What can I do?

You might be here only for the technical content, but sometimes I think non-technical content is important enough to post. In the USA, right now is one of those times. Everyone knows what's going on here, with a massive backlash against systemic racism. I've been asking myself the simple question, "what can I do?" I don't have all the answers, and I'm not done asking, but I can at least say a few things publicly:

  • I can acknowledge that the success I've had, and the comfort and safety of my life, owe a lot to the privilege that I started with and still have.
  • I can work for a company where people understand there are problems, and are trying to make things better.
  • I can support my children when they put their bodies on the line in protests.
  • I can do the work to keep educating myself.
  • I can put my money into organizations that I think are on the right side of history, and that help real people suffering from long-term injustice and racism.
  • I can let my community know publicly where I stand.

So in case it's not completely clear: I am deeply disturbed by the racist parts of the history of this country, and appalled by the divisive antics of many so-called leaders in America, from President Trump down. There is no place in 2020 for Confederate flags, brutal policing, and race-based disparities in everything from education to healthcare. If you think those sentences have no place in this blog, or think I'm dead wrong, I cordially invite you to think again.

Now back to our regular technical content. This doesn't mean that I'm done thinking, just that you should also get the links you came here for.