To the Journal editor:

(Recently), I was standing on the corner of Third and Washington holding a Black Lives Matter sign with about 15 others. A woman walked by me with four children, who asked her what was going on. Her answer was “They’re mad because the cops kicked a guy’s butt, but the cops are supposed to kick butt and keep us safe.”

Now, I’m no expert, but when I was growing up, a butt kicking was something you walked away from. The people who’s names are on our signs didn’t walk away afterwards. They didn’t go home again, ever. If George Floyd had only had a “butt kicking,” we probably wouldn’t be protesting right now. But here we are.

I’m not here to demonize police. I’m quite proud of our sheriff right now. But to sugar coat a difficult topic to a new generation isn’t helping preserve their innocence, only their confusion. The world is a scary place right now. Kids will have questions.

Tough questions, but ones that need an honest answer. To substitute “butt kicking” for “killing” isn’t honest. It’s tempting to ignore such questions. But not wise.

Because whether from the mainstream media, social media, friends or parents of friends, your kids will get an answer.

We, as a nation, do not have the luxury of ignoring our problems or differences right now. The world will not stop turning for our kids’ protection. They need your voice to guide them through a dark chapter in American history gently but honestly. Sometimes, we may not have the answers ourselves, but finding the truth together with our children is the only forward to a tomorrow that hopefully has fewer signs on the corner.