What can we do?

Earlier this evening the news came that Officer Darren Wilson would not be indicted with regard to the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO. I am at a loss for words.  I'm afraid that saying anything will be the wrong thing and that saying nothing will signify acquiescence.

Let me first say that I have deliberately avoided listening to the variety of "eye-witness" reports. I also didn't listen to the litany of actions taken by Wilson. I don't know whether the grand jury did a good thing or not.  I don't know what the evidence says.  What I do know is that people are hurting in a big way. I also know that there are many who are seeing the grand jury's refusal to indict as a victory to be celebrated. What cannot be disputed in this situation is that Michael Brown is dead and a family continues to grieve as the nation looks on.

A friend - Crystal Lewis - posted this on her FB wall:

"At the end of his press conference, McCulloch said Michael Brown's case "opened old wounds" because he does not realize: These wounds are open for some of us every single day. These wounds are only "old" to those who own the privilege of occasionally forgetting what it really means to live in a country where a racial hierarchy exists. The wounds bleed non-stop, like new, for folks who live daily as minorities in our country. These are not "old" wounds. Old wounds heal. We have a long way to go before real healing can be embraced. With that, I'm going to bed. God, help America."

There is so much here that we need to hear.  These wounds are not healed and every day they are getting reopened. I'm at a loss, however. I am wondering, what can we do?

I just don't know.  We've got to change minds and attitudes before we will be able to change systems. That is not to say we shouldn't be working on both right now, we should do all we can in every way we can.  Perhaps the first thing is to stop and listen ourselves.  I don't know how healing can be achieved. I'm not exactly sure I know what healing has to happen. Why in the world do I think I can come up with the answers?  I'm not the one marginalized in this situation, I need to hear from those who are. I need to hear what they need from me.

So, my fellow white folks, let's stop trying to tell everyone what the solution is and listen for people of color to tell us what they need.  After all, they've been trying to do so for over a century.