Let’s Talk: The Situation in Our Country and How YOU Can Help

Hello friends. Today I was going to post a completely different post, but I’ve changed my mind because I do not want it to seem like I am ignoring or being insensitive to the state of my country. My original plan was to post a blog and YouTube video talking about some of my Christian Favorites, but that can wait until next week. If you have been living under a rock, then you most likely know about the gruesome murder of George Floyd this past week. The black community has been on edge for years, and the tension had been building up especially for the past year. This was the breaking point.

If you do not know, I am an Afro-Caribbean-American Christian. I have been on the receiving end of discrimination and racism, but I have never spoken out about my experiences. Until now, that is. I have spoken out on my Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, but I wanted to fully write down my thoughts.

I have been having to really check myself, and limit my time on social media because I get so affected by it. God has been convicting me over some of the stuff I have said out of my emotions (I’m an enneagram 4, so I should have expected this *inserts laughing emoji*). I have realized, just recently, that I do have a platform, and I need to spread positivity not pettiness. I think I do well with spreading positivity, but I am not perfect by any means.

SIN

Sin has been an untouched subject among the people of the church for YEARS! I think I have heard one or two sermons where the speaker called out sin. Let’s get one thing straight. Racism is sin. Abortion is sin. Homosexuality is sin. Murder is sin. Lying is sin. Stealing is sin. ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE SIN. The moment we realize that this fight is not only a physical fight but a spiritual fight will be life changing. God is getting ready to do something great. Mo Isom says that we are about to experience an Acts 2.0.

PEACEFUL PROTESTS

I love PEACEFUL PROTESTS! It is how MLK did what he did. He REFUSED to use violence and riots because according to him it did “more harm than good”, but he also said that “a riot is the voice of the unheard”. Most of the riots and violence have been started by either police or members of antifa, and guess who gets blamed? The black people who were peacefully protesting. It makes me so so sad to see this. I am currently unable to participate, but some of my friends have and they have some incredible stories about the unity they have seen. Please be safe if you are going to go protest, and use your saved sanctified filled with the Holy Ghost wisdom.

RIOTS AND POLICE BRUTALITY

This is the touchy subject that I wanted to avoid talking about. It makes me physically sick whenever I watch some of the videos of policemen, who swore to protect us, beat up, pepper spray, tear gas, and shoot innocent protestors. The only thing the people are doing is exercising their 1st Amendment right. “The First Amendment states: ‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.’” The police, from what I have seen at least, are provoking and starting the violence. They are shielding their badges and turning off their body cams, so they can “get away with it”. The videos are horrific.
The fires and looting that have been started in the cities have not started because of black people. They were started by white people who wanted to start trouble and walk away scotch free because they have white privilege, and want to see more black men, women, and children killed. The man who set Nashville’s courthouse on fire was a white man, and he was arrested. This whole situation sickens me.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

The black community is hurting. The least a person can do to help is listen. Listen to our stories. Educate yourselves on our history. Talk to your families and educate them. Share helpful posts on social media. Speak out and tell your own story of your experiences. Pray for us. Pray for the people in the streets who are trying to get our government to listen. Pray for the law enforcement officers who are killing black people. Pray that God softens their hearts, and that the enemy loosens its hold on them. Friends, it is time to armor up and fight. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12 ESV)

EDUCATION
You can also read books to educate yourself on black lives and systematic racism. I will put a list of books that can help educate you. I have not had the chance to read some of these books, but they all have good reviews.

BOOKS

• The Hate You Give and On The Come Up by Angie Thompson
• I Am Alfonso Jones by Tony Medina
• Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles
• The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton and Lara Love Hardin
• This Book is Anti-Racist by Tiffany Jewell
• How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X Kendi
• The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
• So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

If you want to help by signing some petitions then here are some that I have seen floating around that I’ve been signing.

LINKS (just click the names)

Justice for George Floyd

Justice for Big Floyd

Justice for Breonna 

Raise The Degree

Justice for Joāo Pedro

National Action Against Police Brutality

If you want to give monetarily then here are some donation links. Some are for bailing out protestors that were wrongfully arrested for peacefully protesting, some are for medical supplies that will help the people injured, and the rest are to donate to the memorial services of the victims and to help black owned businesses through this time.

George Floyd Memorial Donation Link

Black Lives Matter Movement

Minnesota Freedom Fund

Black Vision Collective

Reclaim The Block

Lake Street Clean Up

North Star Health Collective

BLK & Bold (black owned business)

Illuminate B. Candles (black owned business)

Here is the link to a thread with TONS of black owned small businesses on Etsy: https://twitter.com/Pop_Reader/status/1267077455329796096

I hope I have helped educate and explain my opinion on the happenings in this world. Be blessed. Be safe. God bless.
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-Noelle-