ST Healing Love-IntoBalance October2022 - Flipbook - Page 7
Context for
Healing Love:Into Balance
As we began the preparation for writing this second brown paper, we stopped and reflected on all that
has happened since the first paper’s release in early 2018.
We have to talk about the impact of 2020 and
the aftermath. It has been a roller coaster ride of
hopefulness mixed with deep disappointment
because of broadened and deepened demand for
solidarity, community and justice, and alas, the
waning of the movement. At times it seemed like
the whole world was outraged and ready to act that
summer—and many people of all types proclaimed
renewed interest and commitment to fighting
for justice, for Black folks in particular. It inspired
cautious optimism. And then … then it all waned.
Just like we feared it would. There is documented
proof that so many of the promises made by
philanthropy, corporations, academia, and others
were not much more than performative.
What WILL it take? Can we muster hope again???
The trials we’ve witnessed in this last year—
Rittenhouse, Arbury’s Killers, Charlottesville. Two
out of three? How do we understand their impact
on the zeitgeist, on the atmosphere of “us against
them”? As Charlamagne Tha God1 would say “there
is so much more here to unpack” - both the “two
steps forward” (e.g., the rarity of a practically allwhite juries finding white men guilty of murdering
or greviously harming those who lift-up Black
lives), and the “two steps back” (e.g., the lionization
of Kyle Rittenhouse by a party more concerned
with “owning the libs” than justice and equity—
democracy itself).
And then there is the deepening hate, stoking of violence, and backlash “leadership” on display by the
Republican party, at federal and state levels to turn back voting rights. It is palpable, and any sentient person
is concerned—deeply concerned—with their fever-pitched push toward authoritarianism. The media seems
incapable of naming and reporting on what is happening before our very eyes with the continued mindless
fanning of “politics as a game” narrative(!). And let’s be honest—it is not just the GOP (which is not even a
party anymore and has no shame about it). Why are the Democrats not showing a greater sense of urgency
—more responsiveness to those Black and Brown folks who put them in power??! At least find better
messaging about all that is at stake if the GOP’s shameless pursuit of power is not rejected.
1 https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/12/fashion/radio-host-Charlamagne-Tha-God-Celebrities.html
Healing Love: Into Balance | A Brown Paper
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