Written by Kimberly Fletcher

My brother is a police officer. My son is training to be a police officer. These are difficult times and Facebook is full of posts from people sharing their perspectives. There are several that touched me but none more than the one from my 18 year-old niece, Macy. I asked her if I could share it on our blog and she gave permission to do so. Please take a moment and read the heart of one of those young people who will be the future of our nation. Maybe it will be their generation who will finally achieve “One Nation Under God” and secure the legacy of liberty our Founding Families so hopefully believed we would achieve.

Facebook Post by Macy Williams

I do not feel it is everyone’s responsibility to personally respond to the things happening in our world right now, but it is everyone’s right. I live my life by what I feel God calling me to do and for once I feel the need to use my rights to respond. I’ve never done this, and please know I’m not looking to argue, to discount or cause discomfort to anyone, so if you feel bothered please skip this post. If you have something to respond please feel free to contact me directly.

I have had the advantage of growing up in a law enforcement family, but also coming from a multiracial and diverse (in every sense of the word) family where the color of our skin does not define who we are and our love is rooted in the words of our Creator, which for me is Jesus Christ. I know some of the persecution my family has faced, and they know of the persecution I have faced, but because we are all unique we won’t be able to truly understand our experiences the way the other does. It hurts that some people turn to hatred based on the color of another person’s skin or their differing beliefs instead of looking into their heart and seeing the beautiful creation they are.

What happened to George Floyd is atrocious. I’ve never been more happy to see a person arrested and convicted. However, with the terrorism that I see (because all the destruction happening goes beyond “peaceful protesting”), it hits me hard. Every day living as an officer’s daughter, I‘ve worried my dad might not come home that day. I‘ve witnessed first hand my dad being threatened both physically and verbally, heard many close call stories that others wouldn’t understand, watched him risk his own life for another’s, and even had our car bashed in all because of his career. My dad’s job is dangerous and I’ve grown up accepting that. When I see people celebrating destruction, but specifically of a police station, I take that as a personal threat to my father. “F*** the police” is a personal threat to my father. Just as the communities that live in fear and distrust of the police, my family has had to live our lives always watching our backs in fear and caution of the many people who hate police and have directly threatened to bring us harm just because of my father’s career path, his calling.

In times like these my worry for him is higher, because for 20 years of me experiencing life with him, my dad left for duty in his bulletproof vest, and I can honestly count the number of times I’ve actually seen him wear it on two hands.

I don’t say any of this to discount the experiences of others. I recognize and hear what you’ve been through, and also recognize I won’t ever be able to understand them the way you do. I hurt for you and want change too. I just wanted to share another point of view others might not have heard before, and express there’s not always one right solution. I love all people despite any differences they may have, because that is what God calls us to do. Each and every person was put on this earth for a purpose, and it takes obedience to follow what you were created for.

I do not know what it will take for every one to be on the same page. Maybe there does need to be change in the justice system. Maybe all we need is better cooperation, patience, and listening to understand rather than respond from all sides involved. I don’t know, but what I do know is hatred will only bring death both spiritually and physically. No matter the end goal, hatred of another person is letting evil win, creating a larger divide, and the true desire of what we all want is lost beneath that. Our country is bleeding, our people are broken. What happened is very disheartening, but I also do not agree with the destructive response some, NOT all, people are partaking in. I hope from all this, God is able to put a strong pull on everyone’s heart to show us what needs to be done to properly end racism, end persecution and just end hate.