“Ferguson Pastor: This Is Not A Race Issue; This Is A Human Issue”
“I just embraced him. Because he was so angry, and you could feel it in his body, you could feel it in his speech. … Something just said, “Grab him. Hold him.” Maybe initially to keep him back, but ultimately to become what really is symbolic of the situation … at hand.
People who are hurting need to be affirmed in their hurt; people who are angry need to be affirmed in their anger. Let me say it like this: I needed that as much as he needed that. We kept each other from harm’s way and from doing something that we would need not to do.”
This is from WAY back in the first week after Michael Brown died — I just found it in my tabs, I probably opened it and then decided that I didn’t have the time right then to feel emotional — and what it says about affirmation is so important and clearly stated. It’s frustrating how much of these past few months have been people who are emotionally impacted by the Ferguson shooting having to explain themselves and attempt to validate themselves to the presumed-mainstream audience of people who are not emotionally impacted and aren’t making any real attempt to understand. If this explanation piece wasn’t necessary, imagine the incredible things all of that effort could be directed towards.
It’s like, we need a feel-good awareness campaign about oppression so that next time this happens/as this continues to happen people will be like ‘oh, I am aware of that issue and believe that it exists!’.
