Mental Health Shmentalhealth!

Mira Black • June 27, 2020

#blacklivesmatter

I just saw this pic in someone’s story. 

 
My heart broke. 

Like, of all the horror surrounding this week, this month, this year, this life, this humanity, this was somehow the last straw and my tender heart burst. 

I get this is part of a series which is a powerful artist rendition of an atrocity, a paradoxical reflection of a horror. I had an extremely intelligent reply from the person who posted it when I asked some (hopefully) intelligent questions. The biggest take away was a share of their feeling, as a “dark skinned person” (their words) of a deep catharsis.
I saw the value in that for sure!
 It’s a moving piece of art.

But then I watched my mind move towards a noticing of an increasing call towards violence in the world right now. An "us & them" mentality ever increasing and being fed that I think takes away from the intelligent refocus of ignorance toward Truth. The riots taking up space where news of global protests should have prime time. #blacklivesmatter. It's important. 

What will actually help to create the desired change?

The original poster of this pic offered that it should make people uncomfortable because that was the experience of a whole race of those forced here from Africa and we all deserve better. So true. #intelligent
I see the capital t Truth in all of that.
Intelligent ways of making us think! Passionate and even expressions of personal pain raged out for the world to here from a place of absolute Truth. Yes!!

I’ve also seen the worst of humanity in my two decades working for social services and in the news today. Evil from all sides of a battle I don’t know how to effect.

How do we change the world? 

 I am oh so very behind equiniminty. I am clear that now is the time for us to have real conversations about injustices done to our fellow humans. I have been following magical posts from deeply intelligent and admirable experts and leaders current and historical.
#thankyouinternet 

I’ve learned so much and also know there is so much I do not know. 
I think we could and should have debates about how police forces need more funding and training and mentorship to create drastic changes and deeper supports and educations so we can attract and ensure the *right* people are on the job and behind the political podium.

Being half “brown” and half “white”, a child advocate, a survivor, a woman and compassionate human, I have a deep investment in humanity’s conscious evolutions towards love and understanding and equality...and away from more harm. 
Speak to me of functional change. 

I truly understand the rage. I have my own places of revolutionary screams and action oriented choices. I have been the untouchable and the royalty both.
I know the need to rally the forces of change around us if only for the power in numbers but also to hold sacred space for each other. 

I too have spoken with deep rage into places where my tribe can hear. I know the value of singing to the choir so that they learn the tune and join voices and shake the banisters. Yes! Spread the Truth. Peaceful protest on! 
I'm there with you. 

I also have ancestors who were enslaved and though this is not an all lives matter post, I have to let my voice ring out to say that I really don’t think more violence will help anything but create more violence. An incitement towards evil, as too many are propagating, because of evils done seems like it can only result in chaos.
How can it be otherwise? 

To those who are making claims that all whites are racist, all blacks are one way or asian are another one certain way, that all social workers are harmful, all muslims are violent, all of one religion or gender or political stance are evil or perfect, all policeman are assholes beating up people of colour...this is just not true. Nor will it help to perpetuate love. 
Only more hate. 

How can the message of solidarity and equality be heard?
A wonderful friend and beautiful intelligent black woman bade me to be very clear that "protesters" and "rioters/looters/hate mongers" ought not be put in the same category. There’s is a way to gather the forces of good and light. 
It’s not by hating.

One side has tried to force people of the “other” side to do what *we* want over and over and over. I have not seen that result in anything good. Wishing harm on each other, condemnation of a whole race of people, because of their ancestors or because of the contemporary ignorance of too many, won’t make positive changes. 
Yes! 
We must make changes but I don't see how more violence will help. Revolutions need not be with fists and guns but rather with the powerful collaboration, communication, inner fortitude, information sharing and unity of the whole. If we are the 99% then there is hope in community. 

Maybe I’m wrong. But I don’t think so. 

I do know that anger can have such depth of meaning and value as does expressions of real pain so need to be received and understood. Maybe this picture is just a good way of holding up a mirror. We must all look and inquire and learn and awaken. I do know that. 

This is a time to demand change! And I also have a concern that such massive negative energy, magnified by social media and popular news outlets, is being placed towards rallying with hate against real and also perceived mutual enemies with elements of revenge and rioting and destruction resulting in the harming of innocent people - which is hard enough- but also I truly feel it won’t work. The message of will fail. 

Killing them because they’re killing us won’t work. 

Violence begetting violence won’t actually make the desired change for equality and love which I have to have hope is the ultimate goal. 

Isn’t it??

Love, 
Mira

“And eye for an eye makes the whole world blind” Gandhi Ji

Photographer Chris Buck

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