hall. “every step of progress in this country, every expansion of freedom, every expression of our deepest ideals has been won through efforts that made the status quo uncomfortable,” he reassured a trembling nation. i looked for these words so that i could remember them.
the expression of our deepest ideals. uncomfortable.
as we all sit together, walk together, protest together, cry together, we are talking together. in the last ten days of enlightenment, our conversations are asking necessary questions. we are desperately seeking to reach way down inside and to be honest about what we are feeling. we are intentionally trying to learn, to discern, to understand. we are debating. we are arguing. we are admitting we are wrong. we are listening. we are uncomfortable and we are courageous.
yet donald trump tweeted a letter, in a clear display of vehement agreement with the writer who penned it, his attorney, that refers to the peaceful protestors as “terrorists”.
but there’s this: “congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
and there’s hope. absolute hope. we can’t un-know what we know, un-see what we have seen, un-hear what we have heard, un-change what has changed, un-understand what we are beginning to, yearning to, understand, or un-hope for hope.
read DAVID’s thoughts this K.S. FRIDAY
HOPE ©️ 2005 kerri sherwood
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