"I'm not leaving until I get an apology!" These words were said seconds before a physical fight ensued... with me caught literally in the middle trying to break it up.
Today, 2006, in Los Angeles, California, there are still racial divides that cause conflict, hurt and yes, physical violence. With all my world travels, readings about Africa, reconciliation, slavery, etc... I must admit the shock I had at hearing a young white woman call a young African American woman the degrading "N" word. How could this be?! Even with the harmful words and physical response, what struck me most was the pain each woman expressed and their intense need for an apology. A simple, "I'm sorry" could have diffused the situation. A simple acknowledgment of painful words expressed could have stopped the fight to come.
Both women were hurt by what the other said and both women were not about to back down until the other admitted their wrong-doing. What started as a battle of words has now ended in attorneys being called to sue the other for hate and racial crimes. Just think, "I'm sorry" could have ended it all. Two simple words could have bridged the gap that separated them. Just two meaningful words!
The days following this incident have been weighing heavily upon me. I have been pondering our role as human beings as connectors with others. Is it our role to connect with those we disagree with and perhaps have anger toward because of their beliefs? What is our role as human beings to bring awareness of respect and dignity? Is it my place to apologize on behalf of the other and to love the two women with the same respect they are refusing to give each other? These may seem like simple questions with simple answers, but I find the answers to be more complex and time consuming than I necessarily want. Am I, are you, are we willing to enter into the messiness of life?
Awareness, Connection, Action strives to bring holistic education and grass-roots movement to the lives of those interested. What once seemed almost easy, has become a complex web of relationship building, reality of human nature and lack of understanding for man-kind. I do not say these things as a discouragement, but rather as an encouragement to see the beauty in others and hopefully as a gut-check in the reality of the true cost of relationship. It is said that it's easy to love those who are easily loveable, but of what worth is that? ACA desires to create the free space to allow people from all walks of life to connect on the simplest of human levels in the hopes of reconciliation. How this is accomplished will be unraveled in the days, months and years to come.
I believe each of you have stories of hope and transformation to offer, so please share them with me. If you are comfortable, please share them on the ACA blog, found at http://www.acaorg.blogspot.com/ for others to read and be encouraged.
Much love from Los Angeles,
- amanda
