From: Dustin Renner
Columbus
In his song The Times They Are a- Changin,’ Bob Dylan sings, “Your old road is rapidly agin’, please get out of the new one if you can’t lend a hand.” These lyrics are just as relevant today as when he released the song about racism and social injustice in 1964.
There is a movement afoot, that is only growing in size and scope, that finally feels like real change and real reform are in the air. Unfortunately, as the song lyrics point to, there are still those who want to hang on to their old ways and won’t get out of the way or lend a hand.
I have personally experienced this in the many conversations I have had with coworkers, family members and friends in the past weeks regarding inequality and injustice. One close family member told me I was “ignorant” and “wrong” for attending the rally that was held outside city hall and for demanding an end to discrimination and racism. I informed that person if taking a stand against inequality, injustice and racism was “ignorant” and “wrong” in their mind, then I did not care to be right.
Institutional and systemic racism have a deep hold on our culture and society. It is going to require all of us standing together in solidarity and unity to eradicate the scourge of racism that plagues our country. This will require meaningful action beyond eloquent words, hyperbole and empty, hollow rhetoric from our leaders in government. Meaningful action, as we have seen, as a result of the protests can bring about significant reform. Several police departments across the country have begun addressing issues such as, de-escalation strategies, no knock warrants and prohibiting tactics such as placing a knee on the neck of an individual in police custody.
We cannot let up now. I have to be better. You have to be better. We all have to be better, collectively as a society, at acknowledging and addressing the disproportionate discrimination that the black community faces.
A good first step, as a church leader recently told me, is educating yourself. For myself that has looked like reading numerous books on criminal justice reform and mass incarceration in recent years. There are countless books on these subjects and a simple Google search will provide ample resources.
There are also many nonprofit organizations who promote these causes. I receive weekly email updates from the Prison Policy Initiative regarding facts, data and other research regarding mass incarceration. We have to continue having uncomfortable, but necessary conversations about discrimination and racism. I implore anyone who is not disgusted by the recent events that have highlighted the serious issues we have regarding discrimination and racism in our country to open your mind and seriously examine your heart.
Otherwise, as Dylan sings, "don’t criticize, what you can’t understand.”
