Sunday Musings - November 17, 2024
Our fondness for creating those we want to define by a label
Daily we find various reasons to label individuals and groups creating a myth to make the person or group fit the label as if that tells us all we want or need to know; often whether they are friend or enemy.
Some of us may have been particularly aware of doing this during and since the recent presidential election in the United States. Labels such as woke, left, right, MAGAQ, immigrant, criminal, democrat, Republican, devil, undemocratic, old, female, dangerous ae just a few which come to mind.
Spiritual leaders have, throughout the ages, both warned against defining s person or group as a label while also adding to the lexicon of labels. Terms such as sinners, saint, the chosen, Pharisee, and a host of other terms often contrast with the warning to resist judging or defining a person or group based on a label. Thus, Jesus warns against labeling a woman as a prostitute
Last night I asked a man if, when he is with children If he is a student or a teacher. He wisely said “both” Often, if we are honest and open, we find we are both roles in all relationships. Just this week a man for whom I am a clinical supervisor on his road to obtaining his professional license gave me helpful, critical feedback about my too stringent attitude during a phone call.
My own spiritual teacher strongly suggests I drop the dualities; the labels/judgments.
Jason DeLeon, an anthropologist, in his book, Soldiers and Kings has suggested we reconsider our labeling of immigrants and those who help them escape the violence of poverty, gang wars, climate change
and the other sources of inability to care for themselves and their families. We often label those who guide them as smugglers which has a very negative connotation as if these guides -usually with connections to help them navigate safe passage -are not often brave individuals doing a dangerous job. Clearly there are unscrupulous/unhealthy businesspeople in most business enterprises. Some of these guides take advantages of desperate people. Most provide a necessary service. We also often make immigrant a negative, harshly judgmental label instead of a neighbor seeking refuge and a better, safer life for themselves and their family.
If a person helped one of the oppressed in Nazi Germany, they were appropriately lauded as heroes.
Anytime we think a label - criminal, immigrant, addict, women, gay, white privileged male, Jew, Muslim Christian Nationalist, Latino, etc.- tells us who a person is we are doing a disservice to ourselves, our neighbors, and all members of the community. Once again, I am reminded of an oft quoted statement of Martin Niemoeller:
Arrested by Gestapo and sent to Dachau concentration campy in 1938 - freed by Allies seven years later. He said:
In Germany, the Nazis first came for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn’t a communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, but I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time there was no oner left to speak up for me."
If we truly believe we need to work together to create a more just, loving, strong community we will get to know each other as whole equals and not as labels. Anytime we create a label to discount the sacred humanness of another we become part of the problem and not the solution.
Written November 17, 2024
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
Our fondness for creating those we want to define by a label
Daily we find various reasons to label individuals and groups creating a myth to make the person or group fit the label as if that tells us all we want or need to know; often whether they are friend or enemy.
Some of us may have been particularly aware of doing this during and since the recent presidential election in the United States. Labels such as woke, left, right, MAGAQ, immigrant, criminal, democrat, Republican, devil, undemocratic, old, female, dangerous ae just a few which come to mind.
Spiritual leaders have, throughout the ages, both warned against defining s person or group as a label while also adding to the lexicon of labels. Terms such as sinners, saint, the chosen, Pharisee, and a host of other terms often contrast with the warning to resist judging or defining a person or group based on a label. Thus, Jesus warns against labeling a woman as a prostitute
Last night I asked a man if, when he is with children If he is a student or a teacher. He wisely said “both” Often, if we are honest and open, we find we are both roles in all relationships. Just this week a man for whom I am a clinical supervisor on his road to obtaining his professional license gave me helpful, critical feedback about my too stringent attitude during a phone call.
My own spiritual teacher strongly suggests I drop the dualities; the labels/judgments.
Jason DeLeon, an anthropologist, in his book, Soldiers and Kings has suggested we reconsider our labeling of immigrants and those who help them escape the violence of poverty, gang wars, climate change
and the other sources of inability to care for themselves and their families. We often label those who guide them as smugglers which has a very negative connotation as if these guides -usually with connections to help them navigate safe passage -are not often brave individuals doing a dangerous job. Clearly there are unscrupulous/unhealthy businesspeople in most business enterprises. Some of these guides take advantages of desperate people. Most provide a necessary service. We also often make immigrant a negative, harshly judgmental label instead of a neighbor seeking refuge and a better, safer life for themselves and their family.
If a person helped one of the oppressed in Nazi Germany, they were appropriately lauded as heroes.
Anytime we think a label - criminal, immigrant, addict, women, gay, white privileged male, Jew, Muslim Christian Nationalist, Latino, etc.- tells us who a person is we are doing a disservice to ourselves, our neighbors, and all members of the community. Once again, I am reminded of an oft quoted statement of Martin Niemoeller:
Arrested by Gestapo and sent to Dachau concentration campy in 1938 - freed by Allies seven years later. He said:
In Germany, the Nazis first came for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn’t a communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, but I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time there was no oner left to speak up for me."
If we truly believe we need to work together to create a more just, loving, strong community we will get to know each other as whole equals and not as labels. Anytime we create a label to discount the sacred humanness of another we become part of the problem and not the solution.
Written November 17, 2024
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
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