The Right Words

 When I say, "Black Lives Matter," my white children do not say, "what about us? Don't we matter too?" 

They don't say that because they know they know that they do. They understand that the world is a little less fair and a little more dangerous for their black siblings. 

When I wear my LGBTQ+ shirts and celebrate Pride Month, my straight children do not say, "what about us? Don't you celebrate us too?" 

They don't say that because they know that I celebrate them too. They know that the world is a little harder and a little less fair to their LGBTQ+ siblings. 

When I make posts during Infant Loss month, my living children do not say, "what about us? Aren't you glad that we're alive?" 

They don't say it because they know I'm glad that they're alive. They don't say it because they get that in that moment, my sorrow and memories are not for them but for the 6 babies that we welcomed into Heaven before we got to hold them in our arms. 

What is so hard to understand about these things? Why does an entire portion of the population not get these things? I'm not talking about the blatantly obvious racists in society either. I'm asking about the people who love my children. I'm asking about the good people in society; people that I know are good. 

How do we help people understand the systemic racism that has been a part of our societies for as long as our country has been alive? How do we help people understand that our country was born and thrived on the backs of people of color and that simply because slavery is outlawed, racism is still legal. 

There are laws on the books, recent laws, that provide marginalized people extra protections because they NEED extra protections? The laws on hate crimes were only recently made and they are created out of a need for them. How do everyday people not understand that? They don't protest these; well most people don't, but still don't recognize why they're put into place. 

I don't know the right words to teach people. I most often sit back and scroll past their posts. I most often quietly ignore their baiting comments when I hear them in public. I don't want to become an internet troll but I also don't want to just ignore these comments and posts anymore. 

What are the right words? My intention isn't to be confrontational. I truly just want to educate people because I do believe that most people are good. I do believe if they truly understood why what they're saying is hurtful to people, they would choose not to say them. Maybe I'm just hopeful of that.