Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was deeply inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violent civil disobedience movement that helped win India’s independence from England. Gandhi’s mantra, or guiding slogan, was “Be the change you wish to see in the world”. That meant not colluding and obeying oppressive and unjust laws. That meant speaking the truth even when it made others uncomfortable. It meant not being socially proper, but proper towards all human beings – having a strong sense of ethics and connection to all living things.
These aren’t just nice sentiments. If we believe in such a position, we need to fundamentally change the way we live and think. How can we participate in systems based on exploitation, greed, mistreatment of our planet, and of other humans? Living in accordance with what we know to be right isn’t an overnight change, it’s a continual shifting of our actions and our thinking. But we must do it. Here, Grace Lee Boggs talks about our times. Time to move from marching to embodying transformation, from shouting out to action.
What I like about the group is that the artists are embodying the change they are inspiring others to make. They are former combatants who have put down their weapons and picked up theater! When theater comes out of the artists real lives, it is the most powerful method of engagement. They are not preaching unity and dialogue, they are living it.
Some video from the working class neighborhood that I drove through every day. You see people walking, working, living life. You’ll hear the car radio in the background. Sorry for the glare, I had to take this with the window up – didn’t want to hang out of the car with a camera! You may have to watch this a couple of times to see some of the details.
Before I left for Kabul my niece Leah and nephew Garrison (both 8 years-old) were very concerned and asked me why I wanted to go. I told them that we always hear bad news, but we don’t often hear the good news and I was going to work with people who were doing really good things. Mema, (my granny-in-law) sitting behind them, nodded and said, “that’s right”. Leah and Garrison seemed to accept that idea, though their little faces still registered concern. We all know that there is more out there – that the world is a good place – but we are constantly bombarded with information and images that replay the negative, the painful, and the depressing.
The news media’s driving policy is, “if it bleeds, it leads” meaning that blood, gore, freakish events, and the most depressing information gets front and center placement. (There are people and groups that will play into it and get big, broad coverage. I’m talking about extremists here in the US and around the world). “If it bleeds it leads” is not OUR mantra. We need to remember our human center, and remind ourselves of the compass we are guided by. With the internet and through our networks we can find lots of hope in action. I am just reading “Stones into Schools” by Greg Mortenson http://www.stonesintoschools.com and he talks about thousands of people coming out to a stadium in middle America to know about the lives and struggles of poor Afghans. I’d love to see a news story about 3000+ people donating money for educating children in Afghanistan.
I’m not saying that we should stick our heads in the sand and “think good thoughts” as if that will make everything go away. But how about seeking out information about the real-life efforts people are engaged in to change the world for the better? There are ideas and initiatives we can join, people we can support, proof of all the important, humble, noble acts of everyday human beings that extends beyond petty lines of identity and affirms the broad truth of human equality and dignity. Dr. Little gave 30+ years of service to the people of Afghanistan. He and his colleagues should have made international headlines in life, not only in death. This is a wonderful photo essay that show’s his life’s work.
So, today I am really missing my friends and colleagues in Kabul after two aggravating incidents. Yesterday an entitled and aggressive man sat next to me on the subway and expected/demanded I move over so his companion could sit where I was sitting. I was confused and wanted to move away from him, so I moved. Then today, I am walking down the street and another man rams into me and shoves me over with his shoulder. (This is in Queens, too!)
Ugh … and they reminded me of what I loved about my interactions with people in Afghanistan.
1. No one raised their voice to others. Everyone spoke gently, softly, and with respect and kindness.
2. People weren’t pushy and urgent with each other.
3. If you smiled and said hello, people smiled warmly and said hello back.
4. When you had a conversation, the person you were speaking to was fully present. Listening, attentive, engaged.
5. No one had a sense of superiority or entitlement over others. We shared and cooperated.
I think these are markers of a “developed” and “modern” society. And so what does that say about the alienation so many people in the “developed” world feel? We who seem to be deprived of such simple courtesies? Does it mean that industry has developed, economy and capitalism has developed but somehow our sense of neighborliness, kindness, and connection has moved backwards? With advanced technology, capital, and industry, have we not managed to deepen and expand our sense of human rights, connection, solidarity, and cooperation on an everyday basis? We trust each other less and take comfort in our “goods”. We cling to our known circles and don’t bond with new people. While part of me knows that there are so many people fighting to build real connection, respect, and love in our society – sometimes it feels hard to see and touch.
We all know that amassing wealth isn’t the answer and that the free things in life like human laughter, friendship, and trust are supremely valuable. So what do we have to do, as individuals, and as a society to foster community building over capital building? Ideas welcome!
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