Black Lives Matter

I am not, by my nature, someone to speak out politically online. I occasionally post my thoughts on political matters over on Asteroid G, but I do it to think things out, not to try and convince someone to change their minds. I've also been known to go on the attack on social media when someone says something hateful towards someone I know -- it's fun to bat people around and talk them into corners. But I don't think online discourse normally will change minds -- generally, online political discourse amounts to either preaching to the choir of your side or screaming into the void as the other side ignores you. It doesn't normally amount to much.

However, we are at a different point in society right now than I think we've seen in quite some time (decades, really). We're on a precipice, honestly, where real social change needs to happen for the good of our society. It's important for the United States, yes, but considering the protests we're seeing worldwide, it's important to everyone. The violence we've seen, the hate, directed towards minority groups -- something the current president has only exacerbated over the last three years -- needs to end. Saying that won't just make it happen, there's a lot of work we need to do, but until we all start speaking out change won't happen. We need to speak out.

I've gone back and forth thinking about how I wanted to do something, to show where I stand. I recognize that I benefit from white privilege. Yes I'm Jewish (and that's a group that has, historically, had its own issues) but I still benefit from where I was raised, how much money my family had, and the color of my skin. I don't want to just speak out and have it seem like I'm trying to absolve whatever guilt I feel about being white. I want to show real support, and not just by coloring an avatar black and saying "yay! I did something!"

Instead, I'm posting links to organizations to assist during this time of crisis, to help create the change I believe we need. Follow these links, support these groups, and help change the world. Now is the moment.

 
    

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