When you’re younger and have a disability or however old you are when you face a struggle your first priority is taking care of yourself so that you can recover.

A lot of people in society are barely surviving whether financially due to the pandemic or for whatever reason.

Compassion is owed to those of us who have a harder row to hoe.

As you get better that’s when you should consider taking up a cause outside of your pain.

The longer you’re able to live on earth the more time you have to make a difference while you’re here.

When you’re older and doing better it’s time to stop living only for self-gain with no regard for others.

I’m 55 years old. I have lived in New York City my whole life.

I remember Amadou Diallo whose life was cut short in 1999 by “41 shots” that cops fired at him.

A murder Bruce Springsteen protested against in his chilling song “41 Shots.”

So why has it taken so long to get to the point of mass outrage at the killing of George Floyd?

The point is we are all here today living on earth faced with this choice point to no longer turn a blind eye.

My goal had always been to bring people together. I chose early on not to divide people into those of us with disabilities versus those who are “normal.”

There’s nothing normal about hate killing and violence.

There’s nothing normal about judging people as being less than you because they’re different–have a different skin color or whatever marks them as Other than you.

Won’t you join me in speaking out?

I align with Black Lives Matter and always have. Everyone should.