Election Day

It’s Election Day. First thing this morning, I walked to the polls to cast my vote for Mosquito Control Commissioner. There were other things on the ballot, too. Jon Stewart has been having a field day with our gubernatorial contest here in Florida; I can’t say I blame him.

Election Day is always somewhat romantic for me. I remember being a child and accompanying my mother in the old-fashioned voting booth. I remember her telling me about the sacred duty that I too, would one day have.

I brought my son to vote with me. He votes now. The other day he told me that young people would decide the future of Florida. It was a proud moment.

My son votes early. Most of my friends use the mail-in ballot now. I appreciate the shorter lines at the polls.

There is something about Election Day, about the actual process of coming together with my community to cast our ballots, which feels sacred to me.

It freaks me out when people chose not to vote. They often take an air of moral superiority, suggesting that the process is so broken they don’t want to sully themselves by participating in it.

I live in Florida. Believe me; I know the system is broken.

However, staying away from the polls won’t fix the problems. Staying away from the polls only makes the problems worse.

Yes, people died fighting for my right to choose between Rick Scott and Charlie Crist. It’s a sad state of affairs.

But it’s sadder still when people chose not to participate.

Beyond Anger and Activism

I have always been an activist. I have marched, chanted, demonstrated, picketed, canvassed, petitioned, fundraised, organized and spoken out about things that matter to me.

My family and my church taught me that being vocal about my beliefs was my patriotic duty, and my spiritual duty.

My friends told me it took courage to speak out against things that I don’t like.

My heroes are people who took a courageous stand, like Rosa Parks or Miep Gies.

Years ago, I worked for political organizations as a fundraiser and organizer. One respected organizational director often said that activism is fueled by a slow burning anger.

These days, there are lots of activists, and lots of anger. There is no doubt that activism plays a vital role in creating social change.  I’m getting a little tired of the anger, though.

I think I am going to need to find a new way to fuel my desire for a more perfect society. Instead of fueling my vision with anger, I am going to fuel my vision with love.

What would it look like, I wonder, to be an activist for love?

From now on, every time I hear or see something that arouses my righteous activist anger, I am going to consciously send love to the source of my anger.

Instead of ridiculing those who thinking differently than I, I will keep them in my prayers.

Instead of staying away from those who fear and misunderstand me, I will make an effort to find some common ground.

When I see people behaving in ways of which I don’t approve, I will be an example of a different way to behave.

Instead of complaining about the problems in the world, I will use my energy to make a positive change in some small way, for somebody.

As an angry activist, I was often frustrated. I felt the work we were doing only held back the evil tide, and never conquered it.

There will always be angry activists, and that’s a good thing. Someone has to hold back that evil tide, whatever that tide may be at any given time.

But what if those of us who have become too tired, too busy, too cynical or too happy to be angry could find a new way to create change on the planet?

What if the way to do that was simply to follow that Biblical directive from the book of Matthew, “love your enemies?”

While there was plenty of reason to be angry, I am pretty sure it was love, and not anger, that caused Miep to risk her own life to try to say the lives of Anne Frank and her family.

What if anger can hold back the tide, but love is the power to conquer it?

It’s worth a try.

The Blame Game

When addressing problems large or small, there is a difference between finding a cause and finding fault. Finding a cause helps us fix a problem. Finding fault distracts us so we can't fix the problem.

It seems to be human nature that, when a problem is discovered, the first thing we want to know is "Whose fault is this and how can we punish them?" Sometimes we might have better outcomes if we focus more on solutions and less on casting blame.

I wonder what evolutionary goal we are serving when we are more interested in blame and punishment than knowledge and solutions.

There seems to be something in our nature that divides us. It’s us against them, the good guys versus the bad guys. The truth is, there is more that we have in common than there is that divides us.

Our need to play the Blame Game, and our need to divide the world into good and bad, us and them, doesn’t seem to be serving us.

It doesn’t serve us in our personal lives, and it doesn’t serve us on a global level.

What if we worried less about punishing people, and more about healing people?

What if we assumed that the majority of people with whom we disagree aren’t inherently evil?

What if we came to understand that life is just life? Sometimes things happen and it’s not anyone’s fault.

What if we learned to forgive our own mistakes, and the mistakes of others?

Now, more than ever before, we, as individuals and as communities, have the opportunity to practice conscious evolution. We can pick a path and grow in that direction. What might happen if we chose to grow away from blame and punishment and grow toward healing and acceptance?

Rethinking the Good Old Days

My mother used to say that memory has a way of improving on things.

So many people tell me that things on the planet are just getting worse. They want to return to the good old days. In some ways, I agree with them.

Financially, things were certainly easier a few decades ago. I hate to say it, but I think our personal freedoms have been trod on terribly in the past ten years. I hate to see Mom and Pop shops replaced by big box corporate stores.

So I get what people are saying when they long for the good old days.

On the other hand, let’s think about this.

Prior to 1967, interracial marriage was not legal in every state of our country. That’s right – you could go to jail for marrying outside of your race.

Prior to the 1960’s most banks wouldn’t extend credit to women. Her credit was her husband’s. An unmarried woman was not credit-worthy.

Prior to the passage of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, many species of birds and butterflies were being decimated by DDT.

I remember the Cold War in the 1980’s. We were sure a world-scale nuclear war was right around the corner.

So, to which of those good old days do we want to return?

Yes, things sure are messed up. Yes, we have a long way to go to become the just and fair society we know we can be. But let’s stop looking to the past and start looking to the future. We can’t ever go back to the past. Frankly, I wouldn’t want to. But we can go forward to the future. We can make our future the best times ever. We won’t do that by pining for the past. We will do that by being hopeful and proactive about the future.

Accountability

Everyone of a certain age seems to have an opinion about what’s wrong with the world today, or what’s wrong with our country today (as opposed to the good old days of the past).

Here’s my submission. The problems we face today are caused in part by our lack of accountability. We seem to want to make other people responsible for our actions and our lack of due diligence.

Here’s an interesting recent example of our total lack of accountability.

On October 14^th in some Walmart stores in Louisiana a computer glitch caused spending limits on EBT (“food stamp”) cards to stop working. Shoppers were able to use their cards to purchase food with no spending limits.

Walmart officials made the decision to allow store patrons to use their cards, and to charge as much as they wanted.

When the stores announced the glitch was fixed and spending limits were restored shoppers abandoned their overflowing carts and left the store.

I am glad we live in a country that makes food available to underprivileged families. I am appalled that in a situation like this greed would be the motivating factor for both the shoppers and the corporation. Why did no one feel accountable for the money they were spending, or allowing to be spent?

What would happen if we all made an effort to be accountable for ourselves, our actions and our responsibilities?

Most importantly, what would it take to restore a sense of personal accountability into our national culture, and how could that change things?

True, Kind and Necessary

How often have we seen a Facebook meme that instructs us before we speak to make sure that what we have to say is true, kind and necessary?

This “filter” as it is sometimes called, has been attributed to Buddha, the Sufis and guru Sai Baba.

The Rotarians have a similar expression. Many gentle religions, including the Quakers and the Unitarians, have embraced this philosophy.

Facebook memes are easy to spread around. Just hit “Share.” Many memes promote kindness and positivity. Some memes are cute and funny. I am a huge fan of Grumpy Cat.

But many memes don’t pass the filter test. A huge number of memes that publicize scary “true” stories and statistics are simply not true, never mind being kind and necessary.

I’ll bet that if any one of us vetted the memes on our Facebook wall on any given day we would find many of them to be untrue. Except the ones about cute cats, of course. The cats truly are cute.

Facebook is a platform for people to share their concerns. Many people like to use Facebook to promote a particular agenda. That’s all well and good. But how is it helpful to spread falsehoods, even if those falsehoods prop up your fears and beliefs?

I never unfriend based on politics. I expect that some people will feel differently than I do about certain issues, and that’s fine. I respect and appreciate everyone’s right to an opinion, as long as those opinions are derived from facts.

Sadly, it seems that a lot of opinions are formed on untruths and half-truths, especially on Facebook. No one side is guiltier of this than another; every agenda seems to have its fair share of misinformation.

For instance, a meme that claims that George W. Bush has the lowest IQ of all presidents for the past fifty years is absolutely untrue. Another untrue meme claims that the majority of Barack Obama’s campaign contributions came from a handful of wealthy overseas financiers.

The next time you see a disturbing anecdote or statistic on social media, take five minutes and vet it for accuracy before you share it. Sharing lies, even with good intentions, helps no one.

We live in a world where fear-mongering shapes our political and social agenda. What would happen if each one of us made the commitment to stop spreading fear and lies, and only shared what we discovered to be true?

Seven Reasons to Wave the Flag this Week

American patriotic holiday celebrations sometimes make me cringe just a little. I am not sure of the purpose of declaring one’s country the “Greatest Nation on Earth.” Why can’t we celebrate the greatness of all nations, and of all cultures, along with our own?

I have pride in my country, just as I am sure most people do. When I say “most people” I mean that people of every country have pride in their country.

I also know that friendly competition is healthy. In sports and in the marketplace vying with competitors creates excellence.

I know, too, that different nations and different cultures have ideals that are different than ours, and in some cases those ideals could be mutually exclusive. That’s why I am grateful for our military in which many of my family members have proudly served.

But I think it is time that we started to see ourselves as citizens of a planet, in addition to being citizens of a country. Instead of asking a Higher Power to bless the USA, why not ask that Higher Power to bless the whole planet?

I would like to see a bit less competition and a bit more cooperation around the globe, at least at the times and in the places where that is possible.

At the same time, there are some things that make the United States of America unique in the world. Here are seven great things about the United States to celebrate on this July Fourth.

1. When suspected of a crime, we are innocent until proven guilty. To Americans this is just common sense. But the presumption of innocence in our system of jurisprudence is fairly unique on the planet, and truly a source of my national pride.
2. We do not have a national religion. I know there are some Americans who are not proud of that fact, but it is one of the founding principles of the United States. And it is a good principle because with it come true religious freedom. The ability to worship how one wants, and if one wants, is a priceless freedom that many world citizens do not enjoy.
3. Our land is vast, beautiful, and rich in biodiversity and resources. Yes, I wish we honored our land a bit better, but we are working on that. It is hard not to see our oceans, our mountains, our flora and fauna and not feel a sense of pride and gratitude.
4. Our culture is defined by its diversity. As much as we struggle with issues of race and diversity, we are unique in that we are all products of the melting pot.  In many countries the citizenry is comprised almost entirely of one race and culture. To be an American is to celebrate a richness of foods, languages and histories while at the same time sharing a singular commonality. We trace our roots and heritage to all parts of the globe, and yet we are all American.
5. We have freedom of speech. Again, this is something that is easy to take for granted. We grew up saying “It’s a free country” as a smart retort to one another. But not every country’s citizens can say that. In fact, in some countries one can be jailed for something one says. Think about that.
6. The American “can-do” attitude really exists.  American ingenuity is real and unique. It’s part of our culture. We have a sense that if we try hard enough and think outside the box we can achieve whatever we want. It is in our culture to believe that anything is possible. This belief that is instilled in each of us is perhaps the greatest American value of all.
7. Our Constitution is a work of art. Checks and balances, the Bill of Rights, and the foresight to protect us from inevitable human nature – our Constitution contains all that and more. The brilliance of our Founding Fathers (though they were certainly products of their time) cannot be understated.

With failed policies, a faltering economy and divided philosophies, many Americans are feeling disappointed, disillusioned and disenfranchised this Independence Day. But there are still a lot of great reasons to wave the flag, and even more reasons to have faith in a great future for our great nation.

The Cultural Value of Star Trek

I’ve never identified myself as a “Trekkie” or a “Trekker.” I don’t go to conventions or speak Klingon. But I do have a deep appreciate of the Star Trek franchise. Seeing the recently released feature film “Star Trek: Into the Darkness” got me thinking about why I value Star Trek so much. Other than the shear entertainment value of it, of course.

I should disclose this fact, too. Over the past few years I have been systematically watching all the Star Trek series on Netflix. I’ve now seen all of Voyager and Deep Space Nine. I’m currently working my way through Next Generation.  And, yes, I have seen every Star Trek movie ever made.

Although I loved “Into the Darkness” I was a bit peeved with J.J. Abrams for messing with the original time line. No tribble should have been present on the Enterprise at this point in the time line, and Chris Pike needs to be available to be found in “The Menagerie” episode of the original series.

So, if not a Trekker I am at least a bona fide geek. But I believe Gene Roddenberry’s vision captured us for some very important and optimistic reasons.

Debuting in 1966, the original Star Trek was campy and low-tech. I remember being able to see the wires that held the Enterprise aloft. But in 1966 space was the only possible frontier where race and gender didn’t matter and exploration was more important than exploitation.

While watching the different Star Trek series I am often struck by the political truths portrayed in these fanciful fictions. What happens on fictitious worlds light years away often very clearly reflects our own struggles on planet Earth.

When klingons, ferengi, humans and bajorans are trying to understand each other on a space station at the edge of the known universe we learn a great deal about our own issues of cross-cultural communication.

Set in a distance future, Star Trek offers the hopeful vision of a time that we move beyond poverty, war, racism and sexism. Star Trek proposes that an appreciation of science, culture and nature might be all the currency we need.

And, no matter how they appear, every character, whether vulcan, android or hologram, is striving to find within themselves that defining characteristic we call humanity.

Seven Difficult Steps Toward Unity

The word "spectrum" can describe the rainbow of light and color. It can also describe the range of political views. Recently, the American political spectrum has been compressed into only two options: left or right, liberal or conservative.

This compression, this line of demarcation, is absurd and inaccurate. People don't divide this clearly, and issues don't divide this clearly.

I think this angry polarization that divides our nation is artificial. In my mind, its creation comes from a number of sources. It serves neither the country, nor any of the rallying causes. It only serves the power structure that, in turn, serves only the very few.

The sources of our nation's bipolar disorder include the "dumbing down of America." This has been an intentional campaign over the past forty years to make sure that the average American isn't too smart. Why would we want to do that? Again, it serves the political structure that empowers and enriches the very few.

An older and more far-reaching source is simple dualistic thinking. When everything boils down to the eternal battle of good vs. evil, or "for us or against us", it is easy to polarize our national conversation. Dualistic thinking is a true impediment to consensus and cooperation.

Another source is the American news media. Owned by the very few, the media lays the battle lines in clear black-and-white. The under-educated public, already trained in dualistic thinking, eats it up. After all, it's easy, isn't it? Just chose between red or blue, left or right! There are no hard decisions to weigh, and there is nothing to research. Then, an American can proudly say they belong somewhere. The somewhere they belong is no longer on a spectrum, or a continuum. It's on one side of a scale, or the other. The sad fact is, that scale can never, ever balance.

While we are all busy pointing fingers at those on the other side of the scale, blaming them for all the world's evils, the really dangerous forces in the world are able to operate without much interference. Many people see this truth, and long for national unity. The catch is this. Unity will not come without diversity, or in spite of it. Unity can only come through diversity. My elderly aunt used to say that it would be a pretty boring world if we all thought the same way about things. Years later, I see the wisdom in this more clearly than ever before.

My grandmother often quoted Evelyn Beatrice Hall's famous statement; "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." It seems this concept is far less valued by modern Americans than it needs to be.

This July Fourth was bittersweet for me. It is sad that our nation is so angrily divided. In Washington, the "Aisle" is like a mighty river that cannot be crossed. In the media, the extreme voices shout the loudest, and seem to believe they speak for us all.

I'm not sure what it will take to fix this, but I have some ideas.

1. Don't leave the job of education only with the schools. Schools give our kids primary skills and provide free day care, socialization and a sense of basic workplace expectations. It is our job as parents to teach our kids to be critical thinkers, motivated researchers and self-determined decision-makers. To that end, take your kids to the library once in a while. Read with your children. Ask them their opinions, and ask them to back up their opinions by discovering actual facts. If their opinions differ from yours, be pleased. It's called evolution.

2. Remember that people who think and feel differently from you aren't evil. They aren't "bad guys." You and your like-minded friends aren't "good guys." At the end of the day, we all love our kids and we all want what's best for the country, and for the world. We just differ on what we think that "best" actually is.

3. Don't imagine that our country's policies can ever be tailored for your specific beliefs. Compromise is the answer, not the problem.

4. Consider this. Freedom of religion is a basic American right. Legislation dictated by religion isn't.

5. Remember that a leader who changes his or her mind is not necessarily a waffler, or a flip-flopper. When we learn new information, sometimes we change our minds about something. This is called growth. It's a good thing.

6. Don't quote or believe statistics without a legitimate source. Any jerk can create a Facebook meme that uses numbers to make a point. Find out the veracity of those numbers before you become outraged.

7. Here's another thing to consider. Just because a person claims to have a religion does not mean they have a moral center. And just because a person doesn't claim a religion does not mean they don't have a moral center.

So what is it going to take to find national unity? I think we need to honor things like diversity and compromise above hardline adherence to dogma. I think we need to be suspicious of politicians who use fear and anger to motivate us. I think we need to understand we can have basic morals without dictates from a specific religion. I think we need to be critical thinkers, and question everything we read and hear. We need more respect, and less ridicule. We need more facts and less fiction.

I don't think any of this will be quick or easy, but I know it can happen. We just need to be more intelligent than we are angry.