As reported by Reuters over the weekend…
“The local Republican Party headquarters in Orange County, North Carolina, was struck overnight with a flammable material thrown through a front window of the building, local authorities said in a statement on Sunday.
Someone also spray-painted graffiti including a swastika and the words ‘Nazi Republicans leave town or else’ on an adjacent building, the town of Hillsborough said on its website.
‘The flammable substance appears to have ignited inside the building, burned some furniture and damaged the building’s interior before going out,’ the statement said. No damage estimates were yet available.”
While the office is described as a “total loss,” praise God that no one was hurt or killed. And as the investigation into what actually happened and who is responsible continues, there’s an angle I would like to get to today.
Without a doubt, people will immediately point fingers, attempting to project or defer blame… “those amoral liberals… those intolerant conservatives…” Right. Like all people groups are somehow, exactly the same.
My question today is not about the specifics of the firebombing. Yes, the incident should grab our attention; it should make us pause, humbling each to the point of refraining from pointing any fingers.
But my wondering this day instead surrounds how we are deserving of blame. Sorry. I realize I just threw far more under the bus right along with me; I mean no disrespect. But my question today is simple: how are we complicit in the current volatile, polarized state of politics in which we now live?
How are we complicit?
This is a tough question. For months, many of the politically active and interested have become quite proficient in the projection of blame. We’re pretty good at that. I am actually sadly astounded at the number of rants and raves that social media has provided space for — and so many have taken the bait and followed suit. We make a bold statement, proclaiming our perceived rightful attitude of “I’m mad as hell and not going to take it anymore*$&#%!!!”, and then we never have to wrestle with thoughtful interaction. Many thus see no need for respectful dialogue.
Maybe it’s not our public activity. Maybe we’re ranting and raving in private. That is, until someone breaks, supposedly looses it, and does something as awful as they did in North Carolina.
In the last few weeks, in fact, with the presidential campaigns ratcheting up before winding down (thank God for the winding down, at least), it seems we’ve heard multiple, loud choruses of “I am woman, hear me roar” combined with “shut up and dance with me.” We keep forgetting that both the roar and call to shut up are conversation killers. Neither is typically laced with respect.
I am not suggesting that there is no time to ever cry out; there absolutely is. What I am observing, however, is that we are increasingly justifying expression in our desired means — whatever that looks like — and we are doing such in place of reasonable, respectful dialogue… dialogue that leads to understanding, empathy, and solution.
What happens on November 9th? What happens 21 days from now? When the election is over, are we then finally all going to get along? Will we then start offering respect? Or… will those who align with the electoral victor greet us with more roars and calls to shut up? Will those who lose the election increase their blaring screams and shouts?
Those who firebombed the political headquarters are guilty of a criminal act. We are not engaging in criminal activity, but we are, I’m afraid, encouraging disrespectful expression. We are encouraging no longer listening to anyone other than the likeminded and no longer generously offering respect. Our potential complicity lies not in the “I’m mad as hell” proclamation; rather, it lies in what comes after the not being willing to “take it anymore.”
Respectfully…
AR