- Esther Good
I See You, I’m Sorry
Updated: Jan 20
When I read about the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, I didn’t know what to say. What could I add to the conversation that hasn’t already been said a thousand times? Before I found the words, I learned about the murder of Breonna Taylor, and again didn’t know what to say. Now, the murder of George Floyd is in the news and I still have nothing to offer.
A man leaves a photograph at a memorial for George Floyd on Wednesday afternoon, after the death of Floyd on Monday night in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Photograph by Lorie Shaull. CC
Instead of remaining silent, let me say at least this:
To Ahmaud, Breonna, George, and other people of color whose lives have been stolen from them, I see you, and I am so sorry.
To their family, friends, and loved ones, mourning these unspeakable losses, I see you, and I am so sorry.
To people of color who feel this violence echoing in their skin and in their bodies, I see you, and I am so sorry.
To those organizing, educating, and working tirelessly for the rights of black people and other people of color, I see you, and thank you.
Resources:
For Our White Friends Desiring To Be Allies, an article in Sojourners from 2017 by Courtney Ariel, has some good education about things that were not intuitive to me as a white person trying to take part in conversations about racial justice.
The Ebenezer Project is a blog by Bonita Chaim, where she discusses racial justice among other things. She is a friend, and I have benefited from her insight and the great resources that she shares both in her blog and on Facebook.
