TURNING POINT...
By KJ Lavan
Recent events have caused me to pause & now my instinct is prompting me to speak up & speak out...
I am not asking you to agree with me, I am not asking you to understand. I am ONLY asking that you hold space for what I’m about to offer & allow yourself to spend time in thought.
Fifty-eight years ago John F. Kennedy said, “Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.”
Like most of us, if not all of us, I have been trying figure out how to put into words my own anxiety, frustration, & consternation as the current state of affairs reverberate throughout our country & around the world - a trifecta of pandemic, economic debacle, & social injustice...all of which knows no geographical boundary. We are now experiencing what has been percolating underneath the hopes & desires of many. The fervor for the ideals upon which this country IN PARTICULAR was founded on - life, liberty, & the pursuit of happiness...these ideals have failed to be reachable in an untethered, undeniable, & unbridled manner for many. Yes, we as a country & around the world have made progress to varying degrees (in some places not at all, unfortunately) as it relates to humanity, but yet there is so much work left to be done. If we are not careful, that progress can continue to be stifled & quickly erased as it already has in many aspects across the spectrum of everyday people.
Forged in the crucible of this trifecta a TURNING POINT has evolved...a time in our nation’s history where we have the chance to manifest the long-awaited beginning to right the perceived wrongs in opting for an even greater country that ensures the values & moral fortitude we ascribe to are not just platitudes, but are instilled in the very fabric of our BEING. And in that “beginning” our influence as a nation touches every corner of the globe.
The problem is: that we have a system that’s not responding and seems to be unable to respond. While the majority of protests have been peaceful,
provocateurs have left images of destruction. The “violence spillover” is a result of the fact that we’re living in a system that seems to be unable to reform itself.
And when it does spill over into violence, looting is wrong, but legalized looting is wrong too.
Murder is wrong, legalized murder is wrong too.
We should look at the wickedness of our higher institutions. You ask, “WHY?”
Well, the concern is that we all have individual responsibility...YES, true! But again, we’re living in a system that seems to be unable to reform itself and when you have such a moment, you get violence spillover.
YES, violence is NEVER the answer....hear me on that....
But if we are more concerned about the property and spillover than the poverty, decrepit school system, dilapidated housing, massive unemployment and under-employment, we’re going to be doing this every five, every 10, every 20 years.
Why should we pass this on to our younger generation when we can take action NOW. So, What to do?
The point of protest is to raise public awareness, to put a spotlight on injustice and to make the powers that be uncomfortable; in fact, throughout American history, it's often only been in response to protests and civil disobedience that the political system has even paid attention to marginalized communities. But protests are only the beginning of a longer, more painstaking effort.
Eventually, aspirations have to be translated into specific laws and institutional practices — and in a democracy, that only happens when we elect government officials who are responsive to the people’s demands.
If, moving forward, we can channel our justifiable anger into peaceful, sustained, and effective action, then this MOMENT can be a real TURNING POINT in our nation's long journey to live up to our highest ideals.
It’s time to turn our feelings into action to help point to a better future for ALL through sustainable change dictated by specific demands. We must be our own LEADERS.
When you see injustice of any kind, CALL IT OUT!
Ask yourself, “In what kind of nation do I want to live my life?” Be your own leader.
In the opportunity & privilege some of us have, we have failed in our responsibility for too long to look at the truth squarely & name the system of racial oppression that artificially divides Americans and benefits those already in position of relative power.
...Educate yourself, do the research rather than looking to others to lead or to help you understand. Do the hard work of self-reflection...How can I be a part of the solution?
You say, “But KJ, you’re talking about giving up my privileges or my position?”
I hear you...It is quite understandable not to want to do this. It is a natural human reaction. Who would want to lose privileges or position, particularly when fear of that loss is amplified and stoked by political leaders for their own supposed advantage. 'Supposed advantage,' you’re wondering... Yes, “supposed” because if you deny the human rights and dignity of any people, you will ultimately destroy the society and civilization that you claim to protect. We see that now more than ever at this moment of civil unrest.
Addressing systemic racial and economic injustice is not only the right thing to do, it is the most self- protecting, most safe, most conservative, most self-serving thing to do. In this same vein, nowhere is it more appropriate at this MOMENT to acknowledge that for every action there is an equal & opposite reaction. Contents under pressure will eventually explode. In NO WAY, shape, or form is this a threat.
It’s a law of nature.
What this pandemic, civil unrest, & the economic collapse is asking us to do is to change & to heal... ...To engage a deeper MEANING for our own physical healing, emotional healing, spiritual healing, and the healing of the world which includes everything - the healing of the global economy, sustainability, social justice, economic justice, war, terrorism - this is all inflammation in the human mind.
We need to lower the temperature...We need to focus on bringing in the light & work to create change not only for our own personal well-being, but also the GREATER GOOD of HUMANITY.
Again, it is time to ask ourselves, as we should continue to ask ourselves: What kind of nation do we want to live in?
What this requires is: MORAL LEADERSHIP. It’s time to step up & take it upon ourselves to BE LEADERS.
Join me in aspiring to set an example of the kind of country you want to live in. That might mean having a tense conversation about race, going down to a protest, or making a donation.
We need to step up and provide that MORAL LEADERSHIP ourselves.
BE the TURNING POINT...
By KJ Lavan
Recent events have caused me to pause & now my instinct is prompting me to speak up & speak out...
I am not asking you to agree with me, I am not asking you to understand. I am ONLY asking that you hold space for what I’m about to offer & allow yourself to spend time in thought.
Fifty-eight years ago John F. Kennedy said, “Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.”
Like most of us, if not all of us, I have been trying figure out how to put into words my own anxiety, frustration, & consternation as the current state of affairs reverberate throughout our country & around the world - a trifecta of pandemic, economic debacle, & social injustice...all of which knows no geographical boundary. We are now experiencing what has been percolating underneath the hopes & desires of many. The fervor for the ideals upon which this country IN PARTICULAR was founded on - life, liberty, & the pursuit of happiness...these ideals have failed to be reachable in an untethered, undeniable, & unbridled manner for many. Yes, we as a country & around the world have made progress to varying degrees (in some places not at all, unfortunately) as it relates to humanity, but yet there is so much work left to be done. If we are not careful, that progress can continue to be stifled & quickly erased as it already has in many aspects across the spectrum of everyday people.
Forged in the crucible of this trifecta a TURNING POINT has evolved...a time in our nation’s history where we have the chance to manifest the long-awaited beginning to right the perceived wrongs in opting for an even greater country that ensures the values & moral fortitude we ascribe to are not just platitudes, but are instilled in the very fabric of our BEING. And in that “beginning” our influence as a nation touches every corner of the globe.
The problem is: that we have a system that’s not responding and seems to be unable to respond. While the majority of protests have been peaceful,
provocateurs have left images of destruction. The “violence spillover” is a result of the fact that we’re living in a system that seems to be unable to reform itself.
And when it does spill over into violence, looting is wrong, but legalized looting is wrong too.
Murder is wrong, legalized murder is wrong too.
We should look at the wickedness of our higher institutions. You ask, “WHY?”
Well, the concern is that we all have individual responsibility...YES, true! But again, we’re living in a system that seems to be unable to reform itself and when you have such a moment, you get violence spillover.
YES, violence is NEVER the answer....hear me on that....
But if we are more concerned about the property and spillover than the poverty, decrepit school system, dilapidated housing, massive unemployment and under-employment, we’re going to be doing this every five, every 10, every 20 years.
Why should we pass this on to our younger generation when we can take action NOW. So, What to do?
The point of protest is to raise public awareness, to put a spotlight on injustice and to make the powers that be uncomfortable; in fact, throughout American history, it's often only been in response to protests and civil disobedience that the political system has even paid attention to marginalized communities. But protests are only the beginning of a longer, more painstaking effort.
Eventually, aspirations have to be translated into specific laws and institutional practices — and in a democracy, that only happens when we elect government officials who are responsive to the people’s demands.
If, moving forward, we can channel our justifiable anger into peaceful, sustained, and effective action, then this MOMENT can be a real TURNING POINT in our nation's long journey to live up to our highest ideals.
It’s time to turn our feelings into action to help point to a better future for ALL through sustainable change dictated by specific demands. We must be our own LEADERS.
When you see injustice of any kind, CALL IT OUT!
Ask yourself, “In what kind of nation do I want to live my life?” Be your own leader.
In the opportunity & privilege some of us have, we have failed in our responsibility for too long to look at the truth squarely & name the system of racial oppression that artificially divides Americans and benefits those already in position of relative power.
...Educate yourself, do the research rather than looking to others to lead or to help you understand. Do the hard work of self-reflection...How can I be a part of the solution?
You say, “But KJ, you’re talking about giving up my privileges or my position?”
I hear you...It is quite understandable not to want to do this. It is a natural human reaction. Who would want to lose privileges or position, particularly when fear of that loss is amplified and stoked by political leaders for their own supposed advantage. 'Supposed advantage,' you’re wondering... Yes, “supposed” because if you deny the human rights and dignity of any people, you will ultimately destroy the society and civilization that you claim to protect. We see that now more than ever at this moment of civil unrest.
Addressing systemic racial and economic injustice is not only the right thing to do, it is the most self- protecting, most safe, most conservative, most self-serving thing to do. In this same vein, nowhere is it more appropriate at this MOMENT to acknowledge that for every action there is an equal & opposite reaction. Contents under pressure will eventually explode. In NO WAY, shape, or form is this a threat.
It’s a law of nature.
What this pandemic, civil unrest, & the economic collapse is asking us to do is to change & to heal... ...To engage a deeper MEANING for our own physical healing, emotional healing, spiritual healing, and the healing of the world which includes everything - the healing of the global economy, sustainability, social justice, economic justice, war, terrorism - this is all inflammation in the human mind.
We need to lower the temperature...We need to focus on bringing in the light & work to create change not only for our own personal well-being, but also the GREATER GOOD of HUMANITY.
Again, it is time to ask ourselves, as we should continue to ask ourselves: What kind of nation do we want to live in?
What this requires is: MORAL LEADERSHIP. It’s time to step up & take it upon ourselves to BE LEADERS.
Join me in aspiring to set an example of the kind of country you want to live in. That might mean having a tense conversation about race, going down to a protest, or making a donation.
We need to step up and provide that MORAL LEADERSHIP ourselves.
BE the TURNING POINT...
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