Solidarity

Forrest let me know yesterday that he wanted to demonstrate his solidarity with the 'Black Lives Matter' movement and had decided to attend the rally this afternoon at Millenium Square in Leeds. Having barely been out into the 'real' world for some ten weeks or so, I had to think hard about the wisdom of going into the city. Life has never had a more moral dimension than it has right now. It feels like there is a moral aspect to almost every decision we make. Today, it was the choice between our small risk of becoming a vector in the spread of coronavirus and the small contribution of our presence in helping to eliminate the virus of racism. 

I wouldn't have gone were it not for Forrest's growing sense of injustice and his desire to do something, however insignificant. We're all learning that there is a huge responsibility and also great reward from these tiny individual acts. It felt right to support him today. He's made me question some of my own hard-wired thinking this last week or so. We should all be doing that right now. 

Everyone present at the rally showed huge respect for each other's personal space, and for each other. The atmosphere was quiet and peaceful and almost reverent in terms of the silences that were held. It was deeply moving. It's hard not to believe that something has shifted as a result of the events of the last few weeks. I hope so.