What we talk about

I’ve been trying to figure out if I have anything worth saying about Tamir Rice.

He was 12.

I keep coming back to that.

There is a conversation to be had about how the failure of gun control and the insidious impact of systemic racism combine to create a law enforcement culture based on fear.

There’s also a conversation to be had about how we protect our kids. All kids. Especially those whose innocence is stolen by a world that still, too often, sees skin color first and humanity second.

To all those thoughtfully engaged in that dialogue, I thank you. Tonight, this is all I have to add:

Our country is hurting. Every time a child dies, the cut bites deeper. 

At this point, the only people I blame are the ones who can’t see the blood.

I’m thankful to all those who are fighting their fear. It’s not easy to talk about these issues, let alone fix them. But we owe it to ourselves to try.

I’m glad I’m going back to work tomorrow. Teenagers are simultaneously the most jaded and least jaded people I know. I appreciate how keen their sense of injustice is. I hope my kids never outgrow that.