Crystal Lady
Aug 24, 2017 · 2 min read

Where Do We Go From Here?

With thanks to alto for Monday Quotable

This morning, as I was working, I stood nearby as one white gentleman called to another for conversation about the debate and removal of Confederate monuments. They were speaking of losing their heritage and how wrong it is to be denying history.

They began in normal speaking voices but then audibly lowered them as they noticed an African American woman in their midst.

This young woman works with me and these men are regulars in our place of business. She is friendly with them and they with her. They frequently engage one another in good-natured ribbing.

What does the acknowledgement of her proximity to them and the need they felt to lower their voices — while discussing their beliefs — say about them and their relationship to her?

This afternoon I watched as white workmen in crane buckets covered the monument of Robert E. Lee in Emancipation Park in Charlottesville, Virginia with a black tarp — from base to head— and then bind it up.

White folks and Black folks stood on the grounds together and witnessed this event. Most took pictures. A young black woman pumped her fist in the air as she whooped and cheered. No one attempted to stop her in her celebration. No one joined her. I felt pride for her.

As a white woman do I have that right? I can never know the struggle of a single black person living in America. I can only strive to understand the relationship of race and inequality through speaking with and educating myself about the experiences of those who have stood on the front lines and have lived it in truth.

What does the covering over and removal of Confederate monuments mean to our nation and our people. Will we begin to heal? Or will we repeat history and war with one another once again? Where do we go from here?


The quote below is from an article in The Atlantic by Ta-Nehisi Coates. His book Between the World and Me is a must read if you would like to know and begin to understand — in some small measure — what it’s like to live as a black man in America.


)

Crystal Lady

Written by

yogi, artist, gardener, writer, mother, grandmother..perpetually searching for a handle on the moment, finding it in the space between breaths; i dance...

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade