In America today, citizens of color and religious minorities continue to be victimized by hate crimes – criminal expressions of bigotry that terrorize entire communities and fray the social fabric of our country.
People are still judged by the color of their skin, the religion they practice, their sexual preferences, or their political ideology. They are also too frequently robbed of their rights by men, women and systems duty-bound to protect them.
Other minorities also face discrimination and mistreatment. Immigrants seeking a better life are detained or mistreated at the border. Young children are separated from their parents and locked in cages. Even those who have lived and worked in this country for decades, remained law-abiding, with no criminal record, face deportation. The LBTQ+ community is continuously confronted with discrimination and mistreatment— stripped of rights afforded to others because they are different than the norm.
Issues of race, diversity, and inclusion have been simmering under the surface for many years until now. The signs are right in front of us, warning us. We must not let this newfound attention fade away. We must seek to understand and empathize with injustices in plain sight and focus on righting these wrongs.
Martin Luther King Jr. once said: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” MLK made a difference – he acted and spoke out.
So, don’t dismiss your voice or ability to influence change. All it takes is one person to stand up, show courage, and say, “ENOUGH.” For, all movements start with one person who chose not to remain silent. What happened to George Floyd and so many others cannot be left unchecked and must not be repeated.
I use my Zachary Blake Legal Thriller novels, my articles, blogs, and podcast platforms to get my truth out to readers and listeners. I hope to inspire them to find their own sense of empowerment to lead America to a better tomorrow.
Whether you lead a podcast, write a novel, article, or blog, join a debate, sign a petition, or participate in a peaceful demonstration, the world will be a better place if each of us takes one small step to do good.
Mark M. Bello, a trial lawyer, is the author of “Betrayal in Black” and other ‘ripped from the headlines’ Zachary Blake Social Justice Legal Thrillers available on Amazon.com and other online booksellers. For more information, please visit www.markmbello.com.