on the murder of George Floyd

I am white.

I cried to see the murder of this man on the internet.

My stomach still churns, days later.

When a child, I was taught to respect my elders,

to respect my peers and my superiors,

to respect my neighbors, ALL my neighbors,

to celebrate all our differences,

to acknowledge our similarities,

to live

and to let live.

I believed everyone was taught the same basic principals.

I believed everyone should live and let live always…and that everyone believed that.

Now I am old.

I have come to know that all the learning in the world

cannot, will not, does not ensure safety, respect for basic decency.

I understand that all the belief and trust in others can prove to be poorly placed. That the life I have lived and live is different than the life of others, that common sense as I know it exists in my vaccuum.

I have no idea what can be done, because I do not understand how evil is allowed to exist by God Almighty. I cannot grasp how one man can kill another so coldly, blindly…

Still I believe in God and in Good,

and still I pray for peace.

June 1, 2020 rJoHerman, Littleton, CO