Platforms & Solidarity. We All Have A Responsibility.
-Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
It's so difficult to watch television or even hop on social media for a few minutes. There's very little positive being displayed in the world right now. The stories that are taking up the world's bandwidth at the moment are the non indictment of the cops for killing Michael Brown and Eric Garner along with the protests (both boisterous and silent alike) all around the world.
Am I saddened about the black lives lost at the hands of police brutality? Absolutely! Am I grieved for the families suffering loss and the kids missing a father, mother missing her son, or wife missing her husband? Certainly! Here's what does my heart a little glad. These stories have produced a number of riots, protests, and {here comes the positive}....SOLIDARITY. Yes...solidarity. Not even just solidarity amongst the black community, but solidarity amongst all people groups, cultures, economic status, social status, professional industries, and the like.
In pictures that go along with this post, you witness what my last sentence described. Athletes, Capitol Hill staff, artists, and just plain regular people who are just doing what they believe is right in response of these injustices being committed.
My reason for writing this post is to acknowledge these people for using the voices they have regardless of the platform they stand upon. You have the superstar athlete wear an "I Can't Breathe" t shirt, not say a word on the subject, yet speak volumes from his platform. You have a handful of St. Louis Rams players demonstrate the "Hands Up-Don't Shoot" pose during player introduction, which also sends a message from their platform or the Black Capitol Hill Staff powerfully protest right outside their place of employment; their platform. You also have the residents of New York gather outside of Barclay's Center with signs, chanting, and gestures from their platform. Regardless of the platform, the magnitude of it, or who else is on it; it's being utilized for the sake of what Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. described as "injustice anywhere...".
Platforms...Solidarity...Responsibility...for the injustice happening everywhere and affecting some directly and the rest of us indirectly.
