Two sided or one sided
Often when I hit print on my computer it asks if I want to print single sided or two sided. When possible I print two sided. That saves paper which saves trees which saves or helps to retain a balance in the environment. Of course, there are always two sides to the printed page even if one of them is blank.
Some wise teachers have suggested that there are two sides to every issue. I think that this is true although we have to careful that we are correctly identifying the issues or the sides. For example, a friend of mine was recently talking to an immigrant who perceived the sometimes-violent Black Lives Matter protests the same as the violent attempt to take over the seat of the United Congress at the capitol building on January 6. 2021. My friend disagreed with the immigrant. To him the actions of the Black Lives Matter participants was a loud cry against the injustice of racism, especially the racism which has always been present in law enforcement in this country. Racism is a scientifically proven fact in these United States which persist despite false promises and/or outright denials since the inception of the country. Parents of black children, specially black boys, worry that their sons will not live to be an adult or will be thrown in jail for long periods when their white counterparts either escape being sent to jail or have much shorter sentences. Discrimination and oppression continues to exist on every rung of every ladder no matter how gold plated a few ladders are.
The attempt to take over the United States legislature was, on the other hand, a reaction born out of the internalization of lies by a group of largely white people whose self-esteem is dependent on being better or more deserving then those with whom they disagree. Often their self-esteem is built on the belief of the superiority of their race and/or the god of their understanding; of their belief that winning at any cost is pleasing to their god. Anyone who disagrees with them is displeasing to the god of their understanding and, thus, deserves to be violently attacked
In the case of Black Lives Matter, the violence was a byproduct of their frustration while in the case of those who attacked those at the U. S. Capitol, the violence was the goal. In the case of the BLM individuals violence was a cry to be treated as equals. In the case of those who stormed the U. S. Capital the violence was at attempt to destroy those who disagreed with them.
In both cases the violence arose out of the lies of the crumbling textbooks which have presented a version of the United States built on a version of history which many so-called Christians and those of other religious backgrounds wanted to align with what they believed would fool the god of their understanding and which therefore would ensure entrance to the hall of those celebrated for a well lived life or the halls of the afterlife otherwise known as heaven
Ironically, in both cases the desire is to be recognized as people of worth assured of rewards in this life and/or in the next one. One is built on a foundation held up on the backs of the enslaved and the other on the pain of the burden imposed on them to hold up the people standing on top of them.
Obviously, there are wonderful exceptions to those who have fallen victim to one of these stories. The recent inauguration of President Biden bore witness to powerful men and women who never fully internalized the lies. Amanda Gorman, Michelle Obama, Sonia Sotomayor, Kamala Harris, Lady Gaga, Barack Obama, Bernie Sanders and a host of others strong, proud individuals have no need for violence and, yet understand the pain of those who are violent. They are pursuing a path forward which is inclusive and not at the expense of others.
The issues is one side and two sided. There are two sides but one has to reach deep to find the etiology of the pain and, thus, the etiology of the violence.
If we are to rise above or out of the violence we must clean our internals houses until we reach the sacred part which has a similar starting point. This may seem like a tall and seemingly impossible order but it is, none the less, the starting point for reconciliation.
Written January 28, 2021
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
Often when I hit print on my computer it asks if I want to print single sided or two sided. When possible I print two sided. That saves paper which saves trees which saves or helps to retain a balance in the environment. Of course, there are always two sides to the printed page even if one of them is blank.
Some wise teachers have suggested that there are two sides to every issue. I think that this is true although we have to careful that we are correctly identifying the issues or the sides. For example, a friend of mine was recently talking to an immigrant who perceived the sometimes-violent Black Lives Matter protests the same as the violent attempt to take over the seat of the United Congress at the capitol building on January 6. 2021. My friend disagreed with the immigrant. To him the actions of the Black Lives Matter participants was a loud cry against the injustice of racism, especially the racism which has always been present in law enforcement in this country. Racism is a scientifically proven fact in these United States which persist despite false promises and/or outright denials since the inception of the country. Parents of black children, specially black boys, worry that their sons will not live to be an adult or will be thrown in jail for long periods when their white counterparts either escape being sent to jail or have much shorter sentences. Discrimination and oppression continues to exist on every rung of every ladder no matter how gold plated a few ladders are.
The attempt to take over the United States legislature was, on the other hand, a reaction born out of the internalization of lies by a group of largely white people whose self-esteem is dependent on being better or more deserving then those with whom they disagree. Often their self-esteem is built on the belief of the superiority of their race and/or the god of their understanding; of their belief that winning at any cost is pleasing to their god. Anyone who disagrees with them is displeasing to the god of their understanding and, thus, deserves to be violently attacked
In the case of Black Lives Matter, the violence was a byproduct of their frustration while in the case of those who attacked those at the U. S. Capitol, the violence was the goal. In the case of the BLM individuals violence was a cry to be treated as equals. In the case of those who stormed the U. S. Capital the violence was at attempt to destroy those who disagreed with them.
In both cases the violence arose out of the lies of the crumbling textbooks which have presented a version of the United States built on a version of history which many so-called Christians and those of other religious backgrounds wanted to align with what they believed would fool the god of their understanding and which therefore would ensure entrance to the hall of those celebrated for a well lived life or the halls of the afterlife otherwise known as heaven
Ironically, in both cases the desire is to be recognized as people of worth assured of rewards in this life and/or in the next one. One is built on a foundation held up on the backs of the enslaved and the other on the pain of the burden imposed on them to hold up the people standing on top of them.
Obviously, there are wonderful exceptions to those who have fallen victim to one of these stories. The recent inauguration of President Biden bore witness to powerful men and women who never fully internalized the lies. Amanda Gorman, Michelle Obama, Sonia Sotomayor, Kamala Harris, Lady Gaga, Barack Obama, Bernie Sanders and a host of others strong, proud individuals have no need for violence and, yet understand the pain of those who are violent. They are pursuing a path forward which is inclusive and not at the expense of others.
The issues is one side and two sided. There are two sides but one has to reach deep to find the etiology of the pain and, thus, the etiology of the violence.
If we are to rise above or out of the violence we must clean our internals houses until we reach the sacred part which has a similar starting point. This may seem like a tall and seemingly impossible order but it is, none the less, the starting point for reconciliation.
Written January 28, 2021
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
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