Sounds simple enough

A person should be able to feel reasonably safe when they have need of help, ask for it and help arrives.

A person should be able to ask for service from a service provider.

A person should be able to abide by the rules and expect a positive outcome.

A person should be able to sleep in their home at night confident that the morning will come.

A person should be able to watch television with a young family member and see the end of the show.

A person should be able to go to the store for skittles and get home.

When a person has a complicated surgery, they experience healing on many levels. The outer part of the body, or skin surface, may appear to be completely healed before the inner part. It is often explained that it takes longer for the inside to heal than the outside. In the last few weeks, the details of what happened to Sonya Massey and Terrel Davis have reminded us of wounds that take a lot of time to heal.

There are some who will say we should not talk about these issues until all of the details come forth.  That has little to do with the real trauma and visceral emotions that are experienced by real people who live under the weight of these type of actions.  

Mr. Davis’ wife, Tamiko, said in an interview on CBS that they have worked hard for their children to not have to experience a situation that would lead to being handcuffed by officers. Now, their three children are affected by the behavior of another person’s words causing harm to themselves and their family members. Those children will think that the world is not a place where they can ask a simple question from a person who has the responsibility to answer that question. Another possible result is that they can no longer have the belief that doing what you are supposed to do will keep you safe. 

Sonya Massey called for help. Sounds simple enough. Sonya Massey sat on her sofa answering the questions asked of her. Sounds simple enough. Sonya Massey followed the officers’ instructions to turn the fire off on the stove. Sounds simple enough. Sonya Massey responded to the question the officer asked her while removing the pot from the heat. Sounds simple enough, but the results were horrific.

The level of powerlessness many in our community feel should not exist, but it does.

The humiliation that is experienced should not happen, but it does.

The attempt to strip away a person’s dignity should not happen, but it does.

It will take a lot of teaching and preaching to change the heart of people. The hope and belief that better days are ahead are the fuel that keep the flame of optimism burning and the dream of freedom alive.  We should make every effort to educate all our children on all the history of this great nation.