Power
November 12, 2016
I wanted to send this out as an encouragement, but I understand if in the midst of anger, grief and despair you aren't ready for this. If that's the case for you, my thoughts are very much with you. There will be a time to come back to this in the future.
Every four years we go through an election cycle where the marketing is intense and unrelenting. Even if you like political discussion as much as I do, 18 months from beginning to end is a dysfunctionally exhausting process. I say that even if you like the candidate that won. The overwhelming "marketing" teaches us that politics is power and encourages us to vote for the person that will wield that power in the way we most agree with. Through whatever flaws we have in our electoral system and through surprising support for Trump from the disempowered among us, we ended up with who I think is the worst and most morally deficient candidate as our executive chief in modern times and a continuation of the worst Congress of my lifetime.
Trump himself rallied on themes of power. On YouTube I watched his appearance in Pueblo and as he rattled off one authoritarian statement after another from his stump speech, the audience became more and more "energized". They felt their own power rising as they chanted "Lock her up!" at the end. Their combined voices were truly terrifying to witness if you didn't support their candidate. I have every reason to believe that Trump will wield as much power as our system allows. The fact we have this particular Republican congress puts a magnifying glass on that power.
But a wise friend of mine posted on his Facebook recently this: "See reality: power comes from the bottom, not the top. It's the way of nature". He gave the example of a herd of cattle giving their power to the rancher even though the animals are large and powerful. He continued on "Even the world's ancient spiritual traditions tell us the Ruler is at the bottom, not the top!"
If we're feeling powerless, it means that campaign marketing has succeeded. It's not reality, though. The reality is that power flows all around us. In my world, there is no greater power and influence than from someone who practices even the smallest acts of compassion. I'm inspired too by people that have acted to empower themselves by going to demonstrations, by signing petitions, by supporting charities and social causes, and by planning on next steps to keep visions of clean energy, environment, and social welfare alive.
For Christians, there is a type of power that is camaraderie with God. We misuse the word "blessing" all the time, but it's a word that's not about happiness. It's a word that means to be holy. I look at that as a type of power. At least it means that one is on the right path, less encumbered by what is not "holy" in order to be powerfully compassionate.
That we think power is in politics and not among and around us is what is surprising about what Jesus says in Matthew "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth" - a theme that's reflected throughout the sermon on the mount. Or if you prefer the old testament, the words the Psalmist uses to comfort in Psalm 37 "Do not fret because of the wicked . . . the meek shall inherit the land". This type of power (for the meek) comes from refusing to wield power for oneself even when the temptation exists. In practice, I think it is power that comes when one instead takes action to make someone else's life better (compassion).
Seen in this way, a smile, a conversation with someone "different", a meal, or a hug are all more powerful than the types of power we believe the President wields.
Back to politics, I really didn't like the slogan "I'm with her" although I thought about attaching it to my car. It just seemed weak compared to a lot of inspiring slogans throughout the history of elections. The English major side of me sees those words and thinks, "I'm giving power to her". To this day, I feel the reasons for doing so were sound. Clearly, now that the election is over, those slogans will gradually disappear from yard signs and vehicles.
Expanding from a thought I encountered reading an editorial, what if we had a slogan "I'm with them" (referring to those who are frightened, who are hurting, and who may be hurting as government turns against them)? That wouldn't be giving power -- that would be recognizing that there's power to act. What if we had a slogan "we're with them"? That would be collectively working on behalf of our neighbor, doing things for them that help them realize that they have power as well. From what Clinton has said, and from what Sanders has said, I'm willing to bet that "We're with them" would resonate positively. Best of all, it's a slogan that wouldn't disappear with a political loss.
Fortunately we live in a political system where power is distributed and checks and balances are in place. A number of those were removed but a few remain (like the filibuster). It is an illusion, as my friend seemed to be saying, that all of the power is in one man, even constitutionally. That man does not affect all or even most of what goes on in each of our lives. We do have power, and if we can honestly say "We're with them" then that power is also a blessing.
