Spoiler alert: America is not perfect. It never has been. The last few years, and especially the last weeks, have made that more obvious than ever. It's unfortunate that we've had so many reminders of that in the midst of a pandemic which has stretched every last nerve to the breaking point for so many people. Martin Luther King Day is a good time to remember the demonstrations of last summer. I say "demonstrations", not "riots" because the majority of them were peaceful and the reasons for them were sound and overwhelming. A disproportionate number of people of color are dying not only because of the pandemic, but also from the real disease of this country, racism. Some (please note, not all) "bad cops" have been involved. But the everyday putdowns, devaluation, and dismissal of people based on the color of their skin has been growing like a tumor, unseen and ignored for too long, even when we knew it was there. Maybe because many people of all colors were home and glued to their televisions to witness the pain, the message might have been brought to the consciousness of a few more people than usual. Admittedly, this revelation hasn't been accepted by everyone, but we have more people trying to understand. And hopefully, having the grace to acknowledge and to be embarrassed by much of our history.
To my horror, the ugliness under the surface is not limited to racism. We also saw the results of poor education, limited economic opportunites, and frustration on the part of a lot of Trump's supporters. When wealth tried to take the place of God in this country workers were hurt instead of helped by automation. Jobs were sent overseas to people who were willing to work for an inexcusable wage. As jobs were lost and opportunities blocked, a large number of people nursed their anger and blamed the wrong people. The immigrants who came and worked menial jobs were as taken advantage of as those whom they replaced. The anger should have been directed at the CEO's and the Congress who allowed this disgrace. It was bound to erupt and it did, although it took many of us by surprise or even shock. We were fools not to see this coming. We were too comfortable in our own bubbles. We had forgotten how to be kind, just as others had forgotten what kindness felt like.
I pray every morning for a peaceful transition of power. I prayed for the defeat of President Trump as well, because in addition to what professionals have called certain mental illness, it was obvious that he was being used to fan the flames. He has become a symbol of how truly frightening things can get. I don't expect Mr. Biden to be perfect. He will make mistakes and we will let him know when he does. But I do believe he will show an acceptance of all people that we have not seen in a long time. It's time for the "Us" vs. "Them" rhetoric to stop. It's time to be the UNITED States again. And it's time to work on making the playing field even for all American people, the ones of every color who were born here, the ones who have come here seeking liberty and opportunity, and the ones from whom the land was stolen in the first place.
We've never gotten it completely right. We never will. That's what Heaven's for. But while we're here we need to try, and to try very hard to make progress. Life is difficult enough for us all, and it's more difficult for too many. For people with disabilities, for people with low incomes, for people with a different sexual preference from ours, for people with the lingering pain of abuse. The list goes on. Our main job is to help one another get through it.
Spring is coming. The vaccines are being distributed. We can start to help one another by believing in the science that tells us to wear a mask every time we leave the house, and to keep our social distance. Start small but let us give our hearts a chance to expand. Every day we wake up we have the gift of another opportunity to make a difference. Like Doctor King, we can have a dream, too. And like him, we must be willing to work and sacrifice for it.
"Ring the bells that still can ring. Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack, a crack in everything.
That's how the light gets in."
- Leonard Cohen
To my horror, the ugliness under the surface is not limited to racism. We also saw the results of poor education, limited economic opportunites, and frustration on the part of a lot of Trump's supporters. When wealth tried to take the place of God in this country workers were hurt instead of helped by automation. Jobs were sent overseas to people who were willing to work for an inexcusable wage. As jobs were lost and opportunities blocked, a large number of people nursed their anger and blamed the wrong people. The immigrants who came and worked menial jobs were as taken advantage of as those whom they replaced. The anger should have been directed at the CEO's and the Congress who allowed this disgrace. It was bound to erupt and it did, although it took many of us by surprise or even shock. We were fools not to see this coming. We were too comfortable in our own bubbles. We had forgotten how to be kind, just as others had forgotten what kindness felt like.
I pray every morning for a peaceful transition of power. I prayed for the defeat of President Trump as well, because in addition to what professionals have called certain mental illness, it was obvious that he was being used to fan the flames. He has become a symbol of how truly frightening things can get. I don't expect Mr. Biden to be perfect. He will make mistakes and we will let him know when he does. But I do believe he will show an acceptance of all people that we have not seen in a long time. It's time for the "Us" vs. "Them" rhetoric to stop. It's time to be the UNITED States again. And it's time to work on making the playing field even for all American people, the ones of every color who were born here, the ones who have come here seeking liberty and opportunity, and the ones from whom the land was stolen in the first place.
We've never gotten it completely right. We never will. That's what Heaven's for. But while we're here we need to try, and to try very hard to make progress. Life is difficult enough for us all, and it's more difficult for too many. For people with disabilities, for people with low incomes, for people with a different sexual preference from ours, for people with the lingering pain of abuse. The list goes on. Our main job is to help one another get through it.
Spring is coming. The vaccines are being distributed. We can start to help one another by believing in the science that tells us to wear a mask every time we leave the house, and to keep our social distance. Start small but let us give our hearts a chance to expand. Every day we wake up we have the gift of another opportunity to make a difference. Like Doctor King, we can have a dream, too. And like him, we must be willing to work and sacrifice for it.
"Ring the bells that still can ring. Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack, a crack in everything.
That's how the light gets in."
- Leonard Cohen
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