The State of “United”
Wednesday we all bore witness to a disgraceful moment in our nation’s history.
Images of the storming of our Capitol — not breached since the War of 1812 — will forever be seared unto our brains and, in the years to come, will stain the pages of our history.
The hallways, offices and chambers of Congress were sullied with Confederate and Trump flags. Terrified public servants, their staff and others sheltering in place, behind furniture, some on the ground. Armed and elated Trump supporters rampaged the hallowed halls of Congress, posing for photos: there’s one with a man standing atop the people’s desk in the Senate Chamber; another leaning back on the Speaker’s desk, with his feet propped up; yet another incomprehensibly taking selfies with Capitol police.
These images cannot be disputed. We cannot disagree with the footage we saw, for our eyes do not lie — though some will try to dispute them nonetheless.
But how we interpret; how we label; how we lay blame elsewhere; how we lament or laud these images … there’s the rub.
The fundamental difficulty of this moment comes from the divergent realities we appear to be living through. Divergent because of the parallel worlds created by the echo chambers of social media, news media and those in power — these divisions cemented by the craven who value power over people and who are attempting to keep and expand their power by further sowing division among their own countrymen.
Make no mistake, what happened yesterday was significant and dangerous. Lives were lost. Lives were lost.
Also lost were many other things we hold precious: our respect and standing around the world; our moral ground; our equilibrium.
I’m alternately hearing the words “fragile” and “resilient” to describe the state of our democracy.
I’m hearing the words “polarized” and “divided” to describe the state of our people. I am hearing the words range from “funny” and “gone too far” and “devastating” and “darkest hour” to describe Wednesday’s events.
But what happened was an attempt to disrupt — to derail — Congress from doing its duty to ratify the will of the American people. Not individuals’ agendas, but all of us, as a whole.
It is a sad truth that if we don’t see ourselves as a United States of America, we will cease to be one. And by united I don’t mean the same or identical, I mean united not in spite of but because of the power of our differences.
Unity has almost become a platitude in its modern usage — a word that at best rings hollow, and at worst, even serves to sow further division. Yes, the great irony — a paradox of our times — is that the utterance of the word “unity” can create further dissension. And to be fair, that is because “unity” has often been invoked in the absence of courage to face our realities, to skip vital steps to healing, or even to silence, marginalize or gloss over.
“United,” however, is a verb, deep in legacy and powerful in its evolution and potential. It requires constant attention and nurture and reexamination. United is not a fixed or guaranteed state. It is one we must constantly strive for. That is, unity is a result of the work. It is not the work itself.
If we don’t believe in being, living, and actively working towards a united United States, then what is this all for?
To speak about being united, is not something that I say lightly — or without the nuance of understanding the imperative for justice, sacrifice, forgiveness — and perhaps above all — trust. Trust that is earned, given to the deserving.
And here is the all-important question: How do we build trust? I believe that it starts with a shared understanding of the truth — both historically and in current contexts.
The devastating realities of our shared history, with trauma and injustice ignored, dismissed, unaddressed, is in part how we arrived here.
History also provides us with hints at potential solutions. Nations with deep trauma — South Africa and Cambodia, as two examples — have established Truth and Reconciliation Commissions to face these realities head on. Others have enacted stricter laws and regulations and yet others, grave consequences for those sowing division and violence.
And how do we ensure a better informed citizenry as we move forward? Do we bring civics back to every classroom, so that the next generation is sure to learn about and understand the history and levers of democracy? Or, as some suggest, do we require mandatory attendance at the polls?
Over the coming weeks, I will be contemplating these and other topics related to examining the chasm between us and to building bridges that can help connect as we begin the long journey to shared realities, to justice, to sacrifice and forgiveness, to trust — and, dare I say it, to unity.
#politics #history #donaldtrump #trust #unity #leadership #welcome2021
