A Truce in the War on Christmas

I've never been convinced there ever was a war on Christmas, but some of the pundits like to think so and I'll go along just for fun. I am now calling for an unconditional truce in this "bloody battle" taking place in the season of warmth and love. My unconditional truce simply asks to acknowledge that we simply don't need this war of words in this special season.

One of the ways we can all enjoy the season more is to embrace a tolerance for one another and understand that the Christmas season can have a special meaning for all of us no matter what we believe in, or don't believe in. I always try to see the world in larger contexts than just my own experiences and customs. I try to find value in the ways of others- even others who are very different from me, or might even consider me to be their enemy. I've discovered that trying to think that way gives me a much better appreciation for the wondrous variety of life all around us.

To illustrate the point I'm sharing a Christmas song with you, one I bet you've never heard before. It's called White Wine in the Sun. It is an original song by an Australian musician, satirist and commentator named Tim Minchin. Tim tells us why Christmas has a very special meaning to him. Tim rejects the traditional meaning associated with the religious aspects of Christmas, and sings of  the very touching, deep meaning he has found in this holiday. It's about family; or he puts it, "the people who make you feel safe in this world".  When I first heard the song I was reminded that no matter what our beliefs may be, it might be good to realize the Christmas season can mean something different to us all. We are not all Christians- some are Jewish, some are Muslim, some Hindu, some hold to Native beliefs, some are non-believers- but all deserve good will. I hope you will enjoy this Christmas song in that spirit.

A WARNING for the very religiously sensitive among you. There are few lyrics in the song that are unflattering to organized religion (downright critical really)- but like I said, Tim is a satirist and a commentator. Nonetheless he provides us with a different prospective, and tells us there can be more than one "Reason for the Season". Perhaps that's the only way to really have a truce in the War on Christmas.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Season's Greetings. I hope you are with the people who make you feel safe in this world.

Sticks and Stones...

"Sticks and stones can break my bones- but words will never harm me." This old childhood adage is as familiar as it is absolutely INCORRECT. In fact, words can harm us. Words are sometimes the most harmful of all weapons used to wound our spirit, keep us in our place, or demoralize our lives. The latest set of words to grab our attention and propel the nation into our separate, and very polarized camps, were words spoken by Phil Robinson of Duck Dynasty fame. Phil was quoted from a GQ magazine article discussing homosexuality and racial issues, among other things. His comments are derived from his own version of his Christian faith and his experience growing up and living in the swampland of southern Louisiana. Phil and his family have parlayed a successful Duck Call manufacturing business into a reality TV show that features him and his family living life their way.

One of the most interesting aspects of this controversy that it (once again) illustrates that our culture has devolved to the point where any spark of conflict triggers us to retreat to our extreme corners and then come out swinging at each other like we all fall into only two distinct camps with no middle ground. It seems we have given up all attempts at nuance or deeper thinking when we are faced with contentious issues. We have become a people where we are: pro-life or pro-choice; ultra conservative or ultra liberal; fundamentalist Christian or atheist; Fox News or MSNBC; Homophobic or pro-"gay agenda", with no ability to see the details of  our arguments or appreciate anything the "other side" has to say. And, it appears, we are always looking for a fight. That kind of thinking has infected our Congress, causing it to be dysfunctional, and it is spreading to almost all aspects of our public discourse.

Having said that, let's look at this latest tempest of words and loyalties from the past week. The Robinsons are celebrities now. Given our worship of celebrity, an interview with Phil Robinson isn't an unusual thing. Phil is known for his back-woods wisdom and strong Christian faith, and has done quite a bit of guest preaching at his local congregation and other places around the country. But when the quotations from the GQ article became public this week there was an avalanche of shock and criticism. That led the parent network (A&E) that airs his show to suspend him from the show. That action caused an avalanche of push-back from some folks claiming that A&E was violating Phil's constitutionally protected right to free speech, and violating his right to practice his religious beliefs. Oh, how some have reacted! The social media is full of "I support Phil" sites with the usual chorus of right-wing politicians speaking up to defend Phil Robertson's comments- that would be the Sarah Palin crowd with Ms. Palin personally leading the charge to claim that Phil was merely paraphrasing the Gospel. She ends up concluding that "the liberal media" therefore must also hate the Gospel; and that is a very bad thing. There are those who claim the action by A&E violates the First Amendment to the Constitution. After listening to this for several days now I'm pretty sure some in this crowd don't have much familiarity with the Constitution or the Gospels.

Reading the quotations from Phil's interview left me feeling pretty disgusted with his opinions. I understand that we are all entitled to our opinion- but Phil's opinions are so offensive to many Americans that A&E had to distance themselves from him or be labeled as condoning them. For those of you who actually saw the comments, you know that he said, "start with homosexual behavior and just morph that out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this women and that women and those men". At one point he equated "the sin" of homosexuality to being a terrorist. Then he went on to describe his preference for the qualities of female anatomy compared to a male's anatomy, as if the selection of an orifice is the essence of committed relationships. What makes these statements offensive to me is that they cast a entire group of people with characteristics that simply aren't there. He certainly has the right to disapprove of homosexuality, but the way of expressing it was simply filled with inaccuracies designed to illicit an emotional reaction that causes harm to people.

Words can harm us. Words are the instrument to explain ideas, thoughts, and feelings. The result of these ideas, thoughts and feelings are actions. We have a long history of discrimination against gay people. It was not until very recently that gay people could be legally discriminated against in employment, housing, access to health care, and any number of other privileges. Even though many of those laws allowing discrimination have been stopped it is still clear that gay/lesbian people have a long way to go to gain full equality in our culture. So when someone uses the language Phil Robinson uses, it contributes to a stereotype and a mind-set that fosters more discrimination and sometimes even hatred. Phil's suggestion that gay people are the same as those who have sex with barnyard animals, the same as promiscuous people or prostitutes, or are sinners like terrorists ought to be considered offensive- primarily because it just isn't true. The same is true of his comments about race. For him to suggest that African-Americans seemed happier before the struggle for civil rights is so outlandishly inaccurate that it breeds total disrespect for an entire race of Americans and sadly cheapens the blood spilled, the sacrifices made and efforts of so many to gain civil rights and human dignity following the shame of slavery in this country.

The argument that his First Amendment rights are being violated is nonsense. The First Amendment protects us from Government censorship of speech. So far as I know the Government hasn't come after Phil and they won't. Freedom of speech has never been considered absolute or protected from all consequence. For instance I am not free to say certain things about my employer or the corporate values held by my employer. If I do-I won't get arrested, but I will surely be fired-just a Phil was. Nothing in this episode is a threat to the First Amendment. And as far as I know no one is stopping Phil from continuing to preach whatever message he chooses, in spite of how vile I, and others find it.

I cannot help but to hold Phil's comments up against my understanding of Christian religious values. To me they seem very far removed from the Christian faith. I fully understand that religious faith can have many interpretations and meanings to different people. In some ways that is the very nature of religion. In the many forms of Christianity, the definition of "sin" can vary widely and the ways of dealing with sin varies widely too. Some people, like Phil, choose condemnation accompanied descriptions analogous to every sort of evil, fitting or not. Others choose tolerance accompanied by forgiveness and kindness. Still others choose to see some transgressions, not as transgressions at all. Though I do not identify myself with any religion, I have a fairly good knowledge of Catholic faith from my upbringing and my education. Those experiences taught me that the definition of Christianity, put most simply, is to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. Nowhere in the New Testament Gospels (the story of Jesus) do I find anything resembling the sentiments expressed by Phil Robinson. Instead, I find a message of love, of tolerance, of acceptance and of charity. I have seen the words of Phil's defenders over the last week claiming that he (and they) aren't making judgments about gay people- they are just defending their faith which defines homosexuality as sin. But, in fact they are leveling a judgment- it is judgment that renders harsh consequences for gay people who struggle with their identity- a judgment that leads many people to needless shame, guilt, drug abuse, mental illness or suicide. At the very least it is judgment that devalues gay/lesbian people who live in life-long, committed, loving relationships. I know such people, and their relationships are as strong and loving as any heterosexual married couple.

At the beginning of this essay I mentioned that we are polarized and our discourse lacks nuance. The nuance I seek is the ability in all of us to see the grey areas in life. The nuance is to understand the complexity of human behavior and emotions, and not see things as black or white, good or bad, pure or evil. For those who want to practice Christianity better, I merely suggest there might be better authorities out there to take guidance from. The new Pope Francis may be a far better teacher than Phil Robinson. He, to my way of understanding Christian faith, is telling the faithful to focus more on charity and the commandment to love one another, than to condemn those you see as sinners. In that vein, it might be good to remember that sticks and stones are not the only things that can harm us-words harm us too. We should all use them thoughtfully, judiciously and with a spirit of kindness.

Thanks for looking in.

Thanksgiving For Grumpy Old Men

Perhaps I’m a masochist, but I find myself listening to a lot of talk radio when I’m driving around for work during the week. The only options in my community are the conservative talk radio stations with the likes of Limbaugh, Hannity, and Lavin. In the late afternoons there is a local show I will sometimes listen to that features an older local radio host- and he’s very conservative too. I listen these guys for two reasons; 1. I like political talk, and 2. Our community (like so many others) doesn’t have a progressive talk radio station any more. Besides, it is probably good to know what the “other side” is saying, and it gives me a little mental exercise taking them apart intellectually in my head. Although with these guys it doesn’t really take much intellectual fire-power to debunk most of their rhetoric. I get a particular kick out of the local guy.  His name is Fitzsimmons and he has this constant running theme that the country "is going to hell" and that we need to return to the “old-fashioned values” he grew up with in the fifty’s and early sixty’s. He laments, in almost tearful regret, that young people have no respect for society, that people are mean and suspicious of each other “these days”, that we can’t leave our doors unlocked at night, etc. etc. Then about every other day he goes into angry rants about the number of people on food stamps or other programs and, of course is he’s certain that it’s because we’re just becoming a society of lazy, no-good takers who would rather put their hand out-than lift a hand on their own behalf. To cap off this triple crown of daily whining about the “good old days” gone by, he of course blames it all on President Obama. Believe me; I listen to a lot of Obama-delusional rhetoric, but our local guy is as bad, or worse than any of them. I have renamed his show “grumpy-old-man radio” or perhaps it should be “grumpy-old-white-man radio”. Nonetheless, in radio world he’s the guy yelling at the kids to “get off my lawn”, while talking to a bunch of red-neck callers who join the chorus of complaining about the government while collecting their SSI for a “bad back”. (Have you ever wondered why all these middle-aged, white-guy callers are home all day listening to Limbaugh, Fitzsimmons and Co.?)

I don’t get angry listening to this stuff. I admit that sometimes it just have to push the button and switch to classic-rock or I’d go a little crazy. Mostly I react to this type of non-sense by realizing there is another world that is so much better than the one these merchants of negativity (and sometimes hatred) are spewing about all day.  I know that world exists because I experience it. That is the world I’m grateful for in this Thanksgiving season. In spite of the horrible state of national governance and the impossible conditions for future political progress in the near-term, I have faith in the kind of country we live in. My faith comes from remembering that as a nation, we’ve seen success emerge from very poor starts and seemingly impossible odds, spurred on by those who rather see political advantage trump national success. Chances are, those forces will not succeed in the long run. They rarely have.

During the last month and a half our leaders have engaged us in a costly and wasteful government shut down that had no positive results for anyone, followed by a very poor start to one of the most important social reforms in our lifetime. Given this recent record of malaise and political vitriol, it’s very easy to fall prey to the “grumpy-old-man” view of things. Our media, with its 24 hour news cycle and constant intrusion of internet news and opinion, seems only to exacerbate the negativity. But, stepping back a moment, it’s good to remember the other times when we faced similar situations, and things turned out just fine. Oh, I know that we have short memories and even shorter attention spans, but think about the past and take heart.

I’m quite sure there are better examples, but here are a few I thought of where we experienced a bad start, but where the ultimate success now define who we are. Our very nation itself began with an unsuccessful start. From 1777 to 1789 our first attempt at self-government failed. The Articles of Confederation formed our first nation and was a miserable failure. It was replaced by our current Constitutional government after twelve years. Lincoln’s first few years were a terrible failure. His very election was the last straw for southern states in their quest to preserve slavery, even if it meant destroying the union- and they tried to do just that. Lincoln suffered political and military defeats during his first three years in office on a regular basis. He now enjoys the legacy of being our best President and the savior of the Union. His crowning achievement was the abolition of slavery- but let’s remember that politics were far more contentious then than now, and the Thirteenth Amendment only passed the House by two votes in 1865- aided by some monumental skulduggery. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 passed the House, but then took six more months to get through the Senate, again with monumental skulduggery. And, even after nearly 50 years we are still struggling to fully integrate its true meaning into the American heart. FDR struggled for years to bring the nation back to prosperity during the Great Depression. He had many small successes, but just as many disappointments and setbacks.

During the last week we have remembered and honored the life and death of John F. Kennedy. Fifty years after his sudden and tragic death, we remember his charisma and his message of youthful hopefulness, when the nation seemed reborn. But we must remember too that he endured real failures and troubles in the short time he led us. He totally botched foreign policy in his execution of the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba, and lost several rounds in international diplomacy to Khrushcev- before facing him down during the Cuban Missile crisis. His domestic policies were stalled almost the whole time he was in office. But now our memories of him are about his inspiration and his soaring vision that inspired a generation to service and exploration. He inspired and challenged the nation to travel to the moon, but that too was plagued by early failures. We forget that all of the early rockets blew up on the launch pad, or exploded in the atmosphere. It literally took years to develop our capacity to travel in space. But we did not give up.

Today’s grumpy-old-man moment is filled with dissatisfaction over the Affordable Care Act. The political detractors of this huge reform are rooting for its failure and devoting not one moment to help make it work. They have filled the airwaves with ceaseless calls to repeal it and done their level best to convince us that we should pay attention to a website and never think about the policy behind it. Once again our short attention span directs us forget why this happened in the first place. In spite of a poor beginning, we did this because 50 million Americans had no access to health care in the wealthiest country in the history of the world. We did this because even those that had access to health care were regularly going bankrupt at a record pace due to the insurance industry’s tyrannical control of our lives. We did this because it was the right thing to do- the moral thing to do. And finally, we did this because there was a national consensus that health care access and costs had to be fixed; and the opposition party didn’t offer one single alternate idea- and they still haven’t! I would remind the repeal rooters out there at that this bad beginning to the ACA is no different than the bad beginning to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid or Medicare Part- D. In none of those instances, or the monumental national setbacks described above, did we ever just give up or succumb the narrow partisan politics of defeat that accompanied all of these events in their day, like they do today. Extreme opposition existed in every one of the events I mentioned above. But somehow our national spirit allows for progressive ideas to win the day and move us forward. Every great step this country has taken in extending liberty, expanding human rights, or enriching the American experience or way of life occurred because progressives (or liberals, if you prefer) pushed for them. In each case the conservatives of the day pushed back, amplified the early failures, and called for them to stop-hearkening back to a past they felt was better, and foretelling ruination should they continue. But those reforms, those new freedoms, those progressive ideas that improved the lives of Americans did move forward because we tend to see things through to completion as a people.

I’m thankful that we live in a country that doesn’t give up. I’m thankful, that in spite of the naysayers and the political charlatans, we generally do the right thing. If those who came before us gave-up or gave-in as some suggest today, we might not have civil rights, women’s rights, Social Security, or Medicare. It's possible we might not have had a space program and the scientific advances it brought. We might not have this nation if initial failures or setbacks led us to just give up. The most important ingredient in any struggle is to keep improving, and keep innovating to overcome problems, not just give in to them. That's a part of us I'm very proud of, and most thankful for this Thanksgiving. Even though I'm getting older, and sometimes get a little grumpy, I refuse to join the ranks of grumpy-old-men who lament the old days, and refuse to look forward to a better time. In lots of ways the "old days" weren't all that good any way. Our memories, like wine, tend to get better with time. The future, even with its bumpy starts always holds more promise.
Thanks for looking in, and Happy Thanksgiving!!

 

Thoughts On My Death

It may be natural, if not natural then at least typical, when someone close to us or important to us passes away we consider our own mortality. I had that experience just recently when I learned of the death of The Reverend Monsignor James Ribble. Knowing something about him, I’m quite sure he would have always favored being called “Monsignor”; and I mean no disrespect at all, but I will refer to him in this essay from here forward as Father Ribble. I do this only because when I knew him best, he had not yet attained the distinction of Monsignor. So before I launch in to thoughts of my own death let me tell you something about Father Ribble and why he was an important figure in my life.

As I have written in other essays on this blog, I came from a devoutly Catholic Italian family. I attended Mass every Sunday and observed all the Holy Days. We belonged to a small Parish that was formed to accommodate the Italian immigrants in my small home town, primarily because the Irish Catholics from the big Parish wouldn’t allow the Italians in. (Not exactly an example of Christian Charity.) Nonetheless the intimacy of the small parish meant that the Priests could know the parishioners well. Priests were often guests in our homes and were treated with great respect and over-the-top courtesy. It was an honor to have a priest come to your home for a meal or a visit. As part of the Catholic upbringing, my sister and I attended Catholic school as well. I have to say that my elementary school performance was far from stellar. Then it was grades one through eight- then four years of high school. After eight years of “David is not performing up to his potential” my prospects in high school didn’t look so good. Here’s where Father Ribble came in.

In the fall of 1968 the Bishop assigned Father Ribble to be Principal of our High School. I was entering as a freshman. He had just come from a very successful stint as Rector at a high school seminary, where for the first time in their history the Seminary had become fully accredited. He did the same in the two years he was at our school. You might say he was a “fixer”. He was the one they sent in to turn things around and get schools on the right path. He also was keenly interested in having successful debate teams- because speech and debate was his thing. In every academic assignment up to then he had built very good debate teams that competed successfully at high levels. He had an undeniably successful method of recruiting. As incoming underclassmen we could choose debate or choir- and choir was not presented as a desirable option, making the choice a little easier.  Once he had a large crop of unsuspecting freshmen, he added hand-picked upper classmen and began culling the group for those he felt had potential in debate and speech. I was among the ones he picked to form the team. I must admit it was nice to finally escape the curse of the nuns who didn’t hold out much hope for my success, and told my parents their best course was to “pray for David”.  This was a turning point in my school life and my entire life to follow.

Debate team members worked with him personally and got to know Father Ribble on a very different level than any of the other students. Our school was small so most of us engaged in a number of activities. I played football, some basketball and track. But the lasting skills from high school came from my association with Father Ribble. He was the single most influential teacher and the most important influence in my life, outside of family.

 I got involved in student government during his time at our school and I often found myself in his office to discuss this matter or that, in addition the time he worked with all of us honing our debate skills. He had gotten to know my parents because he took an interest in my family; and he drove us to all to Debate tournaments on the weekends, dropping us off at our homes at the end of a day of travel, sometimes coming in to visit my folks. None of the lessons I learned from Father Ribble were religious lessons, oddly enough. Instead, what I learned from him was his sophisticated, charismatic method for dealing with a world that demanded excellence of thought, logic, and communication. He was not at all the pious, impoverished, humble padre’. He was physically big and rather handsome- an imposing man. He came from a wealthy family and he believed that in order to be good, you had to look good too. He tended to have the finest things, many of which were, no-doubt supplied by his very well-to-do parents. For instance, he owned a luxury Oldsmobile Toronado, the first production automobile with front-wheel drive. When he became Principal the first thing he did was repaint and renovate the school building. He always referred to the school building itself as “the plant” and often mentioned that its appearance was important even to a school system that was supported by parish donations and often cash-strapped. I’m told later in life as Rector at the Cathedral, if he did not find the flower gardens around the Cathedral to his liking, or up to his standards, he would have them torn out completely and done again. He took flying lessons and got his pilot’s license in 1969. The man never used a phone book. I often would marvel at his habit of calling  “Information” to get every number he needed. If it was there- he used it and could not be bothered to waste time doing anything mundane himself, even looking up a phone number.  In the last part of his life he traveled the world in his own unique bigger-than-life manner, I’m sure. He made tremendous contributions at every station in his life.

The great impact on my life came from his insistence that we master a subject, practice it with precision, always- always argue with impeccable reasoning and logic, and use our best voice to be persuasive in our presentation- that's Debate. In addition to instilling these intellectual values, he was also by far the best public speaker I have ever heard in any arena. Although he was only at our school for two years he completed the turn-around the place needed, then went on to earn his Ph.D. in Speech and Communication. Our lives intersected with his for some years after as we stayed in touch- he even conducted the funeral Mass for my parents.

Upon hearing of his death, I reflected on the influence he had on me, and probably on many others as well. Given that he was a Priest, it could be assumed that some aspects of religion crept into that part of me he influenced. But it did not. So, as one person’s death tends to remind us of our own inescapable death, I sometimes take the time to prepare my thoughts for my death, using many of the intellectual tools he provided us with.

For religious people (particularly Judeo-Christians and Muslims) death has a whole different meaning than it does for someone like me. For them, death is a gateway to another existence which is real for them because their faith tells them it exists. I am atheist. (Note: I use that word as an adjective, not a noun. Because to say I am “an” atheist is to put me in a group that defines me, like religious groups tend to define their members.) Because of how I think about the world, I don’t live my life thinking there is another life to follow this one. The way we think about life informs the way we think about death. It is ironic that many of my thoughts about life and death were influenced by a man whose entire adult life was devoted to religion- a state of thinking, acting, and being I do not accept or practice. But it was his insistence upon reason and logic that led me to this way of thinking, and eventually to the notions I hold now. Please don’t think I “blame” a priest for my atheism. I don’t. Even to suggest that a life lived without religion is a reason for “blame” at all would not be correct for me. I have come to this way of thinking very happily. It is almost inconceivable for religious folk to think that a life devoid of a “God” can be a happy one. They tend to believe their own religious notions so strongly that they think someone who has no religion suffers a deficit or a missing ingredient to be regretted throughout life. It is not that way at all.

For me and many more who think similarly to me (and this number is growing very fast world-wide) we tend to enjoy our life quite a bit, knowing that this is the only life we have. In some ways it is both a relief not to worry about the eternal damnation taught to me in my youth, or wonder about the eternal rewards religion mysteriously promises; and gives me reasons to live a good and happy life with the only life I’ll have. Therefore thoughts about my death are tranquil and peaceful to me. It is not a doorway to struggle through- it is the simple and logical end to an existence much cherished while I had it.

I try to put my existence into a perspective that says life occurs through a random set of events that took place on this planet, and I’m just fortunate to have mine. I know from scientific evidence that the world has been here for billions of years and that my species is a very recent development in a continuum of life that has seen countless species come and go. That is not a belief system- it is literally true, and sometimes religion has a hard time reconciling that truth. That knowledge tells me I need to cherish the life I have and not fear the end of it, because I know that my death is a natural result of life, as it has been for every other living thing on this planet. Science also tells us just how fragile life can be, and that are many variables which come into play in determining how long each of us has to enjoy it. I don’t see any evidence of a grand plan here where some are “chosen” to live or die, be sick or be healed by an unseen all-powerful being. To my way of thinking, using the logic and reason I was taught, that is a view of life that makes no sense and can be kind of terrifying when you think about it.  I find great peace in my own view of life that tells me my death is inevitable and natural- not a punishment or reward with more punishment or reward to follow in an eternal plain that somehow exists beyond the physical plain of the universe. In that sense, I’ll be OK with my death.

None of this is meant to insult or denigrate those who hold genuine religious beliefs, and despite the stereotype that people who think as I do are out to convince others to join their “Godless ways”; this just concerns my way of thinking about life and death. In fact, others who think as I do rarely promote their ideas to others and understand the need for tolerance for all kinds of different thoughts on these matters. They are also some of the most giving and generous of those I know. They do good towards others not because they are motivated by eternal rewards or punishment, but because they see good works and caring as a responsibility towards their fellow human beings; that is, it is the way our species survives best. Science tells us that we, as an organism on this earth, will eventually succumb to the failing of our bodies. That is my fate, as it is for all of us.

Father Ribble got me to church one more time this week when I attended his Funeral Mass along with a packed Cathedral full of devout Catholics and nearly every other priest in the region- most of whom were touched by his life as I was. I was there to honor this man of great intellect and accomplishment- and even to recognize the good he had done for the church. In a very personal way I appreciate that his life and his death have reminded me to reflect on my own life and my own death to come. I will cling to life and enjoy it to the fullest for as long as I can- as I know he did. But as I move towards my inevitable death I will do so knowing that my accomplishments are reflected in the family I have, and leave this one life being content with what I have done and those who have cared for me.

Thanks for looking in.

Zealots

The term “zealot” has come to mean a person or set of persons who think and act with great zeal- zeal being a strong feeling of interest and enthusiasm that makes someone eager or determined to do something. Historically zealots are associated with religious zeal. In ancient times there was a specific group of Jewish people who existed in the early first century who were called the Zealots. They were the most notable group of all in casting the meaning of "zealotry". The historian Josephus wrote in Jewish Antiquities that there were three main Jewish sects at the time, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Essenes. The Zealots were the “fourth sect”. The Zealots formed in protest to Roman occupation and taxation of the land of Judea. They were radical and absolute in their beliefs and their actions against Roman rule, and violently objected to the other three sects of Jews who sought compromise and a peaceful coexistence with the Romans.

In the Talmud, the Zealots were seen as non-religious because they did not follow their religious leaders, and were also called Biryonim, meaning “boorish”, “wild”, or “ruffians” and were condemned for their aggression, their unwillingness to compromise even to save the survivors of besieged Jerusalem when Rome retaliated against them. They were also condemned for their blind militarism against the Rabbis who sought to make peace. In that way, the Zealots were blamed for contributing to the demise of Jerusalem and the Second Temple because their actions ensured Rome’s retributions and stranglehold on Judea. They were noted for turning on other Jews who did not agree with their extreme positions and often murdered political rivals within the Jewish community rather tolerate Jews who did not take their same radical position against the Romans.

All of this is an interesting facet of the history of Judea and the Jews under Roman rule; but as I was trying to make sense of our own political activities over the last month and even over the last few years I kept coming back to the idea of the Zealots. As we all lived through and witnessed the incredible waste and pain that accompanied the government shut down in the first two weeks of October, nothing else described how this came to be better than the “zealotry” of those who caused it. A small bit of research on the Zealots of ancient Judea confirmed my instinct on this notion and crystallized the comparison between the Zealots of first century in Judea and the Tea Party Republicans of today.

There are those who continue to claim that the shut-down of government was not the fault of the radical Republicans, but was instead the fault of President Obama who refused to deal with them while they openly threatened a shut down- then openly caused it. The record is very clear that Tea Party House Republicans planned for months to use this tactic in their zeal to repeal the Affordable Care Act. They saw the debt ceiling date on the calendar, as we all did, and staged their rebellion to use that crisis specifically to get their way. Any attempt to say that President Obama was the one who wanted the shut-down is pure fantasy springing from the minds of these modern-day zealots. Remember that in ancient times the Zealots were so consumed with their cause that they harmed their own kind and took actions that ultimately led to their own destruction. Senators Cruz and Lee, and the handful of Tea Party Republicans in the House did exactly the same thing.

Zealots, by their nature, can only see events and judge reality through the very narrow lens of their own extreme beliefs. The Zealots of ancient times were so consumed with hatred toward their Roman enemy that they lost sight of the reality of their situation and became so entrenched in their hatred that they saw anyone who questioned them as the enemy too- even their own people. Is there any anyone among us now who would not admit that is exactly the same situation the Tea Party, and the entire Republican Party finds itself in? Those who caused the shut-down had no regard for the consequences of their actions. In many instances they actually said that the consequences weren’t happening, or if they happened it might be a good thing. The Tea Party talking point, faithfully echoed constantly on right-wing talk radio and Fox News, is that it was a “slim-down”. In that way they could absolve themselves of the harm, and claim that the reduced services were a much needed haircut for government. The facts are that the shut-down put a million and a half people out of work for 16 days and cost the national economy over $24 billion. When 800,000 government workers aren’t working it effects all the local businesses that rely on those workers in their customer base. The Republicans, who champion small business in front of the cameras, really screwed  small business on this little trick.

As our debt limit approached, the Tea Party folk who shut down the government began circulating the ridiculous notion that default on U.S. credit could be a good thing. This is the clearest example of zealotry run amok. It would be laughable were it not so deadly dangerous. Every economist and every world leader warned that allowing the U.S. Government to default on its debts would have catastrophic consequences leading to a world-wide recession. But right up to the last minute and even now the zealots just said, “No, we don’t believe it”. And, of course this is the danger of following zealots- they don’t see the world’s reality. They only see what they want and actually deny reality to the rest of us. It’s better to listen to people who actually know things instead of people who just believe things. But for the Zealot the axiom is – “Believing is seeing”, instead of “Seeing is believing”.

When you analyze the mind-set of the Tea Party zealots you come to realize that the denial of reality permeates almost every issue. They are so strident in their belief system and their hatred of this President that they can always be counted on to say and do things that leave the rest of us scratching our heads. In the matter of the President refusing to give in to their ransom demand of destroying the world economy, they failed to recognize the simple truth that the President could not negotiate with opponents, who for five years, simply said they would never agree with anything he wanted. This isn’t just an opinion; it is the stated position of the Republican Party. These Zealots cannot, it seems, even accept the fact that they lost the last two general elections. When the country rejected their policies and their candidates in 2008 and 2012 their response was not to say, “We need to reexamine our message to the American people” rather is was to insist that either the voters are stupid, or they just didn’t scream their own message loud enough. The 2012 election results clearly indicated a changing demographic in the country and overwhelmingly taught us that new political realities must be recognized and incorporated into the changing body-politic.  But today’s Republicans, being led around by the most radical and extreme members of their party, are still ignoring this reality -ultimately leading to their failure to convince the public of their (self proclaimed) righteousness. 

Republican insistence on seeing their own reality has caused our government to be non-functioning. The last years under the leadership of Republicans in the House has produced the lowest output of legislation in the history of the institution. It all stems back to the pledge to deny our President any policy that might work or improve the nation. 95% of us want background checks on gun sales legislation- passed the Senate and Mr. Boehner wont schedule a vote. 70% of us want immigration reform and Mr. Boehner won’t schedule a vote on an Immigration bill the Republicans (Rubio) crafted and passed in the Senate. A much needed Farm Bill sits in the House without resolution and the Budget bills are not moving forward because Mr. Boehner refuses to appoint a conference committee. In the first two years of the Obama administration House Republicans did not give one single vote for the Stimulus Package, the Auto bailout legislation, the ACA, or even the Lilly Ledbetter legislation. They wouldn’t even state a reason on the Lilly Ledbetter bill- they just wouldn’t support it because the President did.  In 2009 and 2010 the House (under Pelosi) passed over 400 pieces of legislation to address the crisis in the economy and other significant national issues. They were all filibustered by Republicans in the Senate and died. Senate Republicans set the all-time filibuster record that term. The result of this tactic of “giving nothing” has caused the Congress to have the lowest public approval rating of all time, and yet Republicans and the Tea Party types are threatening to shut down government again in February. The people (I think) have now finally recognized that the Tea Party and the whole Republican Party did not come to govern but to obstruct and destroy the institutions of government. Most Americans want their government to function, and seeing the outright obstruction of government caused by these latter-day zealots easily explains why Congress is so reviled.

To make the comparison of the Tea Party and the ancient Zealots complete, consider that the most strident zealots in the Tea Party were taking out political ads during the shut-down against other Republicans threatening them with primary opponents in their next election if they didn’t go along. This is unprecedented and a clear violation of Reagan’s Eleventh Commandment to never speak ill of another Republican. But it goes to show you the dangers of zealotry: (political) death to those who oppose them- even if they have to kill their own.

Thankfully the efforts of those who only want destroy government, and who would have destroyed the economy in support of their narrow agenda have been thwarted- at least for another few months. I hope this will give members of Congress time to challenge their enemies within, the Zealots, and convince them to be real patriots. The country needs solutions to the serious problems that face us. As strongly as I lean in the direction of the Democrats in government, I still believe we need a functioning Republican Party to make the system work. I think the great majority of the country would much rather see a Republican Party that is more interested in fixing problems, than one bent the destruction of government and the dismantling of the middle class- but we only see zealots who haven't put forth any solutions of their own. A destructive Republican Party, led by Zealots who threaten chaos and destruction does not serve the greater good. It only serves to foster the dysfunction of government, to the detriment of us all. Now that we have seen what they are willing to do, the time has come to say “enough”. It makes me long for the time when the opposition worked to improve or change the things they didn't like instead of merely saying "no" to everything and concentrating their efforts on tearing down rather than building up. I actually believe that is the way government is supposed to work.

Thanks for looking in.

Sabbatical

{suh-bat-i-kuh-l} From the Greek sabbatikos, meaning of the Sabbath. 1. Pertaining to the Sabbath 2. Pertaining to a time of rest. 3 Any extended period of leave from one’s customary work, especially to rest or to acquire new skills or training etc.

“Sabbatical’ is not a word that comes up in everyday conversation all that often, particularly in this country with its culture of long work periods and limited time off. It may not seem that way to some folks but compared to our European friends we are an overworked and overwrought society that doesn’t spend near enough time rejuvenating the body and mind. That may explain why our society tends to rely on psychiatric drugs, self-help books, Dr. Phil, and other goofball therapists more than any other society on the planet. Perhaps we’re driving ourselves little nuts buy not taking a break to allow ourselves a chance to re-think, and reorder our priorities, as well as rest and heal the body from time to time.

The word “sabbatical” has been spoken many times a day in our household over a period of several months. My wife Lee works for an organization that allows its upper management staff an eight-week sabbatical every seven years. She works for Catholic Charities as the Director of a large Child Care and Family Center. I’m very aware that in this country a sabbatical is not all that common and she is very fortunate to have that benefit as part of her work compensation. I wish more companies and organizations would provide that opportunity to their staffs- they would find the benefits to the organization would far outweigh the costs. But unfortunately most American employers can’t see past the next fiscal quarter, so the thought of a long-term investment in staff doesn’t get much play.

Lee’s sabbatical has come to an end now and she has returned to her job. I wanted to share some of my observations of her sabbatical and the way she has handled it. In doing so, I think I might be able to pass along some of the lessons she learned and that we’ve spoken about over the course this experience. To set the stage, I’ll tell you that her employer imposes no rules or expectations upon their staff when they approve sabbaticals. That is, they allow their staff the freedom to use the time as they see fit. Of course, the first image that might come to mind is to just do nothing, relax and enjoy time off, as a way to spend eight weeks of additional paid leave. If she had chosen to do that it would have been just fine with her bosses- but she didn’t do that. Instead, Lee chose another (and I think) much more productive way to use this incredible gift of the Sabbatical.

Her method was to plan well in advance for how she would use that time in a way that would lead to self-improvement and create a more satisfying work experience upon her return from her sabbatical. Lee had been feeling like she was losing some of her enthusiasm for her job after being at it for so long. In truth I think all of us have had that feeling from time to time where we just believe that the challenge or the fun has gone out of the job we used to love. Some might call it burn-out. Lee was feeling that way. So going through a very thoughtful planning process and making intentional, conscience decisions about how the spend the eight weeks was absolutely the right way to approach her sabbatical. The months of preparation also gave her the added benefit of not wasting the time due to lack of preparation. Even though eight weeks sounds like a long time- it can go by surprisingly fast.

Lee has always felt like she wasn’t the most creative person in the world, so she decided to use her sabbatical working on the issue of creativity. I wonder how many of us would face the prospect of eight-weeks off by going directly at an area that would really challenge us to do the hard work of altering something fundamental about ourselves. Again, this goes to show you that she was determined to use this time for a real accomplishment. In preparation she spent a good deal of time before her sabbatical started doing research and creating a reading list of books and articles dealing with the subject of creativity. She  was also determined that in order to make the most of this opportunity, she should establish a routine about how her days would be spent. She looked in to the class schedules at the gym we belong to and decided to engage in some physical pursuits that she had not attempted before. In essence she established a daily schedule that encompassed both physical and intellectual exercise- and she stuck to it.

When to big day finally came Lee was ready to embark on her sabbatical with the intent of making some meaningful changes to invigorate her work life and add to her personal growth. Part of the first week was spent with her sister at the lake, as a way to make a clean break from the routine of work and clear her head of the details that so many of us tend to live by in our busy work days. Aside from having some good quality time with her big sis, this very intentional move really allowed her to cleanse her mind of the rigors of the workplace and become more open to learning new things. And, of course she took no calls or e-mail from work during the course of the whole sabbatical. The next few weeks went as planned. There was no sleeping in. Lee got up early to have a good breakfast and begin looking over materials she would study later. Then it was off to the gym for a couple of hours. Typically the first hour there would involve some kind of very vigorous exercise followed by Yoga. When not doing her own aerobic routine she would take a step-aerobic class, a fitness and weight-lifting class or even Zumba. Having never practiced Yoga she really got into it -and is now totally dedicated to the practice. Afternoons were spent both reading and writing. Lee moved through her reading list learning as much as she could about the creative mind and the creative process. She learned that part of that process came from expressing one’s self during the learning phase. So journaling and writing to and for herself became an invaluable tool in the process.

Creativity itself can be kind of nebulous thing if viewed from the point of view that says creativity can only be expressed in the production of a creative object. We usually think of creativity in the production of a work of art, some craft  we master, or some new invention. What she learned, and what I share with you now is that creativity is best expressed in new ways of thinking. Both her study of the subject, and her own intuition took her in a new direction of defining creativity, and in doing so, opened up new possibilities that she had not considered before. There is no way I can  encapsulate all of her study on this subject into this essay. But, I will summarize by saying that the creative mind is not one that must always produce the previously unimagined and unique innovations- creativity is the art of making connections in the world around us that most people do not allow themselves to make.  Creative people see things and ideas through a different lens and synthesize those things in ways most of us don’t dare allow ourselves to attempt. The good news from her experience and study is that we can all be more creative if we take the time make a conscientious effort to think about things in new ways. Most of us get stuck in observing the world, our lives, and our work through a set of preconceived, self-imposed rules known as paradigms. Challenging our own assumptions and permitting ourselves to have a different view enables us all to be more creative.

Lee used her new-found understanding of this process to make some changes that will help keep the process going, even as she moves back into the work world with all its daily challenges. Here are some examples of how she is continuing the creative process she began during her sabbatical. She revamped her work space to remove the big desk and create more comfortable seating in her office. Conferences with parents and staff are a big part of her day, so making a better environment, more open and inviting for communication will foster more creativity among those she sees and herself. She has challenged her staff to break their old paradigms and begin thinking more creatively about how to teach children, and not be afraid to try new ways to educate. She has tackled a few of the problems that met her upon her return with far different approaches than she ever attempted before. On the personal side of things she has made some of those physical activities she began during her sabbatical a part of her lifestyle and arranged the time to do it because she has decided it's important for her health and happiness.  In truth her study of creativity has led to recreating herself- and that kind of creativity has benefits in all other aspects of life.

I’m taking some inspiration from her sabbatical experience. I don’t get an actual sabbatical from my employer but that doesn’t mean that I can’t make conscience decisions to reflect on my life and my work in new ways. Once we decide that we can act or think differently-half the battle is won. As part of my new way of doing things I’ve decided that I’m going to revisit some old activities and pursue them in new ways. I will not spend quite so much time writing (these essays) as I have been, and I will be spending more time with my old friends photography and painting, along with a couple of new activities I picked up over the last few years. These blog entries will come less frequently. I’m going to seek out relaxation and recreation in new areas I haven’t tried before. I’m inspired to keep learning new things. I’m absolutely convinced that to maintain health and vigor one must decide we’re never too old learn or evolve. I don’t intend to stay stagnant and ignore the nearly infinite possibilities out there to explore. These are the lessons I learned from Lee’s sabbatical- and most importantly I learned that we are our own best creation, and we should all endeavor to nurture it.   

Thanks for looking in.

 

Facing The Pain of Rape

The title might suggest that I know something about facing the pain of rape. The fact is that I cannot speak authoritatively on this subject. But I recently had an experience that brought me in to contact with a group of dedicated professionals who face the pain of rape on a daily basis. I came away from that experience with a more profound respect for people who have the strength to deal with these painful, tragic, and traumatizing events because it is there chosen profession.

I was privileged to get this experience in a rather round-about way, so please indulge me while I tell the story about what led me to meet this group of people. First you need to understand that my journey to this meeting is truly a family affair. Let’s start with my daughter. In spite of my repeated warnings, she ended up following in the old man’s footsteps and sought her education and her profession in the field of Social Work. You see, I’ve been in this profession myself for the last 37 years. During her college days and just after graduating my daughter Erin gravitated to working with government and non-profit agencies that served victims of domestic violence. She is now a real veteran of those services herself, having spent 15 years as a professional social worker and manager for these types of human services. About a year ago she became the Director of the SAFeT Response Team (Rape Crisis) at Lutheran Community Services Northwest. Lutheran Community Services is the designated agency in our area (population about 400,000) to respond to rape victims at the time of first contact with law enforcement or the hospitals after a sexual assault. Her team also provides support and advocacy for victims though the menagerie our the legal system. Other sections of her agency provide on-going treatment and psychological help.  

Being a supportive boss Erin recognized that some of her folks were beginning to suffer the emotional and physical problems that people sometimes suffer from daily exposure to horrendous events like rape. In a conversation with her mom a couple of months ago, Erin began to talk about finding resources to help her staff deal with the nearly inevitable effects of seeing traumatized victims on a daily basis. There are clinical terms for this condition, but I’ll discuss those later. This is where I enter the picture. Erin’s mom (my wife) suggested that it might be useful to have me address this group and share some of my limited wisdom with them. For 29 of my 37 years as a social worker, I worked in Child Protective Services or closely related child welfare services. That kind of work has its share of exposure to truly unpleasant aspects of human behavior and pain too. Since I hadn’t gone completely insane from it, my wife thought I might be able to relate to the work Erin and her staff do, and perhaps pass along some helpful advice. I mildly protested at first knowing that I am not an expert on self-care for rape victim advocates. But in the end I agreed to meet with staff at Lutheran Community Services and conduct a discussion about professional longevity and self-care for professionals who deal in constant human victimization and trauma. And that is my journey to meeting with these extraordinary people.

I won’t go into the all the specifics of our discussion. I had been asked to do this based on my personal experiences and lessons learned over a long career, but I also did a fair bit of research on the subject (admittedly) because of my huge fear of making a fool of myself in front of my daughter and her staff. It’s one thing to be supportive to your own kid, but quite another to make a real presentation to a group of professionals that she happens to lead. So the presentation blended those personal aspects of my career with what I had learned from the literature on the subject. I think it went OK.

I’m grateful to have had the experience because I got to learn new things myself, and because it gave me the chance to really focus on this world my daughter and her colleagues have chosen. It seems strange in some ways that my own daughter and I can have this kind of collaboration as we delve into the world of rape and horrible episodes of sexual assault. When they are little kids you just never imagine that any of those parent-child connections will involve such heinous aspects of life. (weird) But they grow up and have adult jobs. In truth, her mom and I are so very proud of how both of our daughters have turned out to be fully realized adults- making great strides in their respective professions.

What is now also a professional association with Erin led to me her entire team, and gave me the incredible opportunity to share some thoughts. The first impression from meeting those folks was to sense (in them) the violence and trauma that their clients face. As I said above, I could never really appreciate the level of distress and victimization sexual assault victims experience. I had  exposure to these issues working in CPS- but nothing like the up-close and personal investment these brave individuals make to assist victims. They and their colleagues are literally there as the tears are still falling;the fear, horror, rage and confusion of rape is sinking into the marrow; and the sense of powerlessness permeates the very souls of rape victims. I realized how truly difficult it must be to do this work and to risk becoming traumatized themselves from the sheer weight of these daily tragedies. But that’s what we were there to talk about. So we discussed their personal victories and struggles to remain whole and healthy. We talked candidly about what the literature on this subject calls Secondary Trauma, Vicarious Trauma, and Compassion Fatigue. These are real experiences and real emotions clinically associated with doing the work they do. The symptoms of these unchecked conditions are similar to the stress-related symptoms (both physical and emotional) civilians might feel in an active, brutal war zone. Many times those who advocate and care for rape victims develop the same insecurities about the world that the victims themselves develop. It is called “the cost of caring”.

It takes very special people to do this work and I was honored to have their attention for a while to talk about the reality of a life spent in the midst of other people's pain. I was so moved by their openness about what it is really like for them and grateful that I could share just a few of the lessons I learned along the way. I won’t go into the details of our discussion on how to survive this kind of work, but I will say that each one there was keenly aware of the dangers this work creates for them and their families. Each one there realized they needed to care for themselves in order to continue the work they do. I’m confident each one will be there to show fierce compassion for the next rape victim they will meet.

The other major notion that occurred to me after this meeting was the profound and deeply troubling fact that rape victim advocates are still so badly needed. It was the 1970’s when social scientists, women’s rights activists, and legal authorities began to recognize that rape victims were being re-victimized by the legal system itself. I no longer call it the “justice system” because I know it’s rarely about justice. More than forty years have passed since these issues came to the forefront of our thinking about the crime of rape. But our system clearly has a long way to go in truly treating rape victims like victims, instead of treating them like accomplices to their own victimization. I admit it's probably better for sexual assault victims now than it was 40 years ago, but we are long way from real reform in dealing with these crimes. It just might be that our legal system has just gotten better at masking the institutional misogyny that permeates courts and other segments of our culture. Only this week a Judge in Montana made headlines by giving a teacher guilty of raping a 14 year old child a ridiculously light sentence because he believed the 14 year old girl contributed to her own rape. (And by the way that child committed suicide over the incident.) The Judge has since apologized for his comments, when confronted with a national tidal wave of criticism- but he didn’t change his ruling! He exposed what was in his heart-and too many other hearts. He exposed the reason why so many women never report rape- and he most definitely exposed why we still need rape victim advocates to protect the dignity and rights of victims in our legal system. There still seems to be a lingering, deep seated strain in us that views women and any hint of female sexuality (not that rape is actual sexuality) as corrupt or corrupting- giving some of those in “the system” reason to believe, in the recesses of their minds, rape victims were asking for it. Even though many States have Shield Laws, there are always the subtle questions of blame: What was she wearing? Why was she there? Did she lead him on? Who else is she having “sex” with. Those indignities may not be so blatant in our Courts these days- but they happen in criminal investigations, and behind the scenes all the time. 

Our religious traditions and cultural heritage have always held women to a lower status by making them somehow ultimately responsible for the humility and suffering inflicted upon them. Consider the biblical story of Adam and Eve. It was Eve who was the temptress- causing the corruption of Adam and therefore all men as the fable goes. Throughout our literature and folklore it is always the woman who uses her “feminine wiles” to lead men to wrongdoing. The list includes Eve, Medea, Bathsheba, Jezebel, Medusa, Lady Macbeth, and Lolita (an image that Montana Judge surely conjured from his subconscious- he as much as said so).  The portrayals of evil embodied in feminine characters are all (strangely) the constructs of men seeking to define "woman" as the source of all trouble. With this cultural heritage it is no wonder that women, children, and all victims need all the help they can get to deal with the crimes against them, and a system that often devalues and blames them.

I came away from my meeting with Erin and her team thankful that they are there to do the difficult work of facing the pain of rape every day in service to the women and children they help. There is no way to adequately express what they themselves go through in doing this work, but they deserve our heartiest support, deepest gratitude and respect.

To the SAFeT Response Team at Lutheran Community Services and my dear daughter, Thanks for letting me look in.

 

 

 

August 28, 1963

August 28th, 1963 is a special date in our nation's history. It is the day Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his landmark speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. before a the largest crowd ever assembled to demonstrate for racial equality.

That speech was delivered 50 years ago. In the first portion of the speech Dr. King talked passionately about the things that were different for his people since the time of slavery, less than 100 years before he stood before the crowd that day. But more importantly he spoke about how "the negro" had not achieved the full measure of equality, an he implored the nation to fulfill that promise. Then of course he went on to explain his dream- his vision of the future where people would be judged  only "by the content of their character." His speech evoked the best notions of our founding fathers and the documents upon which they wrote our values and sacred beliefs- even now yet to be fully realized.

I'm sharing a part of that speech with you in commemoration of that incredible day, and that speech which holds a revered place in the history of our discourse as a nation. I would ask that you take the time to go back and review the entire speech. I suggest a video of the entire speech in order to fully appreciate the passion in its delivery, and the strength of the man who gave us these unforgettable  words.

Thanks for looking in.

Dog Days of Summer

This is one of those essays I occasionally write where I unburden myself of some unpleasant thoughts that threatened to invade my mind and (temporarily) ruin my outlook on life. Driving home from work today and listening to a particularly inane and racist local radio host, it occurred to me that the negativity in the air lately is surrounding me and that I needed to beat a hasty retreat from it, and seek more agreeable thoughts- at least for a while. It also occurred to me that when I start to feel this way, the influences that are weighing on me are almost entirely there by my own invitation. I’m a news junkie- I’m addicted to current events and political discourse. There, I’ve admitted it.

For me, this dangerous addiction began during my high school days. We got a new Principal the year I entered high school, a small Catholic School in my home town. And this particular Principal had been a Principal in another school where he had a very successful debate team before being transferred to our little town.  As you might guess, he was determined to build a debate team at his new home. He had an uncanny recruiting method. He took all incoming freshmen and gave them a choice between Debate and Choir. Look, you have start somewhere- forced servitude can be an effective way to get the numbers when you’re trying to start a team from nothing. So, I ended up in debate. I also stayed with it and found pretty good success. One of the by-products of this priest’s instruction and teaching methods was to instill in those of us that stayed with it a true appreciation of logic, knowledge, research, and the art of expression. He was the most influential teacher in my life. But he also got me totally hooked on watching the world and all its fascinating events, while constantly seeking to analyze it, research it, study it and sometimes put together a cogent set of thoughts about it.

Occasionally this compulsion to see and understand the world around me leads to listening to, or watching  events and people that  are negative, hateful, or destructive to the advancement of human understanding. If you’ve read many of the essays I’ve written on this blog, you know I can be pretty harsh towards those who seek only to restrict the advancement of a better culture- at least by my definition of a better culture. And admittedly, I can occasionally dip into the slog of negativity myself. In my own defense there is plenty out there to justify my occasional outrage. We have a government paralyzed by partisanship and petty rivalries. Racism and hatred seem to be getting worse instead of better as I had hoped back when I was in high school. Whole regions of the world are locked in bitter, religious wars and endless conflicts. And truth has now been replaced by dogmatic political and religious belief systems. I’m so discouraged that today’s political discussions lack the use of logic, of real knowledge, and of polite, respectful disagreement- like Father Ribble taught us in class and in the competitions we entered. But if you’re going to be a student of current events, you face the risk of exposure to all that negativity and disappointing behavior.

It is in my own self-interest to sometimes just step back from that for a short while. These dog days of summer seem a fitting time for such a planned retreat from the nonsense of politics and conflicts. After all, I have a great many things to be most thankful for and appreciative of in my life, that afford me a very positive outlook. I have a tremendous family. Again, those who have read these essays in the past might remember one called The Mothers in Our Family. I wrote about my good fortune to have my wife and my daughters provide such solid foundations for this family’s generations. I’ve written about my children (My Two Daughters) and described their lives as children, parents, spouses, and wonderful contributors to our community. They are all the best family I could have ever asked for. I’m also amazed nearly every day by the people I have the privilege to work around at Goodwill. I get to see amazing human stories played out before my eyes on a daily basis, and experience bravery and dedication not many people have the chance to experience in their everyday lives. That is pretty cool, and far removed from the rhetoric of fear and blame so many politicians wallow in, and seek to infect us with. I’m also fortunate to have some very good friends. I’m not one to collect tons of friends, but the ones I have care about me and are people I’m proud to know. So, I fully recognize that I have a wealth of positive influences and examples in my life that far outweigh the fools clogging up the airwaves and the halls of government. I just have to remember from time to time that they are my true treasure in life.

I also have reason to hope for a better tomorrow regarding the issues that are important to me. I know there are those who are content to remain distant from the issues of the day and adopt an attitude of non-involvement, even to the point of avoiding the slightest hint of conversation about controversial topics. I’m not one of those people. The old priest from high school insisted on knowledge and debate as a way to change minds an influence the world. For example, I could never be content to see brave people at Goodwill working hard against disability and disadvantage, without also caring about the public policies that directly impact their lives. So I will never stop speaking out whenever I can. I was on a business trip with some colleagues this week and conversation got around to the Zimmerman case and eventually to the broader topic of racism. One person asked, “what can we do about this problem, it is so entrenched in some people and some generations?” After some intelligent discussion we concluded that “talking” about these things is the only way to resolve them. What a delight to intelligent conversation with well-meaning people. But, we can’t be afraid of topics like race, religion, or politics and policy- even if they sometimes slide into negative territory. This is the only way to break barriers of communication that prevent us from moving forward.

But there are times when it’s good to back off, let the mind relax, and allow ourselves to recharge. I also have the good example in my wife to follow as we make our way through this summer. She is taking a well-earned sabbatical this summer. She is relaxed but highly focused on exploring some new avenues of thought and action in herself and her profession. As I watch her go through this very deliberate process I’m inspired to allow my own thoughts to seek a new path too. All the battles yet to be fought and the arguments yet to be made will all be there waiting. These long, hazy, warm days of summer can give us all a chance to allow better ideas and better thoughts to wash over us- if we only let them.

Thanks for looking in.

White Privilege

I was well into my forties before I even heard the term “White Privilege”. I first heard this term, and had it explained to me when I attended a training course offered by an insightful former employer who recognized that the practice of social services must deal with the issue of race in America if we are to be competent practitioners of our discipline. So after more than twenty years in human services and being (somewhat) aware of racial issues, I had never heard the other side of racism in America: White Privilege.  That just goes to show how insidious it is. I could live my whole life enjoying the benefits of white privilege and never even know it existed. Most white people in America will tell you they don't know what it is, that white privilege doesn’t matter, or they will simply say it doesn’t exist.

We have a tendency to romanticize the American experience and believe that the old notion of controlling our own future is uniquely American and "the American dream" is available to every single person who is willing to work hard. In many ways that version of America is true and has played out for countless people in our short history as a nation. Unfortunately, that very special version of the American dream has largely only been available to white people in America. For African Americans and members of other racial minorities the American dream is unattainable because of the color of their skin. Like you, I can think of many African Americans and other racial minorities who have made it, and found success in this country. That very fact tends to blind us to the truth of looking at this issues through the lens of large numbers. That is, the fact that a relative few African Americans have been successful,  is not compelling evidence that racism has ended and that white privilege isn’t a powerful force that still shapes the daily lives of most whites and most blacks in America.

I have been thinking more about this issue as I saw the trial of George Zimmerman broadcast from morning till night over the last few weeks. I was particularly struck as I heard the verdict in the case and felt the shock so many people felt at hearing the news.  I’ve seen more than my share of Court proceedings in my days, and having watched the prosecutors bumble one issue after another in Zimmerman's case I was not really surprised by the verdict, on an intellectual level. Still, I had an unmistakable emotional reaction. It was one of sadness and disappointment. On that emotional level I could not square in my own mind how an armed man could accost a young man- kill that young man- and walk away with no consequences. I’ve heard all the nonsense about self-defense; I heard the testimony on the theory that Trayvon was on top of him when the shot was fired. For me that is almost beside the point. The real point is that Trayvon was entirely blameless until Zimmerman followed  and accosted him. The other important point is that Trayvon was only accosted because he was black. I defy anyone to make a convincing argument that Zimmerman would have seen him as “a suspect” if he had been a white boy. Zimmerman’s history as an amateur Neighborhood Watch guy clearly establishes that he only called 911 on black kids. This is where the idea of white privilege hit me right between the eyes. White privilege- how white privilege affects both blacks and whites explains a lot about this case.

White privilege refers to the concrete, unearned benefits of access to resources and social rewards and the power to shape the norms and values of society that whites receive, conscientiously or unconscientiously, by virtue of their skin color in a racist society. A pretty good definition-but also a strong accusation that we are still a racist society. For most whites that’s a hard pill to swallow. Many will claim that we have moved well beyond our racist, slave-holding past. They will point to the success of (a relative few) blacks. They will point to our first black President as proof we have left that part of us behind. These are only cracks in the wall of our racist past. After 300 years of black slavery on this continent and 100 years of Jim Crow segregation, be assured we didn’t just “get over it” when Obama became President. Mr. Obama’s Presidency is the biggest challenge to white privilege in our history. In many ways his election clearly revealed the racism that continues to live strong in the shadows of too many American hearts. Nothing else can explain the enormous increase in the number of White Supremacy groups following his election and the blatant racially charged indignities he has endured as President.

Other data that so clearly gives proof to the existence of our continued racism is rarely discussed in the same context as a sensational case like Zimmerman’s. But ask any person of color about the subtle and not-so-subtle forms of racism they encounter and they can tell you the truth of the matter. White privilege gives us (white people) the luxury of omitting these simple truths from our conscientiousness.  There are many examples I could cite here, but let’s stick with the Zimmerman case for now. In the beginning of our national awareness about this case the pundits made a big deal out of “stand your ground” laws. These are essentially laws promoted by a gun lobby front know as ALEC. They say that if you’re confronted, you may immediately respond by shooting someone- even an unarmed person. You just have to feel confronted. As the details of Trayvon’s fateful night were revealed I didn’t hear a single commentator suggest that Trayvon had a right to stand HIS ground. That’s white privilege! The assumption of being in-the-right automatically went to Zimmerman, a self-proclaimed “white Hispanic”. The Zimmerman trial bore out even more graphically how a young black boy who was doing nothing more than walking to his destination could somehow be cast as the bad guy, simply because he had the misfortune of being harassed by a loser wannabe whose manhood was contained in his holster. I was disgusted to see a defense lawyer bring a chunk of concrete before the jury in summation and say (point blank) that Trayvon “was armed” with the sidewalk. Only a society steeped in white privilege could accept such utter nonsense in a court of law- as if the sidewalk Trayvon walked upon is a weapon equal to the gun Zimmerman had, making self-defense a reasonable conclusion.  But it worked primarily because we have an unseen, never talked-about pervasive norm of white privilege that permits such ridiculous assumptions to go unchallenged.

There is a wealth of other data to support the existence of white privilege that only rarely surfaces because acknowledging these facts creates an uncomfortable atmosphere for the majority race. Black men are four times more likely to be searched by police than white men in similar situations. Job applicants with “white” sounding names are 50% more likely to get called for a job interview than applicants with “black” sounding names. White women are far more likely than black women to be hired by temp agencies, even when the black women have more experience and better qualifications. Although data shows that whites are equally or more likely than blacks or Latinos to use drugs, it is people of color who comprise about 90% of persons incarcerated for drug possession. There are 2.3 million Americans in prisons and jails. African American men count for more than one million of them. Black men are jailed six times more frequently than white men. These are just a few of the documented instances to illustrate that we have not gone beyond racial prejudice and discrimination in this country. Ask any Native American, Latino/Latina, Asian, Middle Easterner, or African American and you will find out immediately that they themselves or someone close to them has experienced some form of discrimination because of skin color.

One of the saddest aspects of racism and its partner White Privilege is in the experience of our daily lives. For those (whites) who deny the existence of White Privilege, they should ask themselves if they have to consider their own skin color when they decide to buy or rent a home. People of color do. They should ask that question when they decide to walk in a strange neighborhood; or decide to browse in a store; or decide how to act when a police car passes by, or decide if it’s OK to keep your hands in your pockets; or decide to question authority; or decide how close to walk to other people on the street; or to decide to do a hundred different mundane things in any given day. People of color do! But you see, white people don’t think of themselves as in terms of their color. They just think of themselves as “people”. And that is the essence of white privilege. People of color, particularly young black males, must always be cognizant of their race because of the way “people” react to them. How sad it is to hear black fathers and mothers having to explain to their sons that their very survival may depend they on how they behave around white people. White fathers and mothers don’t need to have that talk with their sons. That’s White Privilege.

Peggy McIntosh, of Wellesley College has written extensively on the subject of White Privilege. She writes: “I think whites are carefully taught not to recognize white privilege, as males are taught not to recognize male privilege. So I have begun in an untutored way to ask what it is like to have white privilege. I have come to see white privilege as an invisible package of unearned assets which I can count on cashing in each day, but about which I was ‘meant’  to remain oblivious. White privilege is like an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, maps, passports, codebooks, visas, clothes, tools and blank checks.”  

It is said we’ve come a long way in solving our “original sin” of racism in America. But we still have so far to go. It is important to speak out against racism. If we are to survive as a nation we must continue to battle this festering problem. It is equally important to look inward and examine our own consciousness about race by recognizing white privilege, and how it matters to all of us. It can be an enlightening journey of discovery and learning- and one that leads to a more just future for people of all races in this country.

Thanks for looking in.

Susan, One Year Later

Late last June I wrote an essay in this blog called My Neighbor Susan.  I described my real-life neighbor Susan who had lost her job about six months before. I described how she had worked at a rural Fire District for fifteen years doing all the administrative duties for the Fire District, an how she became a victim of the recession that resulted in so many public sector employees becoming unemployed. One of the political consequences of the Great Recession was the relentless drumbeat of conservative politicians casting blame for the economic downturn on public employees. We saw that played out all over the country where conservative Governors used the recession to sell a public policy stance that says all public service jobs are essentially bad for the economy, and a drag on society.

I discussed how Susan and so many other public sector employees are not the bad guys and how they actually help stimulate the economy, particularly in troubled times. Money paid to public sector employees circulates through the economy just like money paid to private sector employees. But for a few years there, Governors and many in Congress made teachers, cops, firefighters, and other government employees the scapegoat for a growing deficit and a slow recovery. Of course just the opposite is true when it comes to economic recovery. Most leading economists have concluded that our economic recovery would have been much faster and deeper if public sector employment wouldn’t have taken such a deep hit during this recovery period. Private sector growth has been steady since the recession ended, but the net job growth has been slowed by off-sets in public sector layoffs.  In the essay a year ago I described how teachers and cops and city workers go to movies, buy things at malls, and eat in restaurants just like private sector people. They buy clothes for their kids, and they buy cars and washing machines just like everyone else. I pointed out that the politicians who laid blame at their feet never mention that public employees and also just EMPLOYEES- and they do work that is valuable, and often essential for the rest of us. Those folks who were so easily demonized are our neighbors, friends and relatives.

But, back to Susan.  Let me tell you how her real life story ended up one year after I introduced her to you. My wife and I ended up talking to her a short while ago. It had been while since we had spoken and gotten caught up. Just a month ago she told us she got a job after being unemployed for close to a year and a half. We knew that she was having a hard time finding work. She had worked at the Fire District for over 15 years and made about $35,000.00 a year, and she’s in her fifties. So when she told us about finally getting a job, I thought she would be fairly excited to share the news. She was not! Susan was almost depressed as she told us that she was only able to get a receptionist/clerical job at a large, for-profit medical clinic. She felt like she had to take the job because she simply wasn’t able to find any other position comparable to old position or wage. The job at the clinic only pays $10.00 per hour and is highly demanding for the pay. So here is Susan working at a job far below her old position in status and responsibility, making 41% less money than she did before-about 8% more than minimum wage. She said the wage she’s getting isn’t enough to pay all her bills- but she is trying to stretch it where she can. She said she’ll continue to look for a better job, but after a year and a half of already trying hard, she’s feeling pretty defeated. It is no wonder that she was feeling down-in-the-dumps about her situation.

Her circumstance is much like many others who suffered as a result of the Great Recession, and it caused me to think about the place people like Susan hold in our society. Sadly, Susan learned the hard lesson that she, and the labor she provides, is nothing more than a commodity. Industry of all kinds has learned to treat labor that way, with all the ups and downs that any commodity goes through in a capitalist economy. The price we pay for labor is subject to the market forces that any other commodity would have. When the commodity is plentiful and demand is low, the commodity is cheap (low wages). When the demand is high and the availability of the commodity is scarce (or relatively so) it becomes more expensive (high wages). It is basic capitalist Economics 101. Supply and demand applies to labor just like it does with any other commodity.

But there is one difference with the commodity of labor- the difference is that this commodity is human. Humans have needs, and those basic needs go on no matter what the market forces tell you their labor is worth. The pure capitalists will tell you that when labor is cheap and wages are low, the whole economy responds and equilibrium eventually returns. But we know that isn’t true. We know that those who control economies in a capitalist system always seek to increase capital at the expense of those whose labor creates it. That is the true definition of capitalism. I just find it hard to believe that my neighbor Susan is worth (over) 40% less than she was two years ago. But hey, that’s what the market is offering  her right now- and let’s face it she was only making $35,000.00 before she became such an “affordable" employee.  When I consider these economic conditions with low wages and scarce job opportunities, I also feel the need to consider the unmet human needs that accompany those in this predicament. My neighbor is a single woman with grown kids so she’ll have an easier time getting by. I wonder about the young parents who are trying to support families. Granted there are many people who have managed to survive this economy- but there are still too many who are trapped in this cycle of low pay. Those are the people who end up being the butt of jokes and he scapegoats for ignorant or plain greedy politicians.

I have heard too much lately about Food Stamps. Two weeks ago the Congress couldn’t pass a Farm Bill because Republicans tried to slip by a $2 Billion cut in Food Stamps, claiming that Food Stamps rob people of the incentive to support themselves. The Democrats said no. All during the last Presidential campaign I heard President Obama referred to as “the Food Stamp President” because the use of Food Stamps rose during his first term. These self -righteous politicians never tell you that 80% of those on Food Stamps have jobs. Many others in the remaining 20% are severely disabled or elderly. None of those political charlatans bothered to explain that the rise in Food Stamps during the President’s first term was solely the fault of previous economic policies that caused the recession well before he took office. People like Susan (who would qualify for Food Stamps at her new wage) didn’t become poorer because of Obama- she became poorer because the policies that caused the Recession cost her job, and when was able to get another one private industry told her the value of her work had sorely diminished.

The inevitable outcome is that we are creating a new and larger group of working poor- but they still need basic necessities. So they end up on Food Stamps or get other forms of government assistance. They get these programs not because they are lazy or don’t want to work (they are working)- they get them because we have policies in this country that keep them in low-wage jobs that allows them to be eligible for these programs. And, by the way that is not a Presidential decision- that is the revered free-market economy doing its magic.

I only wish that more of us in the voting public would take the time to research aspects of how our economy works and how government programs fit into the complex framework of our society. Instead, I continue to see too many people taken in by the right-wing propaganda that public service is evil and the root of our problems- too many people who will not try to understand that we need a safety net of government programs to ensure our country survives. Instead I see people using social media to judge and defame the poor- including the working poor. They foist placards that depict the old stereotype of Reagan’s “welfare queen” buying steak in her fur coat using food stamps. Or I see sayings that: “welfare was never meant to be a career choice”.  Those kinds of misrepresentations are as ignorant as they are mean spirited. An informed person would know that a household of three (two of which are children) gets $478.00 a month- when the Federal poverty rate for a family of three is $1261. It is ridiculous to think that anyone would aspire to live on the equivalent of 1/3 of the poverty rate- but the politics of greed and privilege keep pushing these false notions about the poor and those folks like my neighbor Susan.

Strangely, the folks who want to do away with the programs that help provide basic needs in government programs are the same ones who base their politics on their strong Christian values- and tell you so whenever they get the chance. Try as might, I could not find a reference in any Christian Bible text that promotes capitalism, or promotes lack of charity towards the poor, or tells us to judge people harshly with false information. In fact I think Christian teachings instead say to “feed the poor” and “care for the sick”. I know there is a basic teaching that says to “love your neighbor”.  As I’ve seen my neighbor Susan struggle with the harsh realities of this economy, I can only wish that more of us could see the struggles of others with a kinder eye and ask our leaders in government and industry to do the same.

Thanks for looking in.