books and movies

In light of the current status of our nation, and simmering for decades, I've been slowly working through articles and books from this anti-racism resource list and I read:

I read it all in one sitting but it was pretty awful. Intense sexual scenes, incest, rape, it was rough. And reading it I'm not sure if that was an "accurate view of race" or just one persons "experience" (it's fiction so it wasn't a real experience anyway.) I don't know, I mostly regret reading it for the images that were in my mind.

The next month our book club read this one:

Jodi Picoult is a pretty safe "good book" bet. This one was an interesting story with the root of something that really did happen at a hospital in Michigan. This was written by a white woman, with extensive research with people of color, so it made me feel like maybe it was a close reflection into white privilege. It had the "N" word in it several times, so I'm hesitant to recommend it. But the story was good. 

I think going forward I will reference from this list, it seems a little more Christian worldview focus. 

It's been a hard time wading through racism. After George Floyd I reached out to a friend for his perspective and recommendations to help me understand. And then later I see on Facebook someone says it's racist to ask people of color for education. I was really upset to see that, and I hope not all people feel like that. It's like, geez, who is better to educate others than the people experiencing it everyday!? And does that person not view that question as love and concern and interest in being better?? That was my intent at least. So that was frustrating, just feels like no matter what, stepping on someones toes. 

The last thing I want to say is that while I 100% believe black lives matter, I also didn't know that "Black Lives Matter" is a specific organization with some beliefs that I personally don't agree with. I guess this organization was founded in 2013 after Trayvon Martin's death; I just didn't know it was a specific group with it's own agenda, and it seems a little misleading to say a phrase, but then some people are pushing their own issues through on it. Anyway, I can't be the only one who thought that. 

It seems like all these resources would be unnecessary if we could all just follow Jesus' command to "Love thy neighbor as thyself." Matthew 22:39. 

I know I'm guilty of not doing that every single day though.

The last thing I recently saw was:

Yes I am very late to the party. I don't really like Lady Gaga so I shied away from this movie, but she was amazing in it. I really liked the first half of the movie, it was so fun to see her come into her talents. But the second half was just sad and I wished it had ended a different way. 

The Redbox pickings have been pretty slim as no one has been making new movies, but it's nice to have more time to be outside and to read anyway.