june 6
Yesterday, Dave Matthews overtook Jeff while running around Green Lake. This might just be the competition Jeff needs to finally beat a 10-minute mile.
Protests continue, many peaceful ones around here, but definitely not everywhere. Lots of white people are marinating in a pool of shame, feeling squirmy and utterly uncomfortable, myself included. It’s necessary.
Restaurants in Seattle were able to open patios at 50% yesterday. And there seems to be a little confusion among salons about their official opening day, but our local lady opened up shop yesterday. Five haircuts for five Winter boys: check.
june 7
Jeff and I took another urban hike today – 15.5 miles! It’s embarrassing how little exploring we’d done in our own city before this pandemic.
Whatever polarization or lack of mutual understanding Americans were experiencing before George Floyd died, feels spectacularly worse. It’s like we cannot even speak the same language. To understand systemic racism is not complicated – I’m not sure why it’s not universally acknowledged. It’s very obvious. Now, to dismantle it? That’s where hard work and big brains and white allies come in. I can see how we may quibble on strategies here, but denying systemic racism exists or even staying silent is plain wrong. You can only afford to do the former or the latter if you’ve got plenty of white privilege in the bank.
june 8
I have accumulated so many resources on racial justice and black lives matter. Binders full! I’m working my way through, but it’s like the more you know, the more you know you will never truly know.
Some takeaways:
- Educate yourself before you ask your black friends about BLM or any other race-related event.
- Don’t drain your black friends’ emotional energy by sharing your newly discovered guilt and shame.
Today, a black friend posted a message to white allies:
“I hope this is a life long commitment for you because that is what it will take.
If not you might as well stop marching now, and stop giving us false hope.”
diary of coronavirus 