Different Country. Same Questions.

I honestly wasn’t thinking about doing this post a few seconds ago but a lovely friend in Nashville sparked this thought process!

As most you guys have probably noticed, there are a LOT of racial debates going on in the US and being on the outside looking in makes my situation unique. My heart hurts for the pain I see in communities back home (I will not say black communities exclusively because this is a hurt felt by many). I have been on the verge of tears reading some of the insensitive comments made by all types of people and ethnicity.

To be real, I’ve written this post about ten different times in ten different ways because it is hard to grasp exactly what I’ve been feeling and my exact thoughts. The truth is every feeling I have boils down to confusion. I am confused as to how one person can shoot another person that many times in “self-defense”. I am confused as to how anybody can feel like the case was clear cut in any way. I do not understand how the case was not even able to reach trial in court. I do not understand how any of this is justified. I do not understand how people could be so insensitive to this. I just do not understand.

But the most interesting thing to me in all of this is the response from the community I am in right now. They are just as confused as I am. In some ways, they are more outraged than most Americans! I have had some of the most constructive and empathetic conversations with local South Africans and housemates from all over the world. They do not understand how the US can have such a disregard for people and their lives. They are disgusted by some of the comments I have shared with them. They just cannot believe the whole situation.

I wrote this to point out how connected our world is today. Something that is going on in the US is making headline news in South Africa! People are having conversations about world issues and talking about this case in their communities. This makes me so happy in all of this confusion.

These pass few weeks have been full of so many activities to the point that I do not remember half of them!