One in six. Those numbers remind me of the statistics for some dreaded disease. That disease would have its own nonprofit organization. Their leaders would lobby Congress and testify before Senate committees to receive national funding for research and the alleviation of symptoms. That disease would have its own month and be asked to ring the bell at the opening of the New York Stock Exchange. There would be telethons and telemarketers soliciting contributions. And the victims and survivors of this dreaded disease would receive widespread comfort and support.
But this, our missing black men, is not considered a dreaded disease and it won't receive the support of a dreaded disease. These men are our sons and grandsons, our husbands and our fathers, our brothers, cousins, uncles, and friends. They are divinely created by our Heavenly Father and not only do these 'Black Lives Matter', but, they are needed in society and it the world at large. It is time for us, all races, creeds, and colors, to realize that we, humanity, need each other. We need the gifts, talents, and knowledge of the missing men to make our communities, safer and stronger. We can't afford to sit back and talk about 'them' as thought they were some foreign entity. It is 'us'. Where do we begin? How do we start? We need to have this conversation in our homes, schools, churches, and communities. We need to bring forth strategies that will change the culture from one of acceptance that this is just the way it is to one of We Can and Must Do Better.
One in six. Will the next one be one that is close to you?