I cut the identifying info from this press release and gave it to my 14-year-old nephew to read, with no context. Then I asked him for his thoughts.

Nephew: “Well that guy must’ve been white.”
Me: “Why do you say that?”
Him: “Because they were so nice to him.” #ChauvinTrial https://twitter.com/jaketapper/status/1384622849562873856

He said those words, exactly.

“THEY WERE SO NICE TO HIM.”

Then I showed him the video of Chauvin murdering #GeorgeFloyd.

Him: “I’ve seen that. It’s awful.”
Me: ...
Him: “Wait...”
Me: *shows him unredacted original press release*
Him: ...

We hear a lot about #TheTalk that black people have to have with their kids, over and over, just to keep them alive.

But if we want real change, there’s a corresponding talk we as allies need to have with our white children.

They need to understand the slave-owning origins of policing in #America. How the culture of “hunting” black people is still alive today. They need to learn the hard lesson that a badge doesn’t make someone a good person. And that it doesn’t mean they’re telling the truth.

And just as black kids face the stark reality of being coached daily on how to stay alive if they encounter police, we need to open the eyes of our white kids and teach them how to help.

Saying you don’t want to expose your kid to police violence, or disillusion them about #America is a choice black parents don’t get, and the epitome of white privilege.

If you want the American dream for all children, it’s not enough to raise a kind white child.

Raise an ally.