Active Engagement Still Required

I am troubled this morning. On the one hand I feel it is important to ‘lower the temperature’ and to end the ‘era of demonization’ as Biden eloquently said in his victory acknowledgment speech the Saturday after the election. On the other hand, Trump continues to use the power of his office to spread lies and undermine the credibility of our systems of government. Republican Congressional leaders, for the most part, remain silent—I presume in fear of Trump and in fear of the fears he has roused in his devoted followers.

Trump has tapped into a deep reservoir of fear and resentment. Many of us are puzzled by and have the urge to understand the antipathy he has aroused. But how do we live out an ethos of mutual respect in the face of one side’s blatant disrespect and refusal to be moved by facts on the ground? How do we stay open while we also claim the political victory that we have just won?

Rebecca Solnit addresses this question in her powerful (and evocatively titled) article On Not Meeting Nazi’s Halfway:

‘Some of us don’t know how to win. Others can’t believe they ever lost or will lose or should, and their intransigence constitutes a kind of threat. That’s why the victors of the recent election are being told in countless ways to go grovel before the losers. This unilateral surrender is how misogyny and racism are baked into a lot of liberal and centrist as well as right-wing positions, this idea that some people need to be flattered and buffered even when they are harming the people who are supposed to do the flattering and buffering, even when they are the minority, even when they’re breaking the law or lost the election.’

Powerful language and powerful ideas. Trump’s intransigence does indeed present a real threat to our country. Is it possible or necessary or even helpful to respect a position that does not value consensual reality and the democratic ideals and processes of our country? These days, I keep going back to Martin Luther King, Jr and the Civil Rights movement of the 60’s for wisdom and guidance.

King was committed to standing against racial bigotry and violence. Many of his liberal allies were against his decisions that led to confrontation. Many urged him to be patient, to be in dialogue and to not stir up trouble. But it was precisely King’s willingness to visibly and vocally stand against oppression that brought real change. He did not change the minds of the virulent racists of the south (or north for that matter). But the courageous actions that he led woke up the hearts of the rest of the nation—north and south—and led to significant steps forward.

King also spoke often of the need to avoid closing our hearts to the humanity of the other side. He was very alert to the danger of becoming like the enemy. If we meet bigotry with bigotry, disrespect with disrespect, the enemy has won for we have lost our principles. He exhorted his followers:

‘As you press on for justice, be sure to move with dignity and discipline, using only the weapon of love. Let no man pull you so low as to hate him.’

Trump is not an aberration. He has illuminated the fears and grievances—the racism and nativism that are woven into our history and are ongoingly present in the institutions and people of our country–and that, in some way, includes us all. The web of lies Trump and his allies knowingly spread has nurtured and enflamed the worst instincts of many.

But Trump has also disturbed and inspired many of us in a positive way. We have seen that the democracy and free society we take for granted is fragile and requires our ongoing engagement. We must work actively against the forces of separation and violence against the ‘other.’ We must stand up for facts on the ground and an information environment that does not prey on peoples worst fears. We must protect the vulnerable and strive to dismantle the institutions that have marginalized and harmed so many.

Republican Michigan lawmakers are defying Trump’s pressure and have said they are committed to following the law and certifying the votes in that state as they were counted. Georgia has certified Biden as the winner after a hand recount of millions of votes. Even Tucker Carlson, the Fox News host, has come out against the latest far-fetched fraud theory. But there is a long way to go.

Let’s be resolute and open-hearted as we continue to grow in understanding and commitment to create a society for the benefit of all.