NON-VIOLENCE BEGINS IN THE HEART
The most patriotic thing we can do right now is tone down the hate
I grew up in a home where all the aunts and uncles and cousins had breakfast together on Sunday morning.
This would be a common conversation: One of my uncles would say, "Don't listen to your father, kids. You'll never make a dime!" Then my father would say, "Don't listen to your uncle, kids. He won't survive the revolution!" Then my mother would walk in and say, "So who wants white fish and who wants roast beef?" The climax of the conversation? "Okay, let's eat!"
In other words, there was always political cross-talk, political arguing, defense of or scorn directed at this political figure or another. But there was a firewall between all of that, and any kind of personal animosity. The hatred we're directing at other people for no other reason than that they have the audacity to disagree with us, is so toxic at this point that it's destroying the fabric of our society. No one owes it to us to agree with us! And no one has a monopoly on truth! Our judgement should be saved for unjust systems, not individuals.
At this point, it's becoming emotionally unsafe to even express an opinion anymore. Politics and political sharing should not be a psychological blood sport. Is that the world we want to bequeath to our children? This is a time for processing, for listening, for thinking, and yes, for many of us, for praying. I’m reminded of Buddha’s call to right thought, right speech, right action. This country is in trouble, everybody knows that, and the people who disagree with us aren't automatically our enemies. The next 70-whatever days are going to be so awful if we don't get control of ourselves. And after that, oh my God.
We decry the divisiveness, yet we divide ourselves constantly. I think the most important thing we can do today is forgive each other, have some mercy on one another, and give each other the benefit of the doubt. Everybody is hurting in some way, and no one is perfect.
Let’s try to show some respect. And show some love.
Yes - so true.
In the last 18 months, I've been writing a lot - mostly around this theme. Here's a snippet aligned with what you, Marianne, are expressing.
"Dehumanization
"The dehumanizing of those who disagree with us, through use of name-calling, judging, or otherwise labeling, is the precursor to entering into this slave-like trance of life-alienating communication. Sadly, this form of communication has become especially prevalent in social media commentary, leading to a toxicity online that most everyone has experienced at one point or another. The object of disdain is too White or too Black, too rich or too poor, too Christian or too non-Christian, etc.
"It is painfully common for conservatives to attack liberals as libertards and the other all-to-familiar pejoratives. This does nothing to create connection. It only keeps us down, while the abusive power structures which we all are made to endure continue to accumulate power and control. Similarly, the common name-calling attacks of liberals against conservatives, which start with racist and run the gamut of stereotyped enemy images, do nothing to support seeing our shared underlying humanity. They breed only contempt among people who would otherwise be naturally motivated to work toward the same basic values.
"We all want safety, security, a sense of belonging, a healthy planet, health for ourselves and those we love, clean water, the freedom to be ourselves, truth, justice, fairness, and so much more. And yet with all this name calling, judging, labeling, criticizing, blaming, and shaming, we are infighting as opposed to devoting our precious time and energy to collaborating on solutions that could work for everyone.
"Rehumanization
The only way to mend our social fabric is to return to what connects us all—what makes us all human. This can be accomplished through empathic dialogue. Nonviolent Communication (NVC) teaches that we all have the same range of feelings, and we all share the same universal needs (which could also be called heart-centered values). Where we differ is in the strategies, we use to meet those needs. Our highest work is to begin considering the needs of others, even our adversaries, and to ensure that we don’t harm others in our attempts to get what matters to us.
"We all have the same range of feelings, and we all share the same universal needs. Where we differ is in the strategies we use to meet those needs. As basic as this is, empathic dialogue is the cornerstone, and the build¬ing blocks, for reconnection, healing, and harmony.
“'The only way you can hate people is not to know them and not to see them as human. Empathy is everything.' (~ my friend Laura)"
It's Trump's demonization of everyone who doesn't support him that's beyond shocking. I don't think there's ever has been a political candidate who has spewed out the likes of lyin' Kamala Harris, crazy Kamala, a lunatic with a low IQ, a horror show, she'll destroy our country, a low IQ individual, on and on. Republicans going so low screams to be called out, but do you see parallels coming from Democrats?