Makes Me Wanna Holler

These past few years have been difficult to say the least. As with most things, I struggle to figure out if the frequency at which things are happening has increased or is it just simply the fact that we can now live broadcast our lives with our phones.

Most certainly, it’s been open season on black males for decades. Emmett Till let us know that and all of the strange fruit before him.

Women have crushed glass ceilings in business and are CEOs of large corporate companies, and budding billionaires in their own rights. Yet, we still fight for equal pay scales and to not be considered a slut if we enjoy sex like a man does.

I am in a blogger’s group on Facebook and some of them expressed that as bloggers we have the responsibility to stand up and speak out about all of the social injustice plaguing us today.

I had to take a back seat for a moment. Partly because I don’t like to watch the news. Watching the news sometimes makes me physically ill and it takes me a while to get over it. I also had to survey what in the world was really going on. It’s easy to make a snap judgement on what you see shared online because all you did was read the headline. Lots of things are written to sensationalize and incite, versus educate and empower.

There are no easy answers to what is happening. This is not the kind of thing that is resolved by sharing articles on social media or by a presidential debate.

The things happening today change by small change that we each take responsibility for.

Call and email your local councilman and Senator. Hold them accountable. They help make changes in law and they need to know that we know who they are and that we are watching.

We are all family. Look out for one another. My attitude is that none of the kids in my neighborhood will be mistreated on my watch. One day a strange car came down to my end of the cul de sac where the kids play. The driver started to speak to the kids, and I jumped in, letting the kids know not to talk to anyone that they don’t know, and letting the stranger know that parents are watching.

Report misconduct. This is happening more and more. I’m not sure why people make hateful comments on their Facebook pages. It quickly gets them fired. You are entitled to your opinion, but hate breeds other things that are unnecessary and harmful in this world.

There are so many things that we can all do to aid the cause. Change is necessary at this point, an it is inevitable.

And change does not have to happen on a large-scale. One step at a time and one thing at a time. As long as we are moving forward.

~Tamara

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