Invitation to Civil Discourse 2

Invitation to Civil Discourse

What can I do to help restore civility and sanity to this chaotic cacophony of discord and hate-filled diatribes? What is my personal responsibility? Where do I begin to help create a healthier conversation and more positive relationships among friends, family, and community?

When I look back over a long history of political awareness, I have been voting since 1960, I am not particularly proud of all my “contributions” to the public forum. As of late I have consciously stepped back and intentionally asked myself, before any comment or action, what is the appropriate response to what I hear and see going on in the world around me. This is what I have chosen to be my guide, knowing I will not always live up to the guideline but committing myself to consciously trying.

Teaching world religions I discovered many positive moral admonitions and assistance for daily living. The one before me today is the Zoroastrian creed: good thoughts, good words, good deeds. I remind myself everyday of this ancient wisdom, check my thoughts/words/deeds from yesterday, and recommit myself to strive to live up to the goals today.

When I stop and think about it, it makes rational sense and emotional satisfaction. Our thoughts are the beginning of all that follows. Now I don’t beat myself up over “bad” thoughts that enter my mind. Honestly, I know I cannot control what pops into my head. It is like a foul smell that blows through the window. I can quickly close the window. I can blow the smell out of the room, dismissing it in the quickest way possible. A bad thought is like that to me. I don’t have to entertain it any longer that it takes me to dismiss it.

Then it is my decision as to what I will say about the idea/issue. The tongue is a powerful organ, but I control it. More than once I have reaped the consequences of hasty, negative words. I have hurt others, for which I am sorry. The old adage, “words will never hurt me,” isn’t true. Words do harm, with invisible wounds that often do not heal. I am not advocating never speaking up. MLK was right; silence in the face of injustice is complicity. Careful discernment is required.

Then, in logical order, actions will follow words. When I look and listen to the world around me, and I see how others act, what they do, I listen to their words (shouts, screams, posters). it is not a great leap to recognize the thoughts (prejudices, bigotry, perspectives) that drive them. I must examine myself, my motives, before making accusations and retaliating in like kind.

May I borrow from another tradition?  May the WORDS of my mouth, the meditations (THOUGHTS) of my heart, and the DEEDS of my hands be acceptable, love-filled,  and guided by compassion.

I had never been to Chicago

I had never been to Chicago. So in early June we decided to take a short vacation and "do" the windy city. What a marvelous, fabulous city!
It was an interesting trip because of the variety and diversity of places and people. It began with a targeted destination of the Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill, KY. KY was not high on my list of places to visit, but it is one beautiful state. From lush, green mountains to rolling hills, real bluegrass, and bewitching limestone formations, it was a visual feast. The limestone base creates a unique filtering system for the water that is unbelievably delicious and the best in the world for building strong bones for race horses! I say "targeted" because somehow I took a detour and ended up at the Woodford Reserve Distillery--one of the best bourbons KY has to offer!
The Village is a monument to the religious creativity and imagination of Americans. At their height they had over 3000 "communities" around the nation, focused on simple living, expressive spirituality, and common care for one another. The food, raised on the farm and produced from its own herds, was delicious beyond experience. There are only two of these communities remaining, preserved by non-Shakers. Since sexual abstinence was promoted, they didn't grow by leaps and bounds----and that practice is not in favor today, so you see the problem.
The high light of the route from Pleasant Hill to Chicago was the miles and miles of gigantic wind turbines producing renewable, non-cancer causing, inexpensive energy! They looked like something from outer space.
Entering Chicago on an afternoon as the traffic from a Cubs home game is unleashed on congested infra-structure is daunting to a small town boy! There is more to relate than time to read; here is my summary:
1. a rainbow population, each person with their own story and human dignity
2. the challenge and enjoyment of public transportation and the challenge to master the maps and schedules
3. breathtaking architecture, jaw dropping, eye popping architecture---do NOT miss the 90 minute boat tour
4. the Willis Tower and the ability to "step out" into space (clear platform) where you can see forever on a clear day
5. the parks, so many parks. They value public land and access for ALL people.
6. Millennial Park and the Bean
7. The Art Institute of Chicago. The collection is out of the world, and you can walk right up to the master pieces you have only seen in books!
8. Chicago deep dish REALLY is different and the beef, Midwestern beef melts in your mouth.
This doesn't scratch the surface---universities, sports arenas, clean river (now!),friendly people everywhere who came from everywhere to build a city and a nation of opportunity.
The spirit is alive in Chicago-----and well worth another visit!

HB2 (House Bill 2) Redux

The North Carolina legislature, in its “infinite wisdom,” passed yet another oppressive and immoral law, continuing a long line of discriminatory legislation attempting to preserve the white, male hegemony that characterizes our history from the founding of this nation. It is consistent with the prejudiced laws that intended to address slavery, Jim Crow, segregation, anti-Civil Rights, perceived voter fraud, and a long list of other threats to a distorted worldview that have dominated our social landscape. It is a cancer on our state that must be removed.

1.      HB2 is immoral. It intentionally discriminates against a minority of citizens whose only circumstance is to be born biologically different from those who passed the law. It degrades persons whose physical condition is determined by nature, and not choice. This law is diametrically opposed to and void of love and compassion that are at the heart of the claimed religious tradition of the legislators who passed it. The “culture Christians” in control of the state legislature pervert the language and values of a faith they do not begin to understand or embrace. Through double speak and fear, they incite the public ( “religious freedom” and “protect our daughters”) to offer a solution for which there was no problem. This bill fails to recognize the integrity and value of all persons by labeling some individuals as “perverts” and an “abomination.” It goes against the fundamental values of all the world’s great religions that affirm the unifying relationship of Creator and creation. It must be repealed.

2.      HB2 is unconstitutional, both national and state. We are a secular, civil society, governed by law. Our law, grounded in those Constitutions, guarantees protection against discrimination based on gender, religion, race, etc. This bill, directly and intentionally, targets a gender minority. In addition, it states that local municipalities cannot pass their own anti-discrimination policies, and states that offended parties cannot sue the state for that discrimination. HB2 goes against our history of Civil Rights legislation. Behind the façade of “religious freedom,” it allows so-called legal discrimination, exempting individuals from providing services (e.g. selling wedding cakes to same sex couples) or performing civil duties (issuing marriage licenses). Falsely claiming that Christianity is under attack, the legislators have enabled anarchy in the name of their religion. It must be repealed.

3.      HB2 is economically unsound. People and corporations of conscience, e.g. Bruce Springsteen, Itzhak Perlman, and Hewlett Packard, to mention only three, have refused to perform or engage in activities that would produce monetary benefit to North Carolina. An article in the Asheville Citizen-Times Sunday, June 5, says reports estimate the financial loss to exceed a billion dollars to date, with other losses to come.  Businesses are rethinking present and future relationships with our state. Losses in tax revenue negatively impact our budget, reducing services, postponing infrastructure improvements, limiting resources for education already hurt by the narrow minded thinking of the current legislature. It must be repealed.

4.      HB2 is socially divisive and destructive. Every action throughout history that separates people, demeans individuals and groups, belittles and demonizes “the other,” only builds barriers and keeps people apart ultimately leading to distrust, violence, and war. Our future, our very existence as a human race requires affirmation of, love for, and unconditional compassion toward others. Our differences are insignificant compared to the infinite similarities we share. HB2 must be repealed.

HB2 must be repealed because it is immoral, unconstitutional, economically unsound, and inhuman. It is an embarrassment to our state. We are better than this.