Like many of you I have been numb the last few days, and in fear. I am not scared for myself but for everyone that doesn't look like me. For those of you that don't know me, I'm a thirty something year old straight white male. I know I will be fine, with my line of work I might face some financial struggles, but my physical safety is not in jeopardy. Now I keep asking myself what do I do? What can I do to help anyone, who like me is scared, but because they don't have the same privileges I do. This is by no means an exhaustive list of things we can do but a few that came to mind.
(As a disclaimer when I say we in this post I'm specifically referring to people who look like me, if you're a person of color or LGBTQ you already have a good idea of what is happening)
1) Get in contact with your local Mosque, Synagogue, Sikh and/or Hindu Temple and see if anyone wants or needs a companion when they are out grocery shopping or running errands. Be a buffer between them and any person that may feel emboldened to act violently towards them
2) Volunteer with the ACLU, SPLC, or any other civil rights group that vows to fight for the marginalized. Especially if you have experience or expertise in relevant areas
3) If you have the means donate to groups that are protecting the people at the greatest risk please do
4) If for some reason you can't do any of the above it's time to really start challenging your family and friends that post the racist bullshit that we have been letting slide over the last forever years
Some of you may have seen this Facebook post or something very similar. Whether this particular story is true or not it is time that we (white people) are the ones that are getting spat on. Be a shield
