Reaching Across

If I had a hammer.

Blowin in the Wind.

Where have all the flowers gone.

Sitting in my local coffee house this morning. 

The music playing overhead was right out of 1967:  Joan Baez.  Peter, Paul, and Mary.  Kingston Trio.  Jim Croce.  Crosby, Stills, and Nash.

I had to stop and reflect on human arrogance.  We always seem to think that we are so much more civilized than previous generations, that we have it all figured out.  No matter what side of the political coin we are on, we are absolutely positive that we are right.  We are quick to judge the motives and ideologies of others, and assume that they are wrong, evil, or malicious.

It seems every generation, political ideology, and movement believes, 

“It’s us against them.”

“We have truth on our side.”

“We have the right reasons.”

“We have facts on our side.”

“We have pure motives.”

 “We mean well.”

“Therefore, anything we do, is acceptable.”

It seems to me, that any large movement in this line of thinking becomes a steamroller that ends up squashing people who don’t agree with them, smearing those who dissent, attacking those who dare to believe differently:

From the 60s protests to the War on Terrorism.  

From the black berets of the Black Panthers to the white sheets of the KKK.

From shameful signs of Westboro Baptist to the shaming smears of GLAAD.

From the Moral Majority to the affirmative action for minorities.

From the Border Guard to the Derechos Humanos Coalition

When groups become so assured of their righteousness on a single issue, they begin to see all others as their enemy, and that isn’t healthy for any of us.

Our culture claims to value diversity.  It champions tolerance and equality.  But the truth remains that diversity rarely includes opposition.  Tolerance doesn’t tolerate dissension, and everyone is equal unless they are on the other side.

Will history judge us for the choices we made today?  Is there a way to bridge beliefs, to cross boundaries, to befriend those who are radically different from us?

I believe there is, but it doesn’t come from a big movement.

It comes from the individual actions of people who care enough to sit down with those who are against us, to have real conversations, meals together, and intentional outreaches.  It comes from those who are willing to say that I sorely disagree with you on this one issue, but we can come together in a dozen other places.  It comes from those who are willing to be humble and value others above themselves.

One on one, we can build relationships that can stand through anything.

That’s the theory.  Now, comes the time to put it into practice.  Can you swallow your pride and reach out to that family member who is in that other political party?  Can you invite that guy from the office out to lunch who always talks about that one issue?  Can you be the humble one and reach out to the friend on Facebook who has strong opinions? 

Thanksgiving is coming.  What better time to sit down and make peace?

Someone has to make the first step.

Will you?

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Philippians 2:3-4

Time to Grow Up and Act Like Kids Again

“It’s MINE!!!,” screamed the Stephen as he took the big red ball away from the Anne. Anne promptly burst into tears and went running to the teacher where she sobbed and stuttered trying to tell her version of the story. Stephen came running up a few steps behind yelling, “I had it first and she took it from me." Both children are full of righteous anger and primed to fight for their rights with no regard or thought for the other.

The teacher was now left to sort out the issue and deal with the children, not just with their refusal to share, but also with their behaviors after the fact.

You might think this is a story of two preschoolers, but perhaps not…

Recently, in Phoenix, a black city councilman was in a confrontation with a white police officer. The actual outcome of the situation is murky with blame to be assigned to both sides, but the interesting thing is the gigantic outpouring of anger from the black community in that area. Even if this single episode was not actually racially motivated, someone had better pay attention to the issue of community policing in that area because the response tells me there are much deeper issues there.

In the past months, we have seen a Health Care Bill signed into law by Democrats who completely bypassed any semblance to open and honest legislation, provoking some of the largest angry reactions that I have seen in politics during my lifetime. This gave a boost to the Tea Party movement that has been agitating for change in government.

Sometime later, Arizona Republicans signed a law into effect that some said could lead to racial profiling, leading to an enormous backlash by Hispanics and others.

Each of these events have something in common: the response was much more powerful than expected and in some cases, has yet to die down.

The response in each of these cases is due to the feeling of disenfranchisement by one group in response to the actions of another.

As a White man, it is easy to dismiss the situation that occurred with the City Councilman because he is black and ultimately had a large degree of fault in the events that transpired. But the event was merely a catalyst that opened the lid of simmering issues between the Black community and the Law Enforcement community.

Democrats are quick to dismiss the Tea Party movement as a bunch of crazies and racists, but the truth is, they are by and large ordinary people that are sick of the abuses of government and want to be heard.

Arizona Republicans and supporters of SB1070 and similar laws like to shut down the immigration argument with sound bites about ‘rule of law’ but fail to recognize the very real fears of many legal Hispanic immigrants and citizens as well as the complex issues of our historic immigration policies.

Whatever race we are, whatever political or religious affiliation, we must remember that there are people who hold different ideas than we do. Our actions as a majority may seem right to us, but may trample the rights of others or appear to do so.

If large numbers of people stand up in response, there just might be a problem that the majority doesn’t recognize or refuses to see. Dismissing our opponents and denigrating their values is not healthy or productive.

Democrat or Republican, White or Black, Legal or Illegal, Christian or Atheist, Tastes-great or Less-Filling, we all share this nation and we must work together and listen to each other.

In Kindergarten we learn to share, to respect each other, and to play nice.

It is the time to dial down the rhetoric and work to open avenues of communication.

It is the time for openness and truth.

It is the time for cooperation and compromise.

Let’s remember those lessons from Kindergarten…

It’s time to grow up and act like kids again.

Don't make me go tell the teacher.

¿Puede llevar zapatos de una otra persona?

Para mis Hermanos Hispanos,

(ENGLISH TRANSLATION FOLLOWS)

Soy un Estadounidense y vivo en Arizona. He estudiado español más que doce años y yo soy un pastor de una Iglesia Cristiano. Soy también Caucásico con raíces alemanas si que importa. Comprendo toda la ira y frustracion en SB1070 y las leyes que han sido entrados los últimos años. Yo no apoyo muchas de estas leyes y yo no concuerdo con Russell Pierce en la mayoría de las cosas. En mi opinion, yo creo que el es una racista y yo pienso que el esconde su racismo detrás de la ley.*

Pero, esto debe ser dicho.

Si estas honesto, entonces sabes que el problema de inmigración ilegal es un problema de derechos humanos. La esclavitud, el robo, la violación de mujeres, las drogas, la violencia, el asesinato, y el riesgo de la muerte en el desierto es implicado todo aquí. Si tu no quieres las leyes que han sido pasadas contra inmigración ilegal, entonces debes provear respuestas a estos problemas.

No no es suficiente para acusar todos los Arizonans del racismo si no puedes resolver o no resolverá estos asuntos.

¿Dónde se paras en los derechos humanos de la familia que se muere de sed en el desierto?

¿Qué respuestas das a la chica adolescente violada por un coyote cruzando la frontera?

¿Qué dices al hombre que es forzado a trabajar como un esclavo aquí en Estados Unidos porque su esposa es una rehén?

Los derechos humanos están en los dos lados de este asunto.

Este asunto es más grande que construyendo una pared en la frontera o un programa de trabajadorer braceros.

Este asunto es más grande que republicanos o demócratas.

Este asunto es más grande que respuestas sencillas y cantar esloganes.

Este asunto es más grande que piel café o blanca.

Tenemos que caminar en cada otros zapatos y trabajar conjuntos para entender.

Derechos humanos pertenecen a todos.

Somos todos ninos de Dios.

¿Qué harás para hacer paz?

*Nota: No creo que todas que apoyan SB1070 y leyes similares son racistas y creo es incorrecto para acusarlos todos.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION:

Can you wear someone else's shoes?

To my Hispanic Brothers,

I am a United States citizen and I live in Arizona. I have studied Spanish for more than 12 years and I am a pastor of a Christian Church. I am also white with German roots if that matters. I understand all of the anger and frustration about SB1070 and the laws that have been passed these last years. I don’t support many of thes laws and I don’t agree with Russell Pierce about most things. In my opinion, I believe that he is a racist and that he hides his racism behind the law.*

But, this must be said,

If you are honest, then you know that the problem of illegal immigration is a problem of human rights. Slavery, robbery, rape, drugs, violence, murder, and the risk of death in the desert is involved in all of this. If you don’t want the laws that have been passed against illegal immigration, then you must provide an answer to these problems.

It is not enough to accuse all Arizonans of racism if you cannot solve or will not solve these issues.

Where do you stand on the human rights of the family that dies of thirst in the desert?

What answer do you give to the young girl raped by a coyote when crossing the border?

What do you say to the man who is forced to work as a slave here in the U.S. because his wife is held hostage?

Human Rights are on both sides of this issue.

This issue is bigger than building a wall on the border or a guest worker program.

This issue is bigger than republicans or democrats.

This issue is bigger than simple answers or chanted slogans.

This issue is bigger than brown or white skin.

We have to walk in each other’s shoes and work to understand each other.

Human rights belong to everyone.

We are all God’s children.

What will you do to make peace?

* Note: I don’t believe that everyone who supports SB1070 and similar laws are racist and I believe it is wrong to accuse everyone of this.