With the holidays and songs of “peace on earth” having wafted well behind us, and years of political turmoil before us, perhaps it would be worthwhile to inquire, how can we find peace when lies, greed, and gross injustice, run rampant right under our noses?
First and foremost, it’s essential that we appreciate that my fellow Republicans, particularly the chief promoters of the MAGA movement, aren’t evil, they’re simply dominated by the very base belief that everything should be subservient to self-interest and near-term gain. The harmful consequences of their conduct on others are primarily PR challenges to be managed. Arguments for cutting funding for public education, healthcare, and protecting the environment, can readily be contrived and sold to their base. Honesty, respect for the law and others, building dignity and a safer and more egalitarian society, to MAGA Republican leaders are sugar coatings to employ in their plans to hold onto power.
So, what should those of us inclined to feel righteous indignation with the morally bankrupt conduct of leaders do? I submit, we have three options.
We can anchor ourselves to the fact that Machiavellian leaders have won the day. Having asked ourselves, why keep striving to build a better country and world when the strong have been able to rig the system and secure power and wealth for themselves, we can turn off the news, give up, and refocus on caring for our family and friends.
A second option is we can stay informed, stay open to witnessing gross selfishness and deception, and feel righteous indignation to the point of becoming bitter and angry. While we have every right to be angry with those who use and abuse women, and all but their wealthy buddies, this anger not only wears heavily on us, it often creates a chasm between ourselves and friends and family who support an opposing political party, and it does nothing to restrain self-serving leaders.
A third option is we can stay informed and resolve to channel our righteous indignation into active opposition to morally bankrupt conduct and policies. We can also focus our energies on building a better world through local channels. While challenging ourselves to move from righteous indignation to constructive action may often feel like a near impossible course to navigate, we can take hope and strength from a long lineage of leaders and commoners that did precisely that.
From Pilgrams that stood up to and left the Church of England, to Colonists who opposed and fought against the tyranny of King George, to free men who fought to end slavery, to women protesting to win equal rights, to soldiers fighting aggressors around the world, to daily battles against economic and social injustice, it’s clear that ordinary people have been fighting against injustice and the strong using the weak for a very long time.
One thing that can guide our response toward deception and injustice is to look back and glean from how President Lincoln, Fredrick Douglas and MLK responded to morally bankrupt leaders.
During Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address, while many were still fighting to maintain slavery, and fervently hated him and wanted him dead, he responded: “With malice towards none, with charity towards all, ….let us bind up the nation’s wounds”. While such a magnanimous response is often beyond me, and may not be appropriate to some of today’s ongoing battles, it ought to at least cause us to pause.
Another example worthy of consideration is how Fredrick Douglas, once a slave for 20 years, responded to the most powerful people in government continued to perpetuating slavery. His faith and maturity gave him the wherewithal to seed hope and action among abolitionists with, “The fiat of the Almighty, ‘Let there be Light,’ has not yet spent its force.”
A third example is our beloved MLK, who despite being arrested 29 times for civil disobedience, had the heart and courage to challenge all to peacefully advocate for living out the belief enshrined in our Declaration that “All men are created equal.”
If we think we have reason to be angry, they had more. And yet, they chose to calmly call out detestable conduct, stayed true themselves, called on all to hear their better angels, and dedicated themselves to building dignity. Following in their footsteps, we too need let go of our anger and focus on thwarting and blunting morally bankrupt conduct. As unrelenting as MAGA Republicans are in advancing their agenda, we can be equally unrelenting in our opposition. We can contact our representatives, protest, boycott businesses supporting MAGA politicians, and support opposition campaigns. We can also counter MAGA defundings by increasing support for local schools, support justice in policing, be more energy efficient, and provide people needing a job or healthcare with good counsel. “With malice towards none”, we can dedicate ourselves to exposing gross selfishness and cruelty, while extending a helping hand up to those in need.