I have black men running through my neighborhood all the time. One of them runs with his baby’s carriage. He is out making sure his child gets fresh air and sunshine during Covid. When I pass them while I go for my walk, we give each other a wide berth but we smile and wave. We’re maintaining social distance but we’re still neighbors.

We did have a black child who was stealing in our neighborhood a few years ago. But no one shot him. A neighbor who caught him talked to they boy’s grandmother. The grandmother disciplined the child. Problem solved. This is how we’d have handled the situation if the child was white or brown. Why should skin color make a difference?

My mind still can’t believe a man was shot simply for jogging. I saw his picture. His open, smiling face. I can’t believe someone shot him. For jogging. Running while black is now a thing. I hope the men who killed him get the chair. Does that make me a bad person?