Ferguson and Ice-Buckets

I try not to follow the outside news while I am down here in Haiti - I often find it too depressing and distracting from the work at hand.  But over the past two weeks it has been impossible to avoid being engulfed by the stories about Ferguson, MO and the ALS ice-bucket challenge.  I'm pretty sure that if you are reading this blog post, I don't have to explain further.

The ALS ice-buck challenge has been remarkable to see unfold.  A single act that has infected the world, in a positive way, and has led to millions of dollars being raised towards fighting ALS - truly remarkable.  (If you haven't donated yet, you can donate here.  Remember, ever dollar counts.)

words of wisdom from MLK

But the larger story, the much larger issue, is that of the Michael Brown shooting in Ferguson, MO.  The pictures I see and the stories I read are reminding me of old photographs from the Civil Rights Movement.  Tear gas, dogs, smoke, riots.  It is truly wrong - on many levels.

So much so that even the attention it is receiving is racially divided.

from the MLK memorial in DC

But thinking about the civil rights era and the peaceful protests led by Martin Luther King Jr. and so many others, I am also saddened by the response to this tragic event - from both sides.

I can only imagine what is going through the minds of the people who are angrily protesting and those people are trying to ensure safety.   I don't have the answers, or for that matter, even the questions.  But must we try to fight fire with fire?  Can we try to do more of what Captain Ronald Johnson did?  Please, more peaceful ways to address this issue.

Sooner or later I hope we can all treat each other with respect and peace.  Sooner or later I hope that we will all know that....

We are all people of the human race.

There are no poor people, just people who happen to be poor.
There are no rich people, just people who happen to be rich.

There are no disabled people, just people who happen to be differently abled.
There are no white people, just people who happen to be white.
There are no black people, just people who happen to be black.

There are no other people, just our people.