Years ago on the way to my weekly college work outs, I\u2019d pump some motivating music through my then ultra-flashy Walkman headphones; we had beats without Beats back then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of my favorite songs to rile me up, get me going, and remind me of my exercise initiative was the infamous Bonnie Tyler \u201cFootloose\u201d classic\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026 I need a hero! I’m holding out for a hero ’til the end of the night\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Something about the desiring and admiring of heroes was captivating, motivating and good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And yet today, all these years later, we seem to have gotten that all wrong. Today, whether we say it or not, we instead hold out for an enemy.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n _____<\/p>\n\n\n\n enemy<\/strong> | \u02c8en\u0259m\u0113 | – noun<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n a person who is actively opposed or hostile to someone or something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \t\u2022 (the enemy)<\/em><\/strong> [treated as singular or plural] a hostile nation or its armed forces or citizens, especially in time of war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \t\u2022 a thing that harms or weakens something else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n _____<\/p>\n\n\n\n With all due respect, let\u2019s insert an Intramuralist rephrase: an enemy is one perceived<\/em><\/strong> to be actively opposed or hostile to someone or something. An enemy is perceived<\/em><\/strong> to harm or weaken one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hence\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n The left has the right (and vice versa). The Yankees have the Red Sox. Black has white. Taylor Swift has Kanye. \u201cTastes great\u201d has \u201cless filling.\u201d The vaxxers have the anti-vaxxers. The \u201cwoke\u201d have the ignorant. And the Dallas Cowboys now even have the Washington Football Team.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s a part of me that wants to identify all of the above as mere opposites. There\u2019s another part of me that hears one say, \u201cC\u2019mon, you can\u2019t compare societal issues to sports.\u201d And truthfully, I somewhat agree with said assessment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yet what emboldens today\u2019s identification as enemies is the passion with which we justify supporting a singular side \u2014 and<\/strong> \u2014 the disdain<\/em> that we have for the other. As long as I can hold onto my disdain (warning, here \u2014 no one\u2019s going to like this),<\/em> I can justify my hatred. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n After all, that\u2019s what we do with our enemies \u2014 right?<\/em> I mean, that\u2019s ok \u2014 right?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n We hate them.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Every time I hear the encouragement to \u201clove my enemies,\u201d it takes me back a little. The idea of actually loving them, doing good to them, and even praying for them seems a little \u2014 strike that \u2014 totally<\/em> counterintuitive. They are harming me \u2014 remember?? Or at least harming someone. Maybe even lots of someones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And yet here in a culture where the faithful, faithless, woke, ignorant, and all the other utter opposites agree that the social-political climate is divisive, tense and increasingly awful, I start to believe that maybe, truly, as said, we\u2019ve gotten it all wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ve justified creating enemies of the opposite. We\u2019ve justified disdain of those who think differently. We\u2019ve justified hate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Perhaps in some conscious or unconscious way, the justification makes us feel better about ourselves. Perhaps insulating ourselves from the passion of the polar opposite allows us to never have to wrestle with the uncomfortable\u2026 that our opinion or passion might not be completely valid\u2026 or<\/em>\u2026 that another\u2019s might be equally valid\u2026 or<\/em>\u2026 that even if another\u2019s is inaccurate or perceived invalid, they are still<\/em> deserving of love and respect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026 totally<\/em> counterintuitive\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n Love your enemy. Let them bring out the best in us and not the worst. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Respectfully\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n AR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Years ago on the way to my weekly college work outs, I\u2019d pump some motivating music through my then ultra-flashy Walkman headphones; we had beats without Beats back then. One of my favorite songs to rile me up, get me going, and remind me of my exercise initiative was the infamous Bonnie Tyler \u201cFootloose\u201d classic\u2026 … <\/p>\n