{"id":5152,"date":"2015-09-03T06:25:09","date_gmt":"2015-09-03T10:25:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/intramuralist.com\/?p=5152"},"modified":"2015-09-03T06:47:16","modified_gmt":"2015-09-03T10:47:16","slug":"perceptions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/intramuralist.com\/?p=5152","title":{"rendered":"perceptions"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"photo-1438503733096-e5c5560f05ed\"<\/a>As most of you know, we have been wrestling with some tough issues here. Thank you. I have always said there is no topic the Intramuralist will intentionally avoid. Some topics are tougher than others to discuss \u2014 some will have far less consensus and prompt many more angles and tangents and potentially messy opinions \u2014 but we won\u2019t shy away. As long as we are respectful \u2014 as long as we are willing to articulate thought and opinion in way that is sensitive to those who may not agree \u2014 we can talk about all things. I believe learning to talk about all things is key to making progress and crafting solution.<\/p>\n

One of my greatest gripes about Washington (and wherever),<\/em> in fact, is that we make so little progress together; we are not unified. Why? Because instead of learning to humbly listen and speak respectfully \u2014 in a way that makes us actually want<\/em> to work together \u2014 we simply justify shouting louder. Note to all: that never works.<\/p>\n

Hence, returning briefly to Tuesday\u2019s topic surrounding the #BlackLivesMatter movement, I found the ensuing discussion incredibly insightful and thought-provoking\u2026 that is\u2026 for those who were willing to soberly listen and consider all that was said.<\/p>\n

Later that day I engaged in another conversation regarding a transgender teen, at the heart of a controversy in Missouri. The teen desires to use the high school girls\u2019 bathroom even though he is physiologically still male. Again, this is a tough topic to be sensitive to all people and perspectives. It\u2019s often tough to have empathy for people who think different than \u201cwe\u201d or \u201cme.\u201d<\/p>\n

So as I wrestled with what is good and true and right, I began to think about the whole idea of \u201clives mattering\u201d \u2014 a beautiful concept, no doubt, as we are each uniquely and wonderfully made.<\/p>\n

Is our challenge that in all of our life mattering issues, there exists at least a perception (not necessarily a reality)<\/em> that one life is more valuable than another?<\/p>\n

Hear me here; there is zero harshness in my voice. I am attempting to process this together\u2026<\/p>\n

At the heart of the #BlackLivesMatter movement, is there a general perception in those genuinely advocating, that the lives of white people mean more \u2014 hence the motivation for the movement?<\/p>\n

Regarding the accompanying mantra that cops\u2019 lives matter \u2014 is there a perception that cops\u2019 lives don\u2019t matter as much as the grass roots\u2019 movement?<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s extend this further\u2026<\/p>\n

In regard to the disabled \u2014 an issue near and dear to my heart \u2014 is there a perception that the life of a special needs individual is less valued and\/or capable of contributing to our society?<\/p>\n

And to the elderly, because they are old, are they perceived to have any less to give?<\/p>\n

What about the delicate issue dealing with the unborn \u2014 is there a perception that the baby\u2019s life is less valuable than the mother\u2019s?<\/p>\n

Or regarding that mother \u2014 is there a perception that her life matters less?<\/p>\n

Friends, I am not attempting to set off any fresh, new hot button. I desire to wrestle with all that is good and true and right. And as I hear you and your many diverse, excellent insights, I wonder if there are multiple perceptions surrounding the quality of life that some of us \u2014 perhaps none of us \u2014 totally get. I appreciated, for example, the comment of a friend who respectfully offered that in regard to #BlackLivesMatter, there are some aspects white people simply don\u2019t comprehend; just as when we consider the increasing violence against police, there are some aspects that those so emotionally entwined in the Black Lives movement also miss.<\/p>\n

I wonder: is there some separate aspect of empathy each of us is missing when it comes to black lives, cops, the disabled, elderly, unborn, transgender, etc. etc. etc.?<\/p>\n

What are we missing? What perceptions may be slightly skewed?<\/p>\n

And can we\u2026 can we talk about it?<\/p>\n

Respectfully\u2026
\nAR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As most of you know, we have been wrestling with some tough issues here. Thank you. I have always said there is no topic the Intramuralist will intentionally avoid. Some topics are tougher than others to discuss \u2014 some will have far less consensus and prompt many more angles and tangents and potentially messy opinions … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “perceptions”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5152","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-issue"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/intramuralist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5152","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/intramuralist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/intramuralist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/intramuralist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/intramuralist.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5152"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/intramuralist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5152\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5159,"href":"https:\/\/intramuralist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5152\/revisions\/5159"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/intramuralist.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5152"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/intramuralist.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5152"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/intramuralist.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5152"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}