As I have been thinking about and grappling with the situation in Ferguson the last week (in light of the non-indictment of Darren Wilson in the shooting of Michael Brown) there is so little I can say that hasn’t been said better by someone else. So, I would like to link to three pieces that I think share insight about this issue far better than I can in this moment.
“Telling My Son About Ferguson” (a New York Times Op-ed by Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow). In this op-ed Alexander shares her painful struggle when explaining Ferguson to her 10-year old son.
“We Weigh Their Lives Too Lightly” (a blog post on The Stage Coach Road by Sarah Courchesne, New Hampshire blogger and mother). In this poignant piece Courchesne shares her thoughts about white privilege and how that plays out has she considers her own children. Her writing really matches my own experience and perspective.
Finally, I will link to this post I wrote when Trayvon Martin was shot, entitled “Not-so Invisible White privilege in the Era of Trayvon Martin.” As I was re-reading it in preparation for this post, I was saddened by how incredibly relevant it still is.
Please read these pieces. Please stay engaged and aware, especially if you also benefit, unfairly and problematically, from the white privilege that continues to pervade our world.
