Sanity and the Soul of America
Loved this sign spotted on our spring break travels and felt inspired by the simplicity of this message. These feel like very dark, perilous days for our country. I don’t fancy myself an alarmist, but I do care about civil liberties, the judicial process, and the right to free speech. I also happen to care about immigrants and believe that America can and should be one of the most inspiring, open, and democratic countries in the Free World, a jewel in the crown of free and civil societies. But these accolades, previously hard won through the sacrifice and courage of our elders, are imperiled. Every day I look in the mirror and question what I am doing to safeguard the things I hold dear. I believe in Americans, and believe that most of my friends, family, and neighbors who voted for the current administration also do not believe in or condone hate, nor intentionally used their vote to propagate or condone it. Yet here we are, and the stakes are high. With so much uncertainty every day, and with authoritarianism knocking determinedly at our door, these are the commitments I am making daily to myself and my community to try to protect democracy and promote love in my home, in my workplace, in my beloved hometown, and in our country:
-I pray every day for relief from partisan politics that promote injustice, center ego above service, propagate lies, and use clickbait or blatant untruth to alarm citizens These behaviors are meant to drive wedges in the fabric of our communities, and they are working. I include in these prayers those directly and indirectly mistreated by the current political powers-that-be, and pray that we can return to a culture in which we treat our civil servants like the humans, servants, experts, and patriots that they are, rather than pawns in a hostile corporate takeover.
-I prize relationships, and spend more time in conversations that privilege edifying interactions with people in real life rather than online, and limit my time consuming or participating in social media
-I commit to invest in future generations (through my family and my vocation) by instruction younger people in my life on civic engagement and what it means to be an active citizen in a healthy democracy. I want to provide context for them, so that they understand what an extreme privilege it is to be born free, or find freedom, in a country where their education is guaranteed and their chance for upward mobility not yet an impossibility.
-I practice kindness to foreigners who are being hunted and persecuted as criminals in our country, often regardless of their conduct and character, sometimes regardless of their immigration status (visa or no visa), and always in spite of the tireless and thankless work they do to keep our country operating, food on our table, and a roof above our heads. While I believe that any and all criminals (immigrants or otherwise) should be held accountable for their actions and punished in accordance with the law, I don’t think all immigrants should live in fear because of the actions of a select few.
-I spend time with elders, who sometimes struggle to keep pace with the concept that the America they’ve known and trusted has morphed into a shape-shifting beast of media-curated realities that are often false, frequently inflammatory, and prey on generations who still believe they can turn on the television and get “news” that is true and mostly unbiased. These are the people in our culture with the most lived wisdom and often the smallest platform. I want to learn from their lives and experiences, while helping them to understand that their phones and the big tech companies behind them are driving everything they see with capitalistic algorithms that privilege sensationalism over facts, and don’t give a damn about anyone’s wellbeing.
-I believe that strong relationships, regardless of politics, might be the key to resistance against whatever is and whatever is to come. The nefarious actors challenging our very fabric would like nothing more than to turn us against one another, but I believe in my neighbors, my community, and my country.
-I take small steps every day to stay sane and engaged. These outlets/diversions have helped a lot lately:
1) Joining 5 Calls, and getting on the horn with my representatives. They make it easy and it takes no longer than about 5 minutes each day.
-I follow Mallory Hagan on social media, who is based here in North Alabama. For me, she is a welcome and refreshing Democratic voice, politically engaged and updated on legislation, AND she was Miss America for goodness sake so let’s hear it for people who live outside the box.
-I am reading the newsletter Tangle is awesome and presents viewpoints from both the right and the left for those with the time and patience to really read
-I am listening to The Telepathy Tapes podcast. This seems totally unrelated, but as the parent of a nonverbal child, it is a helpful reminder that there is more to this world than we can see and hear. It’s comforting to remember that consciousness is expansive and often beyond what we can imagine, and that there is a goodness and kindness that is possible in this world and we can not give up on it. And that all people, especially those who are marginalized or silenced/silent, deserve respect and protection. truly don’t even understand what they might be able to teach us in order to heal this broken world.
-And finally, while I don’t have a ton of time for TV, I loved watching Zero Day. It was crazy good storytelling, and it felt like a warm bath to remember for a millisecond what true integrity might look like in the highest ranks of government. Approaching the topic of cybersecurity seems like a great cautionary tale to remind us about why our interconnection and relationship with technology and tech titans REALLY does matter, and how/why we should continue to examine that.
-Did I mention pray? Every morning, every night. The gospel artist Terriann ( a Memphis girl!) has inspired me so much lately, particularly this little number.
With that, I will get back on my love train and start dinner. Let’s roll people! It’s time.