This article appeared in the October 20, 2023 edition of the Monitor Daily.

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The revolution of benevolence

Russ Bynum/AP
Mary Cure holds a framed photo of her slain son, Leonard Cure, as she speaks to reporters Oct. 18, in Woodbine, Georgia.
Ken Makin
Cultural commentator

I heard about the tragedy of Leonard Cure, and my heart sank. How could a man with a surname of healing have to endure such heartache for so long?

Mr. Cure, who was wrongfully imprisoned for 16 years for a crime he didn’t commit, was gripped by a fear that he would once again be denied justice without cause.

His nightmare came true this past Monday during a struggle with a Georgia deputy. According to reports, the deputy, who was white, pulled over Mr. Cure’s truck, saying Mr. Cure passed him going 100 mph. A series of escalations ended with the fatal shooting of Mr. Cure, who is Black.

Mr. Cure’s fears are my own. The tragic tales of Sean Bell, shot by police the morning before his wedding day, and Philando Castile, born 48 hours before me, haunt me.

Mr. Cure’s last name offers a glimpse into what seems to be both the simplest and the hardest solution – a need for a deeper humanity. The officer couldn’t have known Mr. Cure’s tragic backstory. Mr. Cure couldn’t have known what it is like to be an officer. Where is the space and opportunity for benevolence?

Seth Miller, executive director of the Innocence Project of Florida, says Mr. Cure “is someone that was failed by the system once, and he has again been failed by the system. He’s been twice taken away from his family.”

The Innocence Project is an organization that seeks to reverse wrongful convictions, but it can also speak to an effort to restore. In the face of political polarity, economic uncertainty, and international conflict, there can still be space for a cultural reset.

We are not combatants in a war. We are human beings, and even just the benefit of the doubt toward our neighbor could be the beginning of a revolution.


This article appeared in the October 20, 2023 edition of the Monitor Daily.

Read 10/20 edition
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