Tag: politics

“I don’t wanna talk about it”

Good for you and your new pretty flowers.

Good for you for your fun recent purchase, latest hobby, recent trip.

I don’t begrudge you these delights, but when they overshadow all else and you ask,

“Why do we have to talk about politics?”

‘Cause it feels important.

‘Cause it feels like the most important.

Here, in the richest country in the world, people are going hungry because of the actions of our government.

That feels bigger than politics. That feels like a wildly problematic value system.

People are being blown up in the Atlantic Ocean.

People can’t buy their medicine, study what they want, be who they are, love who they love, because of the power mongers who think it’s theirs to decide. (Newsflash: it’s not.)

I think about the harm, and the people dying, and ones whose livelihoods, families, hopes, homes are being stripped away, and it feels too important NOT to talk about.

You complained about your heating bill going up under the last administration, but the wealthiest people in the country just got a tax cut bigger than our income in a year, they’re being protected from accountability for grievous, heinous crimes against humanity – child humanity, no less – and you seem more annoyed that people are asking questions.

You don’t understand why I want to talk about it. I wonder why you don’t.

How can we not? Or are you afraid you might have to change your mind?

I had nothing but respect for you. As a human, as a “good” human being.

But now I just feel disappointment.

Your Christianity doesn’t seem very Christlike.

Are you not grieved that people are losing their food stamps just because they live in a blue state?

Are you not grieved that we’ve pulled SO MUCH humanitarian aid the world over that not just helped people by the millions, but that earned us goodwill?

Are you not grieved that we’re a laughing stock?

Are you not grieved that the color of ones’ skin is the sole decider of whether or not someone deserves consideration, understanding, or due process?

I guess I’m grateful to receive your kindness, as far as it goes, but I also wonder if I’m complicit to the greater problem if I receive said kindness when I know you’re not extending it to others that look or worship differently than you.

Super bummed. I wonder where the line is for you? When things are important enough to talk about?

Your discomfort may feel inconvenient, but I’d venture a guess that it’s waaay less uncomfortable than what the folks are experiencing who’re actually suffering under the aforementioned atrocities.

I mean, good for you and your comfortably oblivious life and option of not having to fear being arrested when you go to the grocery store.

But for tons and tons of other humans? Just like you? This shit is real.

I wonder when it’ll be for you?

Complacency looks like complicity and refusal to wrestle feels like hate. Not-love.

On the evolutionary continuum as a species? Let’s be better. Let’s share more, uplift more, grow in awareness, put ourselves in someone else’s shoes, help more. Not less. Not go backwards like we are right now.

Let’s start by tryna talk about it. We’re not business as usual. We’re in good vs. evil, right vs. wrong territory. It matters.

The Great Conversation

I’ve always loved the concept of “The Great Conversation.”

Coined in the 1950’s by Robert Maynard Hutchins and Mortimer Adler, “the concept describes how thinkers throughout history reference, build upon, and respond to the ideas of their predecessors.”

Quite unfortunately, however, it’s become increasingly difficult (impossible?) to dialogue with some folks about some things. They simply won’t “go there”. Whether it’s a mistrust of me specifically or just flat out refusal to engage in general, I don’t know, but I gotta do something with all this vacuous inactivity, and words seem to be pretty much all I’ve got to offer at present.

My partner Greg has a unique skill set for this unprecedented time. He taught American History for 34 years: he knows some stuff. And since I’m no longer content with his valuable knowledge of law, politics, and the history of our country being wasted on just me, because I’m seeking solace, clarity, solidarity, truth and justice for all, and because we consume our share of news, books, articles, podcasts, etc., spanning from the current to the historic, the factual to the more esoteric, we thought we’d share some of what we’re learning, talking about, and wrestling with. Maybe it’ll be helpful to others who’re also trying to make sense of things, and who may not have the time, bandwidth, or access to same said sources. Like one of our favorite thinkers, Dan Miller from “Straight White American Jesus,” often says, we’re “reading it so you don’t have to.” (Though of course READ IT if you can!)

It’s easy to chalk up differences as “different value systems,” but I’d like to think that at the end of the day, were we to strip away all the extras, that being human, we’re all – or ought be – interested in the concerns of all the other humans and the world and existence we share. In other words, I’d like to think that “value” is universal, and it’s worth tryna get to.

Greg and I have come to call my wanting to share with the world the goodnesses I’ve found as “throwing sparkles.” Sadly, the sparkles, instead of enlivening and improving the spaces, often feel to be trampled in the mud by those I’d hoped would receive and be better for them.

This is our effort to add our voices – our sparkles – to the world in the belief that each and every one of us has our own to contribute. Discover, use, share what you have, should you feel so led! The world needs all our voices in their respective colors and timbres. Let’s work toward being more evolved, more equal, more universally nourished in all the ways.

Unfortunately too, much of what we’ll be sharing is terrifying. But exposing dark things to the light will hopefully lead to mobilization toward positive change.

Here’s to the Great Conversation in all its worthy-of-perpetuating glory.