Day 557

Grass Valley is a town of about thirteen thousand people. This evening, several hundred to a thousand members of the community came together to Walk for Love. The walk was organized after one of the community members shared his account of an act of bigotry and hatred perpetuated against his son. Imani Walker, (Jamal’s son), was followed by three people in a car as he walked on the main street in downtown Grass Valley. The people shouted racial epithets and swore at Imani as they slowed the car enough to follow his pace.

Since Tuesday, the police have followed up with Jamal, the local newspaper reported on the Walk for Love, a local news affiliate interviewed the family, and Facebook pages specific to this area have been flooded with support for Imani, Jamal and their family. The response has been prompt, thorough and heartfelt. Tonight’s Walk for Love is an example of people choosing to come together, to align around a purpose and to be together for the sake of human kind.

In checking my own feelings about what happened, in addition to the sadness I felt for Imani and his family, I found myself feeling a frustration that at first, I couldn’t figure out. However, as I read the words of people reacting to the incident, I realized what I was bothered by. Many of the responses to the incident were vicious and hateful. Some called for the perpetrators to be killed. One made reference to what they would do to the “sons of bxxxxxx” if he ever got his hands on them. And several spoke of the shame that bystanders should feel for not stepping in to defend Imani.

Tonight, I’m asking everyone to take a moment to consider the continuing damage that is caused by meeting hate with hate. When we blame, shame, threaten and belittle others, we are perpetuating the very behavior that, for some, becomes the hateful speech and actions directed at Imani on Tuesday. I don’t condone the actions of the men who chose to spew their hate and anger at one of the members of this community. And I cannot support hate speech and threats of violence toward those men either.

When we begin to find empathy for others in the midst of misunderstanding, we begin to move toward inclusion rather than separation. I am grateful for the outpouring of love this community shared with and for Imani and his family tonight. Every time we meet hate with love, we have a greater chance of Peace.