Obviously, there is no bigger topic today than all the ugly that happened in Paris, why it occurred, and how we individually, corporately, and nationally respond. It’s challenging to wrap one’s mind around the killing of the innocent and the motivating evil. While there are moments in my day where the broad scope of the horror is “out of sight/out of mind,” so-to-speak, we cannot escape what happened. We cannot escape the fact that the threat of evil has not been extinguished. We cannot rid ourselves of the probable reality that terror will soon strike again.
Nothing compares to terror.
Nothing compares to evil.
Let me be clear.
I’m still struck by what dominated the news flow the week prior. Those silly red cups (although I now believe there were more upset about the uproar than actually involved in the uproar)… the pitfalls and perceived positives of socialism… Donald Trump’s latest loquacious soliloquy… and what was happening on the college campus. Oh, the college campus… Amid the weekend tragedy, we have omitted extended conversation about the current movement on college campuses across the country.
Before I say more, let me repeat what was briefly articulated above:
Nothing compares to terror.
Nothing compares to evil.
Let me be clear.
Prior to the explosions that rocked our world — and perhaps most significantly, rocked the peace and comfort of our daily lives, finally getting our attention in regard to the evil of ISIS and their adherence to the violence encouraged in the latter chapters of the Qur’an — there was quite the conversation on college campuses across the country.
After initial protests at the University of Missouri and Yale in regard to racial relations, the movement morphed into a question of free speech. What is allowed to be said? What is not? The conversation gained attention and intensity after the VP of the Missouri Student Association said in an interview with MSNBC that she was personally “tired of hearing that first amendment rights protect students when they are creating a hostile and unsafe learning environment.” Missouri students were also encouraged to call police if they heard any “hateful and/or hurtful speech.” [Emphasis mine.]
Just a reminder, according to the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, we are guaranteed the freedom of speech. While there exist some limits on that freedom — such as “falsely shouting fire in a crowded theater” — there is no law against unpopular opinion or distasteful advocacy. People’s feelings do not trump people’s rights.
I think what’s challenging for each of us is how to deal with those whose speech we find insulting. There are a lot of people who say a lot of things that I personally find incredibly inappropriate. Whether that be those who call for the killing of police, the killing of any innocent, or the picketing at a military funeral, I typically find their words to be disrespectful and by all means, awful.
I also respect their right to say what they feel. My then chosen response is to not validate them via my attention.
What becomes further challenging for us, though, is because we do feel a certain way, we sometimes become demanding instead of withholding our attention. We demand that those insulting us be silenced; we demand that their words be squelched. The embedded dilemma within such demands is that we are trumping feelings over rights.
Friends, activism is not a dirty word. Vigorously campaigning to bring about desired change is an activity that can make sense at the right time, right place, and in the right way. However, when activism turns into “demandingness” — when what we want and feel trumps all rights of another — that’s concerning. We can’t see anything but our own angle, passion, and opinion.
Seeing only our own angle, sensing only our own passion, and thus prioritizing our feelings can be a dangerous thing.
Respectfully…
AR