As Simple As Treating Others, As We Would Like To Be Treated

This week has been a jarring experience for many Americans:

 

·      We had the President’s words regarding people who immigrate from Haiti and Africa that rang out as statements of either abject ignorance, or out-right racism.

·       We had the false alarm in the Hawaiian Islands, of a nuclear attack that many believed to be true.

·      We have an atmosphere of conflict, confusion and chaos in our government. We have the possibility of a government closure over an unresolved immigration policy.  Such unrest and upset certainly impacts the people of our communities throughout the country.

So what can we do about such a set of circumstances? Can we change our President’s ignorance or racist inclinations?  Can we correct the error that caused thousands of Hawaiians to fear for their lives?  Can we do anything that corrects our immigration policy so that our government stays open? In a word no. We are dependent on those who are responsible for dealing with these issues to do their jobs.

As citizens, we vote, we speak out and demonstrate and we wait for those who are suppose to represent us to behave like concerned adults.  If that doesn’t happen, and it has not for the better part of the last ten years, we are left with the consequences of our leaders inaction and disregard for the welfare of those who they are suppose to represent.

We have been living through a season of holding on to dogmas rather than appreciating others differing view of reality.  This has deteriorated into what is referred to as “tribalism.”  Tribalism has led to treating human beings as if they are so many pieces of furniture that can be moved and manipulated at the will of others. Sadly, we have been living through a time of viewing people as a means to an end and not an end in them selves.

Our country is suffering under this ignorance based, self centered, “it’s my way or the high way” approach to creating stalemates and political stagnation.  As a global leader, we are becoming a laughing stock to others and are undoing what we have spent the past 80 years creating; a safe, global community of equals who are working together to provide for the safety and needs of our various national and regional communities.

What we can do is to bring our core essence as people and as citizens---our awareness, compassion and human kindness--- into our sphere of influence and not get sucked into the vortex of the self-serving ignorance that is prevalent today.  We can treat others as we would want to be treated and over time, slowly but surely by our example and courage, we can effect change. We have role models in this way of relating to difficult, at times appearing, insurmountable problems.  One is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Another is John Lewis.  Still another is Andrew Young. And there are many others whose lives have been placed on the line to stand for the importance of each one of us, for each member of our human family.

It takes one breath at a time, one step at a time, one blog article at a time, one example of standing up for an issue at a time, one vote at a time and, the courage to be patient and to trust that Life, as our teacher, will guide us through the suffering to a new day of overcoming our ignorance, fears and insecurities. Once again, WE SHALL OVERCOME!