Stand on the Right Side of History: Run with Ahmaud
- Chelsea Mandrigues
- May 9, 2020
- 2 min read
There is a time in every person's life when their path has the option to diverge into two differing routes: right and wrong.
When you house the same thought patterns, same muscle memory, same mentality that was given to you at birth, you walk through life laced and sedated by prejudice, undivulged pain, and fear of the self-made "other."
You breed hatred, you reside in fear, and you use illegitimate means to express yourself. You perpetuate a thought continuum of misplaced misunderstanding that devolves into frustration and aggression, and eventually... oppressive action. You chose the path of least resistance because it was easy and ego-driven, but violent and careless by nature.
If this is you, then you are on the wrong side of history.
Don't let yourself become inhumane. Don't desensitize to the injustice in this country. If you see yourself standing on the wrong side of history, then question why.
It's 2020 in the United States of America and Black people are still being killed because of the color of their skin.
It's 2020 in the United States of America and the right to jog without being shot is now white privilege.
It's 2020 in the United States of America and we are still having debates about right and wrong, moral and immoral.
Angry? Yes.
Sad? Affirmative.
Disappointed in the US? Absolutely.
I say it every year, but this country has a long way to go in order to achieve a higher standard of living that supports the removal of racism. It goes beyond tagging for justice or signing petitions.
I want to see you stand up and lobby for what is right on a macro level. I want to see you vote. I want to see you make moves that address the deeply rooted racism in this country and in the minds of its people.
I want to see action and positive reaction.
Last night, I ran on the railroad tracks, chasing the sunset like I was chasing my thoughts... exercising what is now considered a privileged mortality exercise. And as I did so, I balled. I gagged. I sat with the horrid reality that here is a young man who could have celebrated his birthday today. He would have been 1 year younger than me.
But now here he is, another hash tag.
Stop the violence and choose the right path.
Don't let his life be another hashtag.
