After John McCain's Memorial Service you would have thought the entire Washington Elite Establishment was against the rancor and divisiveness of our current president. Nothing could be farther from the truth. As David Leonard pointed out in the NY Times today.
How then do we both stand against the outrage of our time and care for the well being of so many of our friends and family? How do we remain grounded in our faith as good and decent human beings and resist the assault on our civic virtues?
For me, the answer lies in both resisting when we can and staying optimistic about the ultimate outcome of our lives and our republic. First, to the resistance. Remember: We are not alone. Indeed, if the polls are to be believed, far more than half this country is committed to resisting the resurgence of White Nationalism in the midst of this long cold civil war. The question is always how shall we resist? And here, the answer is surprisingly simple: Pay attention to what is already being done. While the "Resistance Movement" is diffuse it is not silent. Find a group meeting. Go, join, help out. At a recent training at our church, over a hundred people from the wider community came to learn how to support, physically support, undocumented refugees and immigrants.
What about the second need to remain grounded in our faith as decent human beings? Here again, there is no substitute for physically being around people and institutions that offer that grounding and uplifting message. This coming Sunday I plan to offer a decidedly optimistic vision of our future as a community. While it might seem far fetched now, I really do believe that we will care for each other, find strength in our faith and hope for the future. www.uuwestport.org
Perhaps now more than ever we need to bring forth a brighter vision to lay our eyes upon. The world is not ending. We will overcome even this demagoguery. And a new world is ours to grasp.
With Grace and Grit, John
