When?

By now I think most people have heard of the situation in Ferguson, MO.

I do not tread this topic lightly.  Please know that.

My heart is broken.  A young man is dead.  Whether his death was justified or not (and that's yet to be decided), a life has tragically ended.  And before we start on a tangent of justification or not, let's remind ourselves that just as we don't want people to assume he was wrong because he was black, let's also remember we don't want to assume he was innocent just because he was unarmed.

I want you to take a moment and re-read the first 2 sentences in the above paragraph.

Did you notice that I did not say a black man is dead?

Because, that's where I'm having an issue with this.... this thing called race.

I keep seeing all kinds of articles pop up on my newsfeed.  Articles like "5 black people kill a white couple, but you'll never see that in the news."; "Dear White Mom"; "Black woman kills white boy with a blow torch."  "Unarmed white man killed by black police officer."; "White Privilege".

Will it ever end?

When?

When will this stop?

When are we going to stop making everything about race and instead just see people for people?

We're about to be finished with all of our requirements to adopt.  We're open to adopt a little boy of any race.  ANY.

And it makes me sick to my stomach that one day he's going to grow up in a world where there are potentially "his people" and "our people".

Hear me out.

There are no "your people" and "my people".  There are only people, sweet friends.

Am I naive to think that racism doesn't still exist.  No.  I'm sadly aware that it still does.  Yet I'm also not naive enough to think that reverse racism doesn't exist either.

Everyone is always pointing the finger.

I know that there are instances of abuse of power.  But that happens from all races.

Why are we trying to somehow justify what's going on in Ferguson by saying "Hey, look at this white kid killed by a black person"?

How does that even begin to help?

When is this nonsense going to stop?

The reality is that every single day there are murders and acts of violence perpetuated by all races against all races.

When can we drop the race card and just be Americans?

When can we stop rioting and perpetuating even more violence because we're sad and hurt and angry as if doing any of those things solves anything?

When?

When will we see each other as who we are instead of as what color we are?  When will we drop our arms, embrace each other and work towards a common goal?  When will we stop judging and condemning and instead reach out, hand in hand, and show the love of Christ to those in need?  When will "black churches" and "white churches" cease to exist and we all just stand in unison with hands raised in worship to the One who created us?

I didn't grow up with a lot of diversity.  And if we're being honest, it was basically near none.  Now that I'm older and have moved, that's changed.  I'm surrounded by diversity and it's a nice change.  My kids play with more black and hispanic kids than they do white ones.  And all I see is friendships.  My husband had the privilege of marrying my cousin and her husband.... a black man.  And all I see is a beautiful couple.  Their daughter is bi-racial.  Yet all I see is pure sweetness.  We have friends that have adopted children outside of their race, but I only see a loving, God-honoring family.

Why can't it be that way everywhere, with everyone?

Why do we have to say to "the white mom"?  Why can't we just be moms?  Why do we have to say that the man killed in Ferguson was killed because he was black simply because the officer is white (and I'll be the first to say that if this young man was killed because of his race and/or without just cause, that the officer should face the full extent of the law)?  Why do we have to say that a white couple was killed by a group of black people.  Aren't we all just people?  Aren't these crimes horrible regardless of who they happened to and who killed them?

My heart breaks because we're such a divided country.

When friends, when is it going to stop?

When are people just people and not white or black or brown or blue?

When?