Sunday musings. What tribe are you?
Many in the United States when asked this question might think only in terms of tribes of indigenous people of the United States, Mexico, Canada, Australia, Africa or other countries. Some young folks familiar with social media, especially dating sites, might think in the broader terms of those groups of people with whom they might most identify. In this sense a tribe might be geek, outdoors, sports, or some other identifiable group. Perhaps we could also use the word community or more specifically work community. Then, of course, there are the political tribes of conservatives, liberals, independents, or in this election cycle in the United States, one has the Trumpites and the Clintonites.
As is true for many thoughtful people in the United States and around the world, I have been thinking a lot about the tribe of what is being called “the establishment” in this election cycle of the United States. In my mind all of the political candidates are members of the establishment if the terms imply those who have power. Despite his claim that he is an outsider, Mr. Trump brags about his wealth and the way he has used the system to insure that his often failing business practices resulting in bankruptcy were purely a business and not a personal loss. He has, according to him, used the system to get wealthy without having to pay taxes. To me this sounds like an insider to me. The Clintons who allegedly left the White House broke have a bank account which affords many luxuries. In fact, the house they occupied upon leaving the White house broke cost more that several houses of anyone in my tribe.
Obviously I am having a difficult time understanding the defining characteristics of the tribes of insider and outsider. Yet, many, including many in the Appalachian region where I have recently returned to live, clearly identify with Mr. Trump as an outsider and, thus, one who they can trust to restore their tribe to its rightful place of respect. Who is this tribe? Here in Appalachia it clearly includes coal miners, steel workers and others who have seen not only jobs being cut as alternative energy becomes more possible amidst concerns of global warming and other countries taking over the manufacturing role with cheaper labor. It also includes all those retired coal miners, steel workers and other chiefly union members, whose promise of a lifetime pension and health care for them and their families is being rapidly taken away. To many it seems as if the term stolen can be accurately used to describe the loss of these hard earned rights.
For many others, including professionals who might seem to be part of the establishment because they have not suffered such acute financial loses as many of the union workers, perhaps the loss is more about a way of life and a value system which seems to be the glue which held their tribe together. For them Mr. Trump represents the non-establishment which has “torn asunder” the building blocks of the tribe.
Ruby Sales and others remind one that those who feel as if their worth has been systematically stolen from them are in acute pain.
If we are not attending to this pain we are missing the point and, thus, inviting further anger and civil unrest.
I was listening to National Public Radio this morning. Here in West Virginia one of the programs which airs on Sunday morning is Inside Appalachia whose staff this morning were looking at the lives of coal miners in West Virginia from the vantage point of the lunch bucket. Caleb Johnson, a teacher and writer in the Philadelphia area, talks about his dad’s lunchbox which held not only lunch and emergency first aid but emergency food in case of an accident which trapped his father and other coal miners. The lunch box also was the symbol of taking care of family, of having a sense of purpose, of have a sense of community with whom one spent more time than nuclear family.
I recall living and working in Southeast Alaska in the Tlingit Indian Community. Pieces of their culture and heritage had been step-by-step stolen from them. It was stolen by destroying the written history of the Totem Poles, taping the mouths of kids shut if they tried to speak their native language, “helping” to rebuild after a fire by putting little individual homes in neat little roles and doing away with the community houses and organization of the community, destroying the land and the animal life with whom the Tlingit’s had a sacred relationship. When I lived there the Tlingit’s could not reclaim what had been stolen and were not part of the white community. Even the white community included various tribes – the pioneers or old timers, the ones who could not function in the lower 48, the ones who came for an adventure, the ones who came to civilize the natives and a few others.
For many years now, some (mostly white and some few others) have had more ability to travel and even to move, to run from cities and then later return to reclaim them from those who they had left to rot and decay. They had gained fences and other borders to shut out what they did not want to see or hear. They made attempts to build new communities along the highways of the internet stopping at Facebook, match.com, LinkedIn, Instagram and many others. Yet, many still feel isolated, left out and as if they are to be tolerated but not included as part of the establishment.
We are searching for a new sense of community with whom to work, struggle, and celebrate. Perhaps some will find it in the inner city intentional communities. Perhaps some will find it the architectural common areas being built into the very expensive high rises now taking over the downtown of many cities. Despite the inclusive proclamations and ordinances, a half million dollars for a few feet of downtown condo does not feel very inclusive or like a sense of community. Perhaps we will find it in the Panera’s or the new shared office spaces for those of us working from home. Perhaps it will be in the gym which many cannot afford to join or which are not close to where the live. Perhaps.
The sense of tribe is important and unless we take this need seriously we are doomed to continue to duke it out verbally or even physically not only in the United States but worldwide.
I am reminded of the childhood story of the little engine. We best decide “I think I can. I think I can.” I do think we are bright and creative enough to create a new, inclusive community but only if we more accurately name the issue.
Written October 16, 2016
Many in the United States when asked this question might think only in terms of tribes of indigenous people of the United States, Mexico, Canada, Australia, Africa or other countries. Some young folks familiar with social media, especially dating sites, might think in the broader terms of those groups of people with whom they might most identify. In this sense a tribe might be geek, outdoors, sports, or some other identifiable group. Perhaps we could also use the word community or more specifically work community. Then, of course, there are the political tribes of conservatives, liberals, independents, or in this election cycle in the United States, one has the Trumpites and the Clintonites.
As is true for many thoughtful people in the United States and around the world, I have been thinking a lot about the tribe of what is being called “the establishment” in this election cycle of the United States. In my mind all of the political candidates are members of the establishment if the terms imply those who have power. Despite his claim that he is an outsider, Mr. Trump brags about his wealth and the way he has used the system to insure that his often failing business practices resulting in bankruptcy were purely a business and not a personal loss. He has, according to him, used the system to get wealthy without having to pay taxes. To me this sounds like an insider to me. The Clintons who allegedly left the White House broke have a bank account which affords many luxuries. In fact, the house they occupied upon leaving the White house broke cost more that several houses of anyone in my tribe.
Obviously I am having a difficult time understanding the defining characteristics of the tribes of insider and outsider. Yet, many, including many in the Appalachian region where I have recently returned to live, clearly identify with Mr. Trump as an outsider and, thus, one who they can trust to restore their tribe to its rightful place of respect. Who is this tribe? Here in Appalachia it clearly includes coal miners, steel workers and others who have seen not only jobs being cut as alternative energy becomes more possible amidst concerns of global warming and other countries taking over the manufacturing role with cheaper labor. It also includes all those retired coal miners, steel workers and other chiefly union members, whose promise of a lifetime pension and health care for them and their families is being rapidly taken away. To many it seems as if the term stolen can be accurately used to describe the loss of these hard earned rights.
For many others, including professionals who might seem to be part of the establishment because they have not suffered such acute financial loses as many of the union workers, perhaps the loss is more about a way of life and a value system which seems to be the glue which held their tribe together. For them Mr. Trump represents the non-establishment which has “torn asunder” the building blocks of the tribe.
Ruby Sales and others remind one that those who feel as if their worth has been systematically stolen from them are in acute pain.
If we are not attending to this pain we are missing the point and, thus, inviting further anger and civil unrest.
I was listening to National Public Radio this morning. Here in West Virginia one of the programs which airs on Sunday morning is Inside Appalachia whose staff this morning were looking at the lives of coal miners in West Virginia from the vantage point of the lunch bucket. Caleb Johnson, a teacher and writer in the Philadelphia area, talks about his dad’s lunchbox which held not only lunch and emergency first aid but emergency food in case of an accident which trapped his father and other coal miners. The lunch box also was the symbol of taking care of family, of having a sense of purpose, of have a sense of community with whom one spent more time than nuclear family.
I recall living and working in Southeast Alaska in the Tlingit Indian Community. Pieces of their culture and heritage had been step-by-step stolen from them. It was stolen by destroying the written history of the Totem Poles, taping the mouths of kids shut if they tried to speak their native language, “helping” to rebuild after a fire by putting little individual homes in neat little roles and doing away with the community houses and organization of the community, destroying the land and the animal life with whom the Tlingit’s had a sacred relationship. When I lived there the Tlingit’s could not reclaim what had been stolen and were not part of the white community. Even the white community included various tribes – the pioneers or old timers, the ones who could not function in the lower 48, the ones who came for an adventure, the ones who came to civilize the natives and a few others.
For many years now, some (mostly white and some few others) have had more ability to travel and even to move, to run from cities and then later return to reclaim them from those who they had left to rot and decay. They had gained fences and other borders to shut out what they did not want to see or hear. They made attempts to build new communities along the highways of the internet stopping at Facebook, match.com, LinkedIn, Instagram and many others. Yet, many still feel isolated, left out and as if they are to be tolerated but not included as part of the establishment.
We are searching for a new sense of community with whom to work, struggle, and celebrate. Perhaps some will find it in the inner city intentional communities. Perhaps some will find it the architectural common areas being built into the very expensive high rises now taking over the downtown of many cities. Despite the inclusive proclamations and ordinances, a half million dollars for a few feet of downtown condo does not feel very inclusive or like a sense of community. Perhaps we will find it in the Panera’s or the new shared office spaces for those of us working from home. Perhaps it will be in the gym which many cannot afford to join or which are not close to where the live. Perhaps.
The sense of tribe is important and unless we take this need seriously we are doomed to continue to duke it out verbally or even physically not only in the United States but worldwide.
I am reminded of the childhood story of the little engine. We best decide “I think I can. I think I can.” I do think we are bright and creative enough to create a new, inclusive community but only if we more accurately name the issue.
Written October 16, 2016
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