So there are now way too many reports of people being harassed, assaulted, demeaned, threatened by “Trump supporters.” And from one side, I’m hearing a lot of “This is all your fault” and “You’d better fix this” to the other side.
So, let’s get this (I would have thought) obvious point out of the way.
All of that stuff is NOT OKAY. It’s illegal, unfair, demeaning, immature, and unacceptable. The children in grown-ups’ bodies who’ve been behaving this way must stop. They must be stopped. They must be arrested, convicted, fined, whatever can be done. The little children who are doing and saying such things must be taken aside and dealt with. Preferably as a teachable moment, but with whatever punishments are appropriate and in place for these situations.
Are we clear? This is NOT OKAY. It wasn’t okay a week ago. It’s not okay today. And it won’t be okay on January 21 when Trump officially takes office. You cannot DO those things and get away with it. So STOP IT.
But just saying this on a blog post doesn’t really mean so much. Because I can’t DO anything about them. I’ve read the stories. And they are heartbreaking. I’m upset. But…I don’t know anyone who’s had it happen to them (that I’m aware of). I haven’t done it. No one I know has done it. I haven’t seen any of it. It’s all over Facebook. But it’s not where I am.
Now, I assure you, if I do see it, I won’t let it go. Absolutely NO ONE should be treated like this. EVER. And while I generally refuse to do empty gestures (I never wear pink in October, for example), I may actually put a safety pin on my purse or jacket. I really like using something so small to say, I’m a safe place. I will walk with you. I will protect you, help you, be there for you. THAT is a good idea.
But I still come back to this. Where I am, I don’t see much of it. I can’t DO much about it. So instead, I did something else.
Here’s what I did do this week:
I talked with people. With MY people. I’m sharing the articles and the stories people are posting. I want to facilitate discussion, get out of the echo chambers, and really engage with the other side. That’s what I’m doing where I am.
And I reached out to the “others” in my life. People who voted differently than me. Who think differently. Who maybe are afraid right now. I told them how much I appreciate them. I made a point of not letting silence fall between us. And I had wonderful, helpful dialogue. I learned new things That’s what I’m doing right where I am.
Then today, I was scheduled to teach children’s church. So we talked about kind words. Proverbs 16:24. Ephesians 4:32. We talked about what they do for the people who hear them. And why the Bible tells us to use them. And we listed practical, kind things we can say. And we remembered that it isn’t always easy to be kind, but we have to do it anyway. In a week where the adults seemed to have forgotten this basic principle, we covered it again with these 13 kids. Because that’s what I could do where I am.
And you can do these things…where you are. You can reach out. To your people. To your “others.” You can speak truth…IN LOVE. You can be kind. Of course, PLEASE, stop the bullying and harassment if you see it. And if you don’t see it, don’t pretend it isn’t there. Pray over it. Ask someone over for dinner. Send a message. DO WHAT YOU CAN…WHERE YOU ARE.
And if everyone did that, no matter who they voted for, we would all find ourselves in a much better, safer, and more unified place.
