Speaking the Truth

I was relieved to hear Dr. Anthony Fauci being interviewed yesterday morning on NPR. To hear a voice that was neither hysterical nor partisan was a relief. Even our state governor, Charlie Baker, who has done a pretty good job during the pandemic, is a politician and I’m always conscious that part of his calculation is angling for the next election.

Dr. Fauci has come forward in this pandemic as quite the hero. An infectious disease expert and head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984, he has advised every President since Ronald Reagan. To have survived so many changing political climates, Dr. Fauci too must be a political adept. Through the course of his long career, Dr. Fauci has been demonized as well as adored. In the AIDS crisis in the 80’s, Dr. Fauci was the public face of a government whose policies were ignoring the deadly urgency of this emerging disease. He received death threats, was burned in effigy and was the target of the frustration and anguish of nearly all AIDS activists.

In his NPR interview with Rachel Martin, Dr. Fauci was clear and measured in his responses and in his assessment of our current situation. His main message was that we’re still in the middle of dealing with this deadly disease. There are encouraging new treatments that seem to be making the course of the disease slightly less deadly and progress toward an effective vaccine is moving quickly. But the rise in cases and hospitalizations is a trend we all need to be concerned with, and our behaviors are the biggest thing we can do to keep each other safe.

But I was most impressed with Dr. Fauci when he was asked if President Trump’s behavior in not wearing a mask and in downplaying the necessity to social distance wasn’t part of the problem. I was hoping that this trusted expert would use his bully pulpit to speak the ‘truth’ and condemn the outrageous behaviors of our current President. But Dr. Fauci did speak the truth when he responded:

 You know, Rachel, you’re right; it is an uncomfortable question, and it’s not helpful for me to be pointing fingers at leaders, except to say that – just my message. I wear a mask. I’m a public health official. For better or worse, I’m very visible. So I want to set the example that people need to do that. And they keep – have to keep hearing. I appreciate you giving me the opportunity to be on your show to continue to say that to your listeners, that this is extremely important.

What a brilliant, kind and effective response. To condemn Trump might have been satisfying, but it would have taken the focus away from the opportunity he had in that moment to convey ‘just my message’: the virus is real, our behaviors matter and public officials need to set an example. That he managed to not take the bait also means that he may get to keep his job and may be able to continue to be a voice of reason and urgency at the highest level of government.

So this morning, I’m thinking about how all of us can continue to exercise our power in our speech and in our actions rather than being sidetracked by our outrage and anger. Blame and retribution do not move the world forward, they only continue the vicious cycle. As tempting and well-deserved as our condemnations may be, what is most important to remember what is most important. Without ignoring the very real problems around us, can we stay focused on the power of our own words and actions? In this way, we move out of helplessness and despair and begin to behave our way into a world of respect and safety for all.

Personal Practice – As you read the paper, listen to the radio or watch the news on TV, notice how easily it is to move into outrage or despair. Notice how viscerally the surge of feeling arises. It may be heat or oppressive heaviness or something else. Notice how easy it is to want to blame and demean others—how we naturally want to respond in kind to the insult and injury we feel. Right here, within you, are the seeds of violence and war. And is it possible for you, when this heat rises, to not be carried away with your own feelings? Can you allow everything to be here, take a few breaths and then remember what is most important? What is the message you choose to convey to the world?