“This is why we have to be explicit in saying that black lives matter!” wrote my wife Tracie on our Facebooks yesterday. Her note accompanied her repost of an op-ed that appeared in yesterday’s Washington Post, “Why is Georgia only now seeking justic for Ahmaud Arbery? We know the terrible answers.”
“I cannot imagine the terror he felt,” Tracie wrote, “when he realized he was being stalked by two white men with guns. This case has been buried and the buck has been passed until now, two months later…”
The post elicited a number of comments, including the following by our friend Kim Edwards Williams, who lives here in Houston. I reached out to Kim and asked her if I could share it here. She graciously agreed.
As Kim writes below, we need to share it. Please do.
G-d bless Mr. Arbery and his loved ones. G-d bless all black sons, daughters, mothers, and fathers. How is it possible that something like this can still happen in America in 2020? The answer lies in our moral negligence, in our ethical failure — as Kim writes — to #CareOutLoud.
Tracie, thank you for always speaking out. I appreciate you and your efforts.
This post is very important and powerful coming from YOU, but we need it to be on the timelines, IG posts, and Twitter OF ALL White women that say they ridin.
I’ve been sad, upset, crying (now), mad AF all in the last 5 hours. He was jogging y’all.
WHITE WOMEN: Have you ever had to tell your kids people may HATE them because of their skin color?
When your husband runs to the grocery store do you worry if he’s coming back?
When your family get pulled over by the cops have you or your kids ever have to witness their dad physically scared?
Have you ever had to explain to your silly, fun, kind loving, 13 year old son that his height and skin color is now very threatening to some people and teach him how to move through life. All while making sure that same son has the confidence to push pass all this bullshit, ugly crap to see his power?
They not listening to us, nor do they give a shit, but they will listen to y’all.
White women need a challenge to “care out loud for black lives”.
It’s a draining existence having to manage and kinda sorta protect the lives of our family members and this is DAILY mental work.
WOOOOOOAH……..vomit! I’m done let me go manage all my other responsibilities now.✌🏾
#IfYouMadPostIt
#CareOutLoud
Kim Edwards Williams
Houston, Texas
May 7, 2020
Image adapted from a photo by Johnny Silvercloud (Flickr Creative Commons).
Do Bianchi 
This, all of it. If I am angry and sad, I can’t even imagine the anger and sadness, and ultimately the fear, that parents of black children have these days. And it’s hard to see most white people not speaking out about these injustices. Kim, thank you for your thoughts and I truly hope we see justice happen for Ahmaud and countless other black lives. And Jeremy, thank you for holding the space for Kim’s voice to be heard..
Thanks for sharing, Kim. Hugs to you and your sweet fam. May Ahmaud Arbery’s memory be a blessing.