This post election season is so filled with hate that it makes me wonder who we are. We said it was a referendum on which America we would be… and then Donald Trump ‘won’. He won and the anti-Semites, racists, woman demeaners, LGBT bashers came pouring out of their swamps into the light of day.
Where did they all come from and where are their breeding grounds? As I see Trump’s cabinet fleshing out and filling up it is becoming clear that the breeding grounds are greed, self-interest, privilege, and fear of change. The rich are now in positions of power and leading the charge. They got the votes of people who will, no doubt, suffer from their decisions. Inspiring hate and an ‘us versus them’ mindset will continue to deflect their followers from the more ‘bigly’ truth.
If we were to base our vision for the future of our nation and who we are becoming on those facts it would be easy to despair. We are in trouble, no doubt about it. The coming weeks, months, and years will try us as we have never been tried. I have held dear ones who sobbed in my arms crying, “How do we go on from here?” I have heard from many who fear for their lives. The coming administration is setting us against one another and we all know that will foster distrust, fear, and hate. I wish we were immune but we are not. Don’t think this can’t happen to you or you will not recognize the message when it begins insinuating itself into your life.
In light of all that, what gives hope? And by hope I do not mean optimism. Rather, how do we move forward in the midst of all this in a way that is life-giving?
- we can refuse to divide ourselves from the ‘other’ and find our common ground
- we can speak out and stand up in situations where someone (even ourselves) are treated like ‘the other’
- we can intentionally build interlinked communities of support and action
- we can refuse to buy into the idea that there is only one right way to do things and make room for different gifts and skills that individuals and communities bring
- we can take back our country one issue at a time and one election at a time.
- we can continue to be who we believe we are even when we are afraid.
Fear decimates trust. We can’t afford to be afraid of one another. We are a patchwork of different communities whose borders don’t always touch. We do things differently for different reasons. We have different abilities and different perspectives. Now is the time to utilize all of our resources, to know deeply that there are many ‘right’ ways. Now is when we celebrate what each one, each community, each faith or non-faith brings to the table. Let our kaleidoscope of possibilities give us hope.
Amen, Sister