Learning to lament racism

When I first moved to Lansing, I attended a Black Lives Matter rally. A grad student came with me, and as we left, he talked about how profoundly affected he had been by hearing a parent talking about how they fear for the lives of their black children. This fear has stayed with me over the years and has probably most profoundly influenced my lamenting over racism.

Grey's Anatomy (screenwriter: Shonda Rhimes) provides a strong image of black parents having the 'talk' with their child. I am struck by the honesty about 'this is what you have to do.' It is not because it is fair or because it is good, instead we, your parents, are asking you to do this because we want you to come home safe. Because you matter so much to us and we want you to have a future.

What kind of world do we live in that so many fear that their loved ones won't come home safe?