After the attack on the U.S. Capitol, I heard people say this is not who we are. The rioters. The insurgents. The violent element among us.
Alas, it is exactly who we are. Because it is reality.
You may not be violent. I may not be violent. But as a society? We are definitely violent. We are hateful, bigoted, racist, homophobic, xenophobic, fearful. We are a cancer, invading the very fabric of humanity.
This isn’t simply a tumor, easily excised. This cancer has metastasized. It is reaching out in all directions, slowly enveloping those who weren’t initially infected. It is insidious and penetrating and dangerous.
It is who we have become. It is who we are.
And it is based on lies.
See? There’s the rub, right? The lies. The unfounded conspiracy theories. The constant barrage of repetitive mantras that slowly develop a cadence of there own, circling in our heads, allowing the tumors to grow. “Build That Wall! Lock Her Up! Stop the Steal! The Big Lie! Vaccines kill!” They resonate with some. They become rallying cries. They entice others to join the fray. And they are not based in reality.
This is exactly who we are, right here, right now.
But it’s not who we have to be. We have choices. Every one of us. Every day.
We have to look for the facts, the truth, reality. We have to educate others to do the same. We have to face our fears, understand them, bring them into the light and begin to dispel those that are unworthy of our attention. Hate is fear manifested. If we can identify it, we can work toward eradicating it. This is the chemotherapy society needs.
This will not be easy. Nothing worthwhile ever is. But if we’re persistent, and patient, and loving, and accepting, and kind, and peaceful, and compassionate…well, if we’re all that and more, we can get there. We can be better than this. We can cure this cancer. It’s just gonna take some hard work and tough medicine. Roll up your sleeve…
Namaste 🙏
~jwb~