I am not a Facebook or social media fan and I am hesitant to speak using only typewritten words.  I like people and real live face-to-face discussions that includes all of the nonverbal language as well as the words.  Words are only a small portion of how we communicate with each other, expressions, gestures, inflection; all are keys to authentic meaningful communication.  I truly believe that communication is more than the exchange of a few words and that to understand another and their message we must speak face to face, one on one.  This caused me to try to understand and speak Haitian Kreyole when I began to serve in partnership ministries in Haiti through my church so that I could really understand and have meaningful conversations with partners and friends in Haiti.  Communication through a translator may convey the words and definition of the words spoken but it does not properly communicate the authentic meaning of what is being expressed, all of the nonverbal communication that goes with it and is lost as the translator relays the message.  So I don’t often post much on Facebook other than sharing work events.

There is a Haitian Proverb, We see from where we stand, from where I stood this morning I was terrified that so many found hatred as the best path to be “great”.   You see from where I stand, my reality and what stuck out to me was that our president elect is a man full of hatred for many groups of people and I could not imagine that the good people of this country really agreed with and approved of that.  I don’t think we had any good choices this year but the indiscriminate hatred for so many of the “other” people really disturbed me. I struggled this morning and I will continue to struggle with our new reality but I was blessed to have time today to pray and reflect as our weekly adoration and Mass for the staff at work is on Wednesday at noon.  During this time I stood in a different place and saw some new realities and took a good hard look at myself.

After praying for a close friend who has a very difficult few days, I spent the rest of the time asking the Lord to help me understand the results of this election.  Why?  Is this a wake up call, a slap in the face, a mandate look in the mirror, the next flood we need to get our attention and recognize how far we have strayed?  When I finally stopped asking questions and quietly listened I began to realize that the reason there is so much hatred in this world is because I allow it.  When I hear someone telling a joke that is unacceptable because it lessens the dignity and worth of another or I see someone mocking or mistreating another or even hear of a person encouraging hatred or violence against another person or group in a story or see a totally false “news” story on Facebook inciting hate and I do not stand up and say No, you can’t say that or you can’t act that way, or that is completely false, I am allowing and encouraging hatred in my world.  If I don’t say no, I am saying yes, this is ok with me. I don’t have to click the “Like” button to say I agree, simply by not saying that I don’t agree, because I don’t like to comment on social media sites where you can only type words and not really communicate, I am implying that it is ok with me because I did not speak out to say otherwise.

I like to think that I am generally a decent person, but when I hear or see something that I don’t agree with or that makes me think how could you do or say that, I rarely have the courage to stand up and say No that is unacceptable and stop the spread of hatred.  It is challenging, the last two times I stood up like this were really difficult with negative consequences and fears for how it would affect me so I hesitate weighing if it is worth the backlash and difficulties I might face from speaking up and does what I say really make any difference anyway.  Last week at a staff outing with others a member of another group made a comment in jest, which was not really acceptable, it was not the worst crude vile comment every made, actually it was mild by today's standards but it was not appropriate.  As soon as the words left the persons mouth, my boss said no you can’t say that and you should never say that again. He didn’t even hesitate; he spoke straight up loud and clear and did not give his approval by laughing or just staying silent. 

There is much more prayer to be done and much more searching internally that I need to do to understand this new reality and be able to see clearly from the place that I stand and to open my eyes to the view from the place that others stand.  To begin with I have realized that my next step, the way I am being called to act if I want to see a change to stop the hatred that terrifies me so much is to start by checking myself and my actions and having the courage to stand up and say no when I hear someone inciting hatred or violence and refusing to acknowledge the dignity and value in Every Human Being. 

I believe that this was a difficult election for most people and very few really had an ideal candidate that they were supporting as the perfect example of a great person, and the general concern seems to have been a need for a change.  I have little ability to make regulatory changes in laws or policies on my own but I can change the prevalence of hatred and lack of dignity, respect and justice in my small world.  I pray that I will have the courage to help put an end to the hatred and that others will take a stand when they find hatred, replacing the named characteristic of the one being treated without dignity with that which they claim as their own, standing against these actions as if they were directed at them personally, because sooner or later that will be the case if we continue to allow the hatred to spread and become acceptable.

I pray the change that our country is searching for is that of justice, dignity and respect for All Life of Every Human Being. To do this a first step is a commitment to stand where others are standing and see from where they stand so that we can come together and understand that although we live in the same country, state, city, we are standing in very different places and the view from where we stand, although our reality and the only thing we may know, is not the same view for so many people in different physical, spiritual, emotional and cultural places living in the same country, state or city.

That they ALL may be One...