I know that I’ve done a fair number of posts on activism and speaking out against injustice, and after this weekend, and past precedent, I feel I need to do one more (but beware, there may be more to come in the future).  

Let’s just start off with clearing up a few things: Eli and I adopting is not a form of activism.  For one, that’s not okay, and two that has nothing to do with why we are adopting. Secondly, activism has been and always will be a part of my life.  On the eve of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I believe so strongly in his words, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter.”

See lately, I’ve been seeing a lot of rhetoric about “hating politics” and “people are just being too sensitive” and “why can’t we all just get along?”. And that’s all fine and well until it means justifying as well degrading, dehumanizing, and discrediting humanity.  Where have we gotten?  Those things have nothing to do with politics and all about being silent about the things that matter.  

I’ve always tried to be informed, and I really prided myself on awareness…but sadly and shamefully, my privilege (and let’s face it, the blindness to my privilege) has allowed me to not be “woke”.  Over the last few years, and more specifically in my search for knowledge in this journey to adopt, I’ve “opened my eyes”.  I’m ashamed that this is what it took for me to feel the urgency, but if I’m being honest, it has been my path.  And now that I’m aware, I’m pissed off.  

I’m done with political excuses.

I’m over people being tired of “hard conversations”.

I’m through with “I didn’t really mean it” or “it’s just a joke”.

And I want to throw up from ignorant Facebook posts to justify bigotry, hatred, racism, sexism, xenophobia, and homophobia. 

My journey to adopt has awakened my faith as a Christian.  And what that means is that I cannot and will not be silent about things that matter.  My faith tells me this.  You may not see the correlation between this post and our possible future family. And that saddens me because it has everything to do with it.  

I used to side-step around these conversations or “let it go” unless it was “overtly” racist, dehumanizing, homophobic, etc.  See my privilege let me do that.  But I’m over that.  I’m aware.  My eyes are open.

So when you say the “funny” joke…I’m offended.

And when you wonder why I’m so sensitive, it’s because it’s wrong.

When you justify bigoted behavior, I plan to lovingly but intentionally let you know about how your behavior is bigoted.

As you say, “What am I supposed to do?”, I’m happy to give you a plethora of resources.

And I may scroll past the hurtful, racist, harmful Facebook posts, but I’ll probably un-follow you, and it’s not because “I don’t agree with your politics”, but more because I can’t support hateful, racist agendas.

So upon reading this post, some of you may be offended, and I’m okay with that. I have no shame about speaking out against hatred and injustice. I couldn’t keep these words out of my mouth (or off of my keyboard) any longer.  The time is too dire…”if not me then who.”  I’m done posting MLK quotes, but not living by them each and every day.

“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” –Martin Luther King Jr.

~Chelsea