---
layout: post
title: Black Lives Matter
date: 2020-06-08
tags: ["Human Rights"]
---

I don't feel that I have any great insights that are not already being shared by people way smarter than me. But as I have heard in many forums: "silence is complicity" and I want my name to publicly be next to the simple statement that [black lives matter](https://blacklivesmatter.com). While the horrible and preventable deaths of [George Floyd](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_George_Floyd) and [Breonna Taylor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Breonna_Taylor) in recents weeks has brought this to everyone's minds I can't forget the deaths in recent years of [Eric Garner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Eric_Garner), [Trayvon Martin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trayvon_Martin), or the hundreds and thousands of human beings who just happen to have a different skin color than me that have been killed by racism since our country's founding. All of their lives mattered and were cut short by a system that valued their lives less than they would mine. Racism is and has been present in the United States since it founding.

I am a straight, cisgender, wealthy, white, male, software engineer in my mid 40s; I am a living example of privilege in our society. Have I done enough to help end racism in my community? In my country? I don't really know what enough is, but I am sure the answer is no. I do some. I will continue to do more.

All I ask is that, if you can, do something to help fix this. Maybe it is going to a march. Maybe it is [giving](https://eji.org/) money to a [worthwhile](http://www.splcenter.org) [organization](https://www.aclu.org). Maybe it is just saying publicly what you believe. Whatever you do, please [vote](https://www.whenweallvote.org). Change needs to be driven by all of us, but our choice of leadership will help.

--

Nowhere close to exhaustive list of resources:

* [Obama Foundation - Anguish and Action](https://www.obama.org/anguish-and-action/)
* [Food52 - Black Lives Matter. These Organizations Need Our Support.](https://food52.com/blog/25339-black-lives-matter)
* [11 Things You Can Do to Help Black Lives Matter End Police Violence](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/support-the-black-lives-matter-movement)
* [10 Books About Race To Read Instead Of Asking A Person Of Color To Explain Things To You](https://www.bustle.com/p/10-books-about-race-to-read-instead-of-asking-a-person-of-color-to-explain-things-to-you-8548796)
* [24 Podcasts That Confront Racism in America](https://bellocollective.com/16-podcasts-that-confront-racism-in-america-f8f69baf529d)