Black Lives Matter may be focused on the injustices perpetrated against black people. But it is not only about black lives — it is about every one of us. We have ignored racism, propped up racist institutions, funded racist school systems and police departments, and too often felt comfortable that we were insulated from any of the negative effects. We cannot continue to ignore the dual enemies of racism against black people and police brutality, and it is increasingly clear that nobody is safe. Racism and the militarization of police threatens us all.
Our country has been torn apart by a pandemic that hit black, Latino and Native communities especially hard. Our country has been torn apart by displays of police brutality, abuse and militarization that we can no longer ignore. Our country has been torn apart by incompetent leadership. But most of all, our country has been torn apart by all of us. Because we allowed this to go on for so long without saying enough, doing enough, reading enough, marching enough, voting enough. Because we were too comfortable.
Now is the time for everyone, especially the Jewish community, to wake up and realize we are not safe. We will never be safe until black people, trans people, gay people, migrant people and Native people are also safe.
Hannah DeLuca
Des Moines, Iowa
DeLuca is formerly of Overland Park.
