Light at the end of the tunnel?
The November 2015 attack on a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs and the June 2016 attack on a gay bar in Orlando are both the inevitable outcomes of our culture of hate and fear. Of course, African Americans have been victims of this socially motivated killing for as long as we have had a history. Although there is a strong core of racism, sexism, and homophobia in our society, the public violence comes about when leaders such as politicians and preachers stroke the fear and hate.
The case with Orlando is clear. Over the last decade as LGTB persons gain more rights the counter rhetoric and politics have been brutal. When we publicly approve of people who refuse services or who actively deny rights to LGBT persons we are contributing to that atmosphere of hate. When we publicly support the idea that trans people are a threat in public bathrooms we are contributing to that atmosphere of fear. Our words became the bullets in that killer’s gun.
The same hate and fear applies to Planned Parenthood. The problem here is women’s control of their bodies. Planned Parenthood became demonized due to one portion of its health work with women’s reproductive health. That demonization became so virulent that violence was the inevitable outcome. Women know viscerally that saying “no” can get men angry as they fight to control women: spurn a man’s catcalls while you are out jogging in shorts he may stop and confront you; spurn a man’s advances while you are dressed “provocatively” he’ll get offended and possibly rape you. Can you control your own sexuality? No, he’ll call you a slut – or a prig. Women who publicly fight for their equality and for their autonomy, calling themselves feminists, are demonized as man haters. We wrest control from them, first in words then in violence.
African-Americans have known the dangers of acting independently since emancipation. Lynchings and mass shootings have been the coinage they pay for getting “uppity.” Even on a day-to-day basis being black is essentially criminalized. An unarmed black youth going to the store is legal fodder to shoot because by default we are afraid of him. When they get fed-up and cry out that “black lives matter” we take even that away from them by replying from our safe, privileged, middle class, positions that “all lives matter.” We wrest control from them, first in words then in violence.
What breaks my heart is the treatment of animals. The list is endless: trophy hunting, factory farming, dog-fighting, and general neglect and abuse of domesticated animals. This clearly reveals our indifference to life and to suffering. Around here, in Appalachia, spaying or neutering seem the exception rather than the norm. Unwanted litters are dumped at regular intervals. I have heard through local sources that the old tradition of dumping new born puppies or kittens into a river in a weighted bag still occurs. If lucky enough to live to adulthood a dog is likely to spend its entire life in an 8’ by 8’ pen, while a cat is left to roam until killed by car, person, or wild animal within two or three years.
Combine all of the above attitude into one person, add the confederate flag, and well…
Now let me stop there before I succumb to hate.
Around here there are numerous people who take great care of their domesticated animals. There are surprising numbers of people who rescue and help animals. I know of numerous responsible hunters and outdoorsmen. The younger generation especially seem increasingly comfortable mixing and interacting with their African-American peers. Likewise, the younger generation seem far more accepting of and comfortable with their LGBT peers and friends. For every male who is openly hostile and controlling women, there are many more who are quietly and matter of factly supportive. We must recognize and hold onto the reality that most people are kind and decent at heart. Find those people, hang onto them.
The problem is that the love and affirmation of life and diversity held by the majority gets drowned out by the noise of the haters and fearmongers. It is imperative as individuals we must not succumb ourselves to the hate and fear. Instead it is time to speak up, speak loudly, and call out the hate and fear. We must no longer be silent. Then we must elect positive politicians into office, not the fearmongers. Christians (and Muslims) must reject the preachers of hate, and vote with their feet: go attend a church or mosque which preaches the Word of love.
We are at a turning point. The Sanders campaign revealed the huge optimism and demand for change across this country, especially with its youth. The Trump campaign revealed how incredibly embedded are the fear and anger. Sanders defeat in the primary is not necessarily the end, but we're on a knife edge. Over the last twenty years the Democrats, under the Clintons’ leadership, have allowed the Republicans to control the story, and have maintained a policy of the Democrats following their lead (their fancy word for it is “triangulation”). As a result, on guns (“they’re coming for your guns”), on civil rights (“political correctness”) on warmongering (“war on terror”), on neo-liberalism (”free market vs. big government”), on fear and hate (see above) the Republicans call the shots. They now completely control 31 state governments, the house, the senate, and, until Scalia’s death, the supreme court. Such dominance has been the norm for most of the 21st century so far. The process is likely to continue of Republican dominance, and Democratic defense (at best). If, through Sanders, the youth, the idealists, the hopeful, the lovers of life are given a strong voice there is a chance, just a chance, the Democratic party might develop a positive approach, and go on offense.. One can dream.
