I have heard people say that we shouldn’t take sides and that everyone has the right to their own beliefs.

This sacred activist shouts a loud and clear, “No!” to anything that deprives anyone of their inherent rights.

I stand on the side of justice—and I have a few questions:

>> What goes through the mind of a man who made a vow to serve and protect and instead drives another man to the ground and holds him down with a knee until he gasps his last breath?

>> What goes through the minds of his colleagues who stand by and witness without intervening?

>> What goes through the minds of the family who had to relive the trauma multiple times in court to receive some semblance of satisfaction with the outcome?

>> What goes through the mind of a woman who calls the police to report a man saying she is threatened when he asks her to put her dog on a leash?

>> What goes through the minds of a father and son who chase down a man who is simply running in his neighborhood and murder him in cold blood?

>> What goes through the minds of people of color when they go about normal daily activities knowing they are at risk simply because of the amount of melanin in their skin?

>> What goes through the minds of parents whose children are out there in the world, worrying if they will return home safely or without being harassed?

>> What goes through the minds of people who, by virtue of being of a lighter pigment, do nothing because of white privilege?

>> What goes through the minds of those who deny systemic racism and sexism?

>> What goes through the minds of those unjustly accused?

>> What goes through the minds of those who are assailed because they dare to challenge those in power?

>> What goes through the minds of those who claim they have the right to decide what goes on in a woman’s uterus?

>> What goes through the minds of those who would deny the validation of the love between people because they are the same gender?

>> What goes through the minds of those who commit violence and feel justified doing so?

>> What goes through the minds of those who take what isn’t theirs just because they want it?

>> What goes through the minds of those who litter, including dropping cigarette butts on the ground?

>> What goes through the minds of those who touch others without their consent?

>> What goes through the minds of those who abuse others?

>> What goes through the minds of those who hack computer systems?

>> What goes through the minds of those who bully and harass?

>> What goes through the minds of those who make messes (literal and figurative) and expect others to clean up after them?

>> What goes through the minds of those who voted against their best interests when they cast theirs for the former guy (Donald Trump)?

>> What goes through the minds of those who disseminate the Big Lie despite the fact that the result was the same whenever the legitimacy was challenged?

>> What goes through the minds of those who call the pandemic a hoax?

>> What goes through the minds of those who buy into the QAnon conspiracies?

>> What goes through the minds of those who took up arms on January 6th and stormed the Capitol?

>> What goes through the minds of those who cowered in fear when they heard the pounding on the door, which was all that stood between them and murder?

>> What goes through the minds of the mother and life partner of an officer who was killed by insurrectionists and who visited representatives to encourage them to vote for the investigation of the events of January 6th?

>> What goes through the minds of those who say they Back the Blue and then vote against the January 6th bi-partisan commission?

>> What goes through the minds of those who use religion as a weapon of control and terror?

>> What goes through the minds of those praying for peace to prevail and engage in sacred activism to change the course of history?

I stand on the side of justice. I stand on the side of peace. I stand on the side of physical and emotional safety. I stand on the side of everyone having enough of what they need to thrive.

I stand on the side of those who are victimized by the actions of others. I stand up to accusations of virtue signaling.

I show up, stand up, and speak out. I’m on your side.