What are we so afraid ?

I heard yesterday on the news that handgun sales have increased by 10% because people are afraid that once President-elect Obama comes into office, there will be more restrictions. I wonder what we are so afraid of? I wonder if the fear of losing something robs us of the very thing we are trying to protect far more than the actual threat. I look around my own life to see where have I locked myself in to protect what is dear to me, so much so that I have locked out the happiness and peace that I believe the very thing I am protecting will bring me. Course of Miracles has a line that says, "In my defenselessness my safety lies." Or as Janice Joplin puts it, "Freedom is when there's nothing else to lose." Its a revolutionary paradigm shift to let go of the notion that life is something to protect and instead realize that we can't lose anything. When we remember what's eternal and center in God we lose nothing but gain everything.

Standing in Truth

My heart aches right now. Last night I read a column published in the Murfreesboro Post about President-elect Barack Obama where the writer wrote a song to the tune of the Jefferson's theme song using terms like "pimp pad" and "living off of government fat." Our country has just accomplished one of the greatest feats in its history. An African American has conquered centuries of racism and bigotry and has achieved the ultimate affirmation. I saw a political cartoon recently where an African-American mother was talking with her daughter telling her that she really could be anything she wanted to be. I watched the election returns come in with renewed hope and deep humility at the power of something much bigger than our fear. I wept along with millions of others as I listened to our new president-elect accept the post with poise and grace. I held his family in prayer as they too are dedicating a great portion of their lives and their husband and father to this huge undertaking.

Then, I read this and I was crushed that this kind of racism is still so prevalent. This was printed in what is attempting to be a legitimate paper in my town. It is so layered in its offensiveness that I don't even know where to start. And that's when I realize that maybe the response is no response at all. What I mean by that is not to ignore it, obviously I am not because I am writing this. But to first of all take time out to search my own heart for the ways that I continue to stereotype different groups of people. Where do I send those kinds of signals out? Then to ask what this column is calling from me. Rather than meet it with contempt and fear which is my knee jerk response, to meet it with love.

President-elect Obama gave us example after example of rising above the political fray while maintaining dignity and truth. He had plenty of opportunity to fight back dirty but he refrained and kept to his message of hope and change. Maybe he is setting a new standard for us. Rather than meet this with anger and retaliation, we stand firm in the truth that this election stood for. We stand firm in the equality of all men and women. We stand firm in the truth that all humanity is created in the image and likeness of God and we treat one another accordingly. We stand firm in the vision of a world where we all know our oneness with God, a world of peace, unity and abundance for everyone.

The Post printed it because it suspected that there would be readers for it. What if we envisioned a world where this sort of thing would be unheard of because there is no longer any sort of toleration for it. We made a huge evolutionary step by electing President-elect Barack Obama. But, now let's each pause to see where we each continue to perpetuate the myths, the stereotypes that rob us all of dignity. Let's start with a thorough search within ourselves. As we root out those shadow parts of us and choose to treat each other with the love and dignity we all deserve, we will create a world where this sort of thing will be recognized as the abomination that it is because it will have no where to land.