Can we stand for somethin'?
Now is the time to face the wind
Now ain't the time to pretend
Now is the time to let love in
- Beyonce, American Requiem
Can we stand for somethin'?
To be a little less ambiguous: can we stand for somethin' good?
Since Don drove the wedge, we have two sides standing for somethin':
A broad, inclusive General Welfare
An angry exclusive tribalism
What worries me most about the tribalists (we all have some degree of tribalism) is their willingness to scorch the very principals they rally their "Patriotism" around.
Now is the time to face the wind
Eight years ago, at the ascent of the False Populist, the True Tribalist, the Salty Arsonist I spouted it all on Facebook, but little else. Ineffective, but silence was negligent.
This goaround, when all we predicted proven true, and this time with some safeguards proven illusory and the remaining corroded and eroded, everything is on the line. Now is the the time to face the wind.
Now ain't the time to pretend
What will say we did? How hard did we fight? How effectively did we fight?
Or did we just talk?
Now is the time to let love in
We might all be "fighting for love" but Love for those just like us or love for all?
Love thy neighbor as thyself - the greatest commandment.
Love thy enemy - the greatest principle in conflict resolution. For he may be your enemy today but is your brother forever. You do not overcome enmity with hate or condescension; but with respect and fairness (and with rigor and resolve as necessary).
Now is the time to face the wind, now is the time to let love in.