BlogSilly SeasonPosted August 9th, 2012 by Sharon Morgan
I do not intend to use the Gather at the Table platform to promote my personal political preferences. We all have our opinions and, whether we agree or not, freedom of thought and speech are rights that must be respected and protected. I do, however, want to use this platform to draw attention to things in society that concern me…. deeply… just as racism does (which is a main topic of our book). What is happening in American politics has gone way beyond silly. The words mind-boggling, ridiculous, shameful, disgusting, and even frightening come to mind much more readily than “silly.” I resent being assaulted every day with condescending statements and duplicitous code words, not to mention outright lies and distortions of fact. What is happening in the political arena is a travesty in a country that claims pride in democratic ideals. If this is the “silly season,” where will we end up 90 days from now in November? Against this backdrop… In less than a month, there have been two vicious massacres of innocent people at Colorado and Wisconsin. In considering these events, it is increasingly obvious to me that some people, bent on propelling the world toward Armageddon, have decided that sh*t isn’t hitting the fan fast enough. Political messages are stoking the fires. The insanity of both makes it clear that ALL of us are under attack (from within and without) — no matter what race, creed or color we are. (The victims in Aurora were all white!) So much is in turmoil. The rate and magnitude of economic collapse and social change is undoubtedly hard to fathom or endure. Everyone is struggling to make ends meet. More and greater challenges loom for food and energy. Many are questioning the very foundations of their beliefs. These struggles are surely even more profound for people as deeply disturbed as James Holmes and Wade Page. How many thousands more are on similar paths of anger and destruction? After all the political venom, I cannot imagine a Republican in the White House because I do not want to live in a country run by rich white men who have “taken their country back.” I want to live in a democracy where all citizens are treated fairly and fear is not a ruling factor in our lives. I long for a better society and am determined to endure present circumstances with my humanity and principles intact. I pray that EVERYONE look deeply into their hearts and think about what we TRULY want America to be and consider how each and every one of us has a role to play in the transformation that will carry us into the future. STOP being silly…. RIGHT NOW!
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