Introduction Part II. Black Lives Matter—What Does It All Mean?

I live in Fresno—downtown Fresno to be more precise. It isn’t the safest area nor the prettiest area of Fresno. I live in an area near a stadium, Chukchansi stadium. Fresno is home to minor league baseball. While the significance of minor league baseball is that it brings an income base to the city.  Fresno, if anything, is in the heart of the agricultural boom-area of California. It is a shameful sight, however, the heart of the San Joaquin valley has a rather poor infrastructure. If anything, Fresno and the surrounding San Joaquin Valley host the most productive agricultural land anywhere in the world. However, downtown Fresno looks decrepit and somewhat slummy.  

Truly, it isn’t the best area of Fresno—there are worse areas. Parts of Fresno host gangs that prey on the poor and the disadvantaged. The gangs are known to peddle drugs and similar mayhem. I do my utmost to stay as far from them as I can. However, their presence is a constant reminder why Black Lives Matter to me. When the poor and the disadvantaged are preyed on by gang activity in Fresno, it is the direct result of bigotry practiced by the more affluent. I will not point a finger at anyone; however, the facts remain the same.

One of the primary means of enforcing bigotry is to keep those who are discriminated as poor and as disadvantaged as possible. Bigotry and xenophobia have their foundations in economics. It is a vicious cycle.

There are areas of Fresno that need as much help as downtown Fresno—and much more. While change for the better does occur slowly (usually), the COVID-19 crisis gives renewed opportunity to those who recognize the roots of bigotry. We can’t let busy-as-usual be the way things should be. How I got here isn’t important for this story; however, achieving the goal of color-blinded love and non-judgmental living is the defining factor. I can state, with no hesitancy, we stand as a country of immigrants at an opportune moment. We stand, at a moment in time, where compassion for one another can help the cause of color-blinded love. I am not African American, and I state that I don’t align myself with Nationalists, either. However, I have lived long enough to recognize we stand at a cross point—we can change the paths of the disadvantaged. 

To those judging others by skin-color, creed, or sexual orientation:  We live in a time of great sorrow— let your pain and sadness be transformed to spiritual love and forgiveness. If you have any compassion in your heart, it is possible to change.