Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and senators and congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country.
~Franklin D. Roosevelt
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I’ve tried so hard not to write about this presidential campaign. I came close but I can’t keep quiet any longer (22 days and counting at the time of writing this). I had a whole host of things to write about regarding the GOP candidate—his hatred of immigrants and people of color, debate “techniques,” his connection to white supremacy organizations (yes, plural), where he stands on LGBTQ+ issues, and so on—and now there is his assault on women. Like I said, he’s built quite the list. I struggled a bit deciding if I was going to write on my personal experiences of unwanted male attention (stalking and rape), but I decided on a different focus. I’ve read a couple posts on social media in the last week or so about thanking this candidate for bringing things to surface in our society that need to be addressed. I’ve wrestled with this concept. Does this candidate really deserve our gratitude? Given his ego, immaturity, and lack of class, probably not. But, what if this was one of his soul’s purpose?
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This election season is wrought with emotion and as one who is heart-centered—I can easily get swept away by passionate words. It takes extra effort for me to stay the course. And, because I’m attempting to look at a larger picture and see how this concept would play out (gratitude for bringing things to surface)—that does not mean that I condone his ugly, abusive, soul-breaking, or corrosive behavior nor do I think it shouldn’t go punished within our justice system as appropriate. I can do my best to practice my Christian faith when it comes to men like this and forgive them; and such an act takes time, courage, and patience with self and others. I should also say that I am in no way intending to elevate this candidate in any way—gratitude for showing our country its societal ills (while perpetuating many of them) does not mean lifting up a person on a pedestal with a first place ribbon.
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What's going to come up next??
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Democracy is when the indigent, and not the men of property, are the rulers.
~Aristotle
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The image that came to mind when thinking about this topic was the ecosystem of a lake. Yes, I thought of pond scum!! However, after a minor re-education on what exactly happens in this ecosystem, I see that there is a balance required for optimal health. The conditions have to be just right for a lake to maintain its health and ability to feed the microscopic organisms all the way to the trees. Perhaps the same could be said for our nation (I know, it’s a stretch, but I like me a nice metaphor!). Things have been out of balance in our nation for quite some time—many would argue all the way back to when the Indigenous Peoples were slaughtered and misplaced. And yes, many people are unwilling to look at this fact and believe that they have inalienable rights to the land they “own” to the air they breathe. Perhaps this is a crude metaphor and there are countless other ways to illustrate this point; however, this is what came to my mind.
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As free citizens in a political democracy, we have a responsibility to be interested and involved in the affairs of the human community, be it
at the local or the global level.
~Paul Wellstone
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I also think of the teachings of my religious tradition (Swedenborgian) and the works of Carl Jung. It is Jung who explained, “One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light but by making the darkness conscious.” I have participated in this work in my own life and working toward reconciling my life narrative and experiences in my family of origin. And so, when I take a step back and breathe from what I see playing out on the national stage called the presidential election—I see this concept in its systemic form. Because it is systemic, these oppressive forces have harmed countless people for generations. I am not excusing or condoning it, but rather understanding that it is going to take a massive acknowledgement for our history and clear choices to correct and atone for these wrongs. It is not impossible and it is imperative for our nation to move forward and heal. An example is the hashtag #notokay where people are coming forward and sharing their experiences with sexual assault. The removal of stigma and building of community is one step forward in the healing process. I'm also not looking to gloss over issues and jump to healing when an important step in the healing process is to speak and listen about a whole host of issues. I'm looking at what can happen next for our nation that is desperate for healing to take place.
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As the saying goes, “Don’t shoot the messenger.”
But, that does not mean I have to vote for him! *wink*
But, that does not mean I have to vote for him! *wink*
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