My sense is there\u2019s a lot of talk right now. Everyone has an opinion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many want to tell us how they think. Many want to tell you<\/em> how to think. Many others want to go bury their head in the sand, forgetting the year of 2020 and all its unprecedented peril thus far. Still more demand no one actually be allowed to bury their head in the sand\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSpeak!\u201d we say. \u201cSpeak!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n But how do we speak in a society when we\u2019ve become so poor at honoring those who aren\u2019t like us?<\/p>\n\n\n\n My sense is we are pretty terrible at empathizing with the different\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026 and loving our neighbor well.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n No doubt part of the entire problem in our current frictional, fractious state is that most of us have selectively chosen who we will and won\u2019t love. We\u2019ve been lured into the foolish false reality that in order to love someone well, they need to believe, behave and vote just like \u201cme.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Note:<\/em> I have yet to meet <\/em>any <\/em><\/strong>person who believes, behaves and votes just like me.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I therefore find myself at a bit of loss today. I want to discuss our country\u2019s current condition, but I\u2019m also fearful we can\u2019t handle the conversation. Why? Because we don\u2019t actually know how to speak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So I again humbly employ the art of asking questions. Remember: the question mark is the only punctuation piece which invites a response. Exclamation points \u2014 shouting \u2014 simply isn\u2019t effective. Let\u2019s instead invite others to respond and interact. Let\u2019s each listen and learn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hence, 10 heartfelt questions\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n (1) How did the cultural shutdown \u2014 staying inside for months \u2014 impact the intensity of the response to the death of George Floyd?<\/p>\n\n\n\n (2) How can a generation which has grown up on their phones and in front of their screens learn how to look another in the eye and have respectful, interactive dialogue?<\/p>\n\n\n\n (3) In social media\u2019s society \u2014 a culture in which 280 characters qualifies as a conversation (up from the original 140) <\/em>\u2014 how can we learn to actually listen?<\/p>\n\n\n\n (4) How come so many always point at someone else \u2014 what they<\/em> need to change?<\/p>\n\n\n\n (5) Where do I<\/em> need to grow and change? \u2026 none of us have it all figured out \u2014 right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n (6) Is it possible to believe each of the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ta. George Floyd was murdered and the policemen responsible should go to jail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \tb. When there\u2019s police wrongdoing, there\u2019s a lack of accountability in place to deal with such matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \tc. Mass protests are warranted and legitimate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \td. Looting and burning businesses are not legitimate and the persons responsible should go to jail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n e. Racism, implicit bias, and prejudice are harmful to American society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (7) Am I justifying any of the above as lesser?<\/p>\n\n\n\n (8) How am I educating myself on the history of race relations in our country? Am I reading a variety of authors and perspectives? \u2026 from persons who are black, white, male, female, liberal, conservative, Christian and non-Christian?<\/p>\n\n\n\n (9) Where is racism individual and where is it structural? And if I\u2019m believing only one or the other, why? <\/p>\n\n\n\n And (10 ) Am I dwelling in an echo chamber, never being exposed or encouraged to empathize with one who is different than me? (\u2026 am I actually cutting off\/out the different? Am I insulating myself from other valid perspective, forgetting that other valid perspective exists?)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I have more questions, of course; there is much to ponder.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Note: we ponder in order to love our neighbor well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Respectfully\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n AR My sense is there\u2019s a lot of talk right now. Everyone has an opinion. Many want to tell us how they think. Many want to tell you how to think. Many others want to go bury their head in the sand, forgetting the year of 2020 and all its unprecedented peril thus far. Still more … <\/p>\n
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