In Portland two people died from stopping a person who was bullying two teenage Muslim girls in head coverings on the public train system. One of the men as he lay bleeding to death told a supporter who was holding him: "Tell everyone on the train I love them". I can only hope that after a fatal brutal attack I could still be focused on love! Several weeks later without protectors a 16 year old Muslim girl was attacked and killed in VA.
After Fox news targeted the progressive school of Evergreen University in Olympia WA, White Supremacist groups came onto campus to protest and violence broke out between them and counter protesters. An "anti-Shira Law" group (ie anti-Muslim group) not getting a permit to protest in Portland came up to Seattle where they were given a permit to protest. A counter protest was held a half mile away (an effective way to show the Muslim community they had support) However, that group decided to march to where the Anti-Shari group was (a strategy which holds no merit I can see and simply raised the risk of a violent outbreak). The Pretty Boys (as they self named themselves) chose to walk through the counter demonstrators gathering causing peace keepers to work hard to part the crowd so they could pass. They then took punches at the crowd with the apparent intention of provoking a fight. They did this in full view of the police who did nothing. When the peacekeepers asked the police why they did nothing they said: "If you are going to let them walk through your group, there is nothing we can do." The result being that many counter demonstrators were assaulted by the Pretty Boys. In terms of spiritual practices that I understand when you focus on violence you magnify it. When you counter anger or hatred with anger and hatred you increase the anger and hatred. King demonstrated to us that it takes training, grounding, preparation and love to face hatred and violence in a transformation way.
Most upsetting has been the police shooting Sunday in Seattle of an African American woman in her home after she had called the police after a break in. She was shot dead in front of her three children because she got upset and picked up a kitchen knife. She joins a long list of African Americans shot dead by the police across this country for the apparent crime of "being black" and freaking the officers out because of said blackness.
I have focused here on the hate violence that has happened in my part of the country - the NW (while noting the death of a Muslim girl in VA for contrast to what happened in Portland). There has been similar violence throughout this country. I also am not talking here about the numerous suicide bombings, and mass shootings and terrorist acts that have happened world wide. (Although to be clear here - any mass act of violence against people simply because of who they are is a terrorist act.)
This national violence, I and many others, place at the feet of Donald Trump. His hate speech and encouragement of acts of violence by his supporters at his speeches, his frequent display of contempt, disrespect, put downs and stereotypical descriptions of those he disagrees with has given a permission for hate and violence that has not been present in this society for decades. I'm not so confused as to think that prejudice and racism had gone away - but they had become unpopular and disrespected ways to behave. There have been numerous reports of people acting out sexism and/ or racism and saying things to the effect of "if the President can do it, I can do it." Or simply saying Trumps name as they act. And Trump has not condemned these acts after they took place.
I must confess my greatest fears about climate change have been how scarcity and fear might drive people to violence against each other. I never dreamed someone would simply sprinkle a generous helping of hate on top of the difficulties we already have. Although I guess if I had really thought about it I would have realized that throughout history dictators have used fear to control and direct the masses. By creating external enemies, or scapegoated groups they turn attention away from real problems and create a false sense of unity. It is actually the oldest move in the play book.
So what about us? What about those of us who don't want to live in a land of hate? Those of us who want to live by Kingian principals of nonviolence that include staying centered in a spirit of Love? A few weeks ago I woke up from a dream. In the dream I left somewhere I had been and I came out and there was a group of people moving slowly in a coordinated fashion side ways across a hill, at times they would retreat in apparent fear, at other times inching forward. But always progressing forward with determination despite something they clearly found scary. I did not know what was happening, but I felt drawn to them and fell in with them to see what was happening. They inched up towards a large building with big picture windows and glass doors and through it I could see some type of uniformed officers and also a group of teachers inside what I realized was a school building. The teachers were some standing and some sitting in chairs but joined to each other by holding hands in unity. The officers where walking rapidly up and down the line in a menacing way, clearly saying things to them, and randomly slapping or hitting various teachers on the head. Despite this scary behavior the teachers were holding their ground. And as the onlookers watched this a chant slowly came up: Love,... Love,... Love,.. Love,... Love.... It was being made in solidarity with the teachers, it exposed the crowd and they knew it, and it sent an energy that was pure and disarming.
I awoke from the dream with a feeling of happiness, peace, and hope. Hope that I have not felt for a while. I felt clear that I want to be with the people who are chanting love in the face of hate and violence. How about you?
Recently a friend of mine who is a librarian at a community college discovered that the campus security were planning a day of practicing a violent assault on campus. They intended to use fake rifles with real loud sounds and actors with fake blood etc. My friend was incensed by the idea of the campus being used for this sort of "military practice" and mindful that increased glorification of militarism is one of the signs of fascism. She also believe guns have no place on campuses every by anyone. Never having done anything of this sort in her life she crafted a dear colleague letter. She feared only her friend would sign it. In the end 63 faculty signed the letter. The training exercise still went forward. There was no time to organize the singing of "Love, love, love". But she asked her friend if he could imagine doing that. Yes he said I could imagine that. .....Maybe next year.
When will we next be confronted by anger, hate and violence? Will you be prepared to sing? To bring love not hate to meet hate?
