The Need For Compassion
Say what you will about Republicans, but they really are good for our character.
No, really.
Consider the words of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, a teacher of Kadampa Buddhism, in his book Universal Compassion: "[I]f we practice training the mind purely, we can turn these faults and imperfections of our times--which usually cause great difficulties and suffering--into causes of spiritual paths."
As a phrase, "faults and imperfections" captures one aspect of the essence of the human paradigm, and yes, Republicans are, in fact, human, subject to the fears and foibles that make us all do stupid or greedy things.
It can be difficult to remember this, of course. For instance, the California State Representatives of the GOP persuasion recently blocked efforts to tax oil companies earning windfall profits, this coming on top of Gov. Schwarzenegger refusing to close a tax loophole benefiting those who purchase luxury boats. With gas prices rising, foreclosure notices falling on our heads like confetti in a ticker-tape parade, and people frightened for their financial lives, why allow the oil companies to get richer? In the meantime, 10,100 teachers have already received or are awaiting pink slips.
This makes me angry, and of course it is very easy for this sort of thing to inspire hatred, an agnostic's desire for there to genuinely be an afterlife so these betrayers of the public trust can go to hell.
But this anger is not helpful. And what use would punishment in the afterlife be in terms of ameliorating social injustice in the here and now? As Marx said, religion is the opiate of the masses (at least it can be), the promise of heaven (and heaven's justice) being the carrot to keep the lower classes quiescent while the rich consolidate and enrich their positions on Earth.
And not only that, hatred and vitriol is toxic, even if it feels like a catharsis in the moment. The world is prone to anger and division and partisan belligerence. It is better to take these wrongs and use them to motivate a search for positive change. It is better, in the words of Gyatso, to let "their negative actions ripen upon me" and hope that "all my virtues ripen upon them."
So in the pursuit of peace and compassion, what is the proper response to the words of Oklahoma state legislator Sally Kern, who describes homosexuality as "the biggest threat that our nation has, even more so than terrorism or Islam, which I think is a big threat."
Leave aside the fact that fundamentalism, not Islam itself, is the basis for terrorism.
There are a few possible ways of reading her statement: either the hypocritical pose of a politician looking to score points; the ignorant fears of someone who genuinely does not understand what she is talking about; or the zealotry of someone beyond reason. The latter is not worth discussing, because you can't change the mind of a zealot. The first option, that of hypocrisy, is also not worth discussing, except in so far as it strikes a blow for women's rights in that it proves that women are just as capable of political corruption as are men.
So let's examine her statement as that of someone wrapped up in the very human condition of fear of the unknown. It's a natural fear. It happens to all of us, to different degrees, depending on our upbringing. I grew up in a liberal household, went to a liberal school in Missoula, Montana, and I still do not always feel entirely at ease in a situation where my ethnicity is in the minority. But so what? You have two options: either pull up the drawbridge and hide in your castle, or go forth and find that everyone is subject to the same strengths and weaknesses.
She describes 'the homosexual agenda', an entirely artificial construction of the conservative right, designed to make the easily frightened imagine a plot among gays and lesbians to take over the world. Now, I have several gay and lesbian friends, and unless they are being particularly secretive about their desires for conquest, this is drivel. All they want is to be treated decently, to be accorded their civil rights. As a woman, Sally Kern, shouldn't you be sympathetic to that desire?
Do you really believe that the desire of two people of the same gender to love each other and form a committed, legal relationship has as much destructive influence on the world and our society as a bomb planted by a terrorist? If so, I have to feel sorry for you, Sally, as it makes me wonder as to the extent of the love you received as a child.
She makes it sound so subversive and dangerous, as if homosexuals are actively recruiting. Are lesbians hitting on you that frequently, Sally, that you have to be afraid of what might happen?
She says, "Studies show no society that has totally embraced homosexuality has lasted, you know, more than a few decades." Can she name one society that would fit that description? She says it is a fact that the homosexual agenda is destroying this nation. Where are the facts to prove that?
Ancient Greece was known for embracing homosexuality, and they lasted for hundreds of years more than we have so far.
She says also that her Christian faith teaches her to be loving to individuals, but not their lifestyle. That's all well and good. She has the right to express what she values and what she thinks is right. But it is not loving the individual to imply that a homosexual is worse than a terrorist, and it is disingenuous to assert that she is only criticizing the lifestyle and not dehumanizing the people, and it is dangerous to rile up these sorts of ideas, because this does nothing to prevent future murders such as that of Matthew Shepard.
Finally, if she did love the individuals, she would not have declined the chance to talk to Ellen DeGeneres, who contacted her to talk about misinformation. Kern compares talking to Ellen to "throwing [her]self into the lion's den." That's just bizarre.
There are many factors that can make someone as afraid as Sally Kern clearly is. I won't go into those. It is just sad that someone who clearly has the drive to work hard and attempt to make a difference in the world via political service should feel so unsettled and unhappy as to spew such hatred. It does not make me happy when I think hateful thoughts about conservatives and fundamentalists; can it make her happy and at ease to think these fearful, hateful thoughts about those different from her? I would seriously doubt it.
No, really.
Consider the words of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, a teacher of Kadampa Buddhism, in his book Universal Compassion: "[I]f we practice training the mind purely, we can turn these faults and imperfections of our times--which usually cause great difficulties and suffering--into causes of spiritual paths."
As a phrase, "faults and imperfections" captures one aspect of the essence of the human paradigm, and yes, Republicans are, in fact, human, subject to the fears and foibles that make us all do stupid or greedy things.
It can be difficult to remember this, of course. For instance, the California State Representatives of the GOP persuasion recently blocked efforts to tax oil companies earning windfall profits, this coming on top of Gov. Schwarzenegger refusing to close a tax loophole benefiting those who purchase luxury boats. With gas prices rising, foreclosure notices falling on our heads like confetti in a ticker-tape parade, and people frightened for their financial lives, why allow the oil companies to get richer? In the meantime, 10,100 teachers have already received or are awaiting pink slips.
This makes me angry, and of course it is very easy for this sort of thing to inspire hatred, an agnostic's desire for there to genuinely be an afterlife so these betrayers of the public trust can go to hell.
But this anger is not helpful. And what use would punishment in the afterlife be in terms of ameliorating social injustice in the here and now? As Marx said, religion is the opiate of the masses (at least it can be), the promise of heaven (and heaven's justice) being the carrot to keep the lower classes quiescent while the rich consolidate and enrich their positions on Earth.
And not only that, hatred and vitriol is toxic, even if it feels like a catharsis in the moment. The world is prone to anger and division and partisan belligerence. It is better to take these wrongs and use them to motivate a search for positive change. It is better, in the words of Gyatso, to let "their negative actions ripen upon me" and hope that "all my virtues ripen upon them."
So in the pursuit of peace and compassion, what is the proper response to the words of Oklahoma state legislator Sally Kern, who describes homosexuality as "the biggest threat that our nation has, even more so than terrorism or Islam, which I think is a big threat."
Leave aside the fact that fundamentalism, not Islam itself, is the basis for terrorism.
There are a few possible ways of reading her statement: either the hypocritical pose of a politician looking to score points; the ignorant fears of someone who genuinely does not understand what she is talking about; or the zealotry of someone beyond reason. The latter is not worth discussing, because you can't change the mind of a zealot. The first option, that of hypocrisy, is also not worth discussing, except in so far as it strikes a blow for women's rights in that it proves that women are just as capable of political corruption as are men.
So let's examine her statement as that of someone wrapped up in the very human condition of fear of the unknown. It's a natural fear. It happens to all of us, to different degrees, depending on our upbringing. I grew up in a liberal household, went to a liberal school in Missoula, Montana, and I still do not always feel entirely at ease in a situation where my ethnicity is in the minority. But so what? You have two options: either pull up the drawbridge and hide in your castle, or go forth and find that everyone is subject to the same strengths and weaknesses.
She describes 'the homosexual agenda', an entirely artificial construction of the conservative right, designed to make the easily frightened imagine a plot among gays and lesbians to take over the world. Now, I have several gay and lesbian friends, and unless they are being particularly secretive about their desires for conquest, this is drivel. All they want is to be treated decently, to be accorded their civil rights. As a woman, Sally Kern, shouldn't you be sympathetic to that desire?
Do you really believe that the desire of two people of the same gender to love each other and form a committed, legal relationship has as much destructive influence on the world and our society as a bomb planted by a terrorist? If so, I have to feel sorry for you, Sally, as it makes me wonder as to the extent of the love you received as a child.
She makes it sound so subversive and dangerous, as if homosexuals are actively recruiting. Are lesbians hitting on you that frequently, Sally, that you have to be afraid of what might happen?
She says, "Studies show no society that has totally embraced homosexuality has lasted, you know, more than a few decades." Can she name one society that would fit that description? She says it is a fact that the homosexual agenda is destroying this nation. Where are the facts to prove that?
Ancient Greece was known for embracing homosexuality, and they lasted for hundreds of years more than we have so far.
She says also that her Christian faith teaches her to be loving to individuals, but not their lifestyle. That's all well and good. She has the right to express what she values and what she thinks is right. But it is not loving the individual to imply that a homosexual is worse than a terrorist, and it is disingenuous to assert that she is only criticizing the lifestyle and not dehumanizing the people, and it is dangerous to rile up these sorts of ideas, because this does nothing to prevent future murders such as that of Matthew Shepard.
Finally, if she did love the individuals, she would not have declined the chance to talk to Ellen DeGeneres, who contacted her to talk about misinformation. Kern compares talking to Ellen to "throwing [her]self into the lion's den." That's just bizarre.
There are many factors that can make someone as afraid as Sally Kern clearly is. I won't go into those. It is just sad that someone who clearly has the drive to work hard and attempt to make a difference in the world via political service should feel so unsettled and unhappy as to spew such hatred. It does not make me happy when I think hateful thoughts about conservatives and fundamentalists; can it make her happy and at ease to think these fearful, hateful thoughts about those different from her? I would seriously doubt it.
posted by Devin at 3:47 PM
1 Comments:
I think that the problem with conservatives like the woman whose comments you're addressing here is that they lack the imagination necessary to envision a world in which people don't hate those who are different than the majority. It's that silly, simple human fear of the unknown that we all have. I too feel sorry for that woman, and those millions like her, who simply can't see past our current faults as a society or imagine something better.
And yes, those homosexual conspiracy ideas are completely ridiculous. They belong either to those who use them to manipulate uneducated voters or those who probably have never met a homosexual and consequently have no idea what they're talking about. It's just sad because actual people (homosexuals) are being deprived of their civil rights, which makes it seem like we've learned absolutely nothing from our country's history of racial discrimination and sexism.
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