Volume 1: Issue 1

By Marlee, age 11, NC

I have seen the video of George Floyd, and I felt both mad and sad because it was such a careless act by a police officer. I saw that there was an African American male being handcuffed and put to the ground on his stomach, and then a Caucasian police officer knelt on his neck with his knee. After a few minutes, Mr. Floyd said he couldn’t breathe and even told the police officer, “I can’t breathe,” but I guess the police officer thought he was faking it, so he didn’t move. A few minutes later, Mr. Floyd was knocked unconscious. Then multiple people said to check his pulse, but the careless police officer didn’t. This unfortunately led to Mr. Floyd’s death. George Floyd wasn’t resisting arrest, and he was not being violent. There were other police officers, and they just stood there. Anyone who puts on a badge or police uniform and swears that they will protect their community and doesn’t is cruel.

A few days later, when I saw my parents watching the news, there were lots of protestors, police officers, and looters. One of the reporters said that the protestors were fighting for BLM, which means Black Lives Matter, and they were fighting and hurting Caucasian police officers. Why wouldn’t black lives matter . . . or white or blue or green people’s lives? It is not right to go against people just because of their skin color.

I wonder what people would do if I was a police officer? I am half Caucasian and half African American.

Most police officers are innocent and help fight against the evil in this world by protecting the places they live in. I feel like evil is being brought back by the fighting and looting after these police officers worked so hard to protect us, but now the streets are being destroyed. Some people have even started fires. By destroying things and starting fires, the looters are making it harder for the homeless in these areas, and it is already hard enough for them. It seems like everyone who is looting has a monster inside them, and that monster is taking control of them. It scares me.

All the looters are acting like childish fools. It is like they have blocked out everything good that they have learned and turned to evil and stealing. They are teaching kids like me that it is OK to steal. They are teaching kids like me that it is OK to go against people with differently colored skin. They are also teaching us kids that it is OK to throw stuff at each other. On May 29, 2020, a flying projectile was thrown by a protestor and hit a police officer in the head and broke his skull. What if that was someone in your family? How would that make you feel? Please stop making our world look like trash. We ALL know we can do so much better.

Think of what God sees! He sees all of us as one color. He sees us as one community, and He sees us as one big family. He doesn’t see us separated by our skin color. God’s heart is like a puzzle. You may ask, “How?” Well, God’s heart is like a puzzle because it can be broken and taken away, and it can be put back together. Right now, pieces are being taken away because of looters stealing and breaking stuff and because of all these people going against other people that aren’t their same skin color. We can put his heart back together by helping each other and loving EVERYONE. And that is what we want to do. We do not want to break God’s heart by doing bad/evil, but we want to put it all back together by doing something good, such as picking up trash at your community park or being friends with all types of people, no matter what they look like. I choose my friends because of what is in their hearts. What’s in yours?

I am 11 years old, and I know I have a voice, and I will not stay silent. I will share my voice with others, and that is what ALL of us should do to help make this better.

I want to first say thank you for the opportunity to hear your heart through your writing. Writing is a wonderful way of managing your thoughts and emotions by expressing them in a way that is helpful, especially in difficult times while moving forward. It also gives others, who may be different than you, a chance to hear your personal view and background of who you are and how you see the world. As I read your story, I feel your concern during these current times of chaos and confusion. It is evident in your article that you have good leadership qualities and values by offering solutions toward positive change and the importance of modeling God’s love for others.

 

I really like your title, “Putting the Puzzle Back Together” and how you compared it to God’s heart. A great writer challenges and inspires you to think of ways that can make a difference in your life or someone else’s life. Your writing inspired me to seek God’s word, and I found this verse. It says in John, 13:34 (NKJ), “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” We can choose how we respond. As a child of God, we have God’s divine love deposited in our inner being. We can allow that divine love inside us to respond and put back those pieces that heal us and make us whole.

 

By having a voice and responding rather reacting with violence or harsh words, we develop great communication skills for leadership. We need good leaders like you that truly make a difference. I want to encourage you to share your voice with others, one that empowers change.

 

Thank you for being bold, tenacious and loving.

 

Much love to you,

Kimberly Owen, Licensed mental health therapist, Eagle Women Rising, Davidson, NC

Created for girls ages 10–14 to encourage and inspire each other as they write the feature articles.