Our Greatness

I believe the time for shaking our heads is over. The time for feeling despondent over current affairs must be left behind. And no, I am not telling you that there is a new politician or a political platform that you need to rush to support. If you haven’t noticed, the political body is broken. We have handed the reins on things that matter to people who have left their humanity behind. Both sides.

In recent days the president has again reminded us of our “greatness” and asserted “we are not going to apologize for America”. Almost simultaneously the Supreme Court upheld a North Dakota law designed to shut out the voting rights of the five tribes in that state. And while the media runs wild with the story inciting anger and helplessness, something very interesting is happening. The tribes are helping one another jump through the nearly impossible hoops to enable our disenfranchised citizenry to vote on Tuesday, November sixth. They are not giving up.

To me, this is the story.

And in the end whether they succeed or fail, it will not matter. What matters is the fact that they are not giving up. What matters is they are drawing upon the wisdom and the resilience available to all of us. They are being creative. They are being human.

Far too many of us are content with being malcontent. We are ok throwing emojis at our screens to prove our indignation. We are ok with feeling helpless and divided. But that is not being human.

Here is the heart of it: wherever we are, whatever we are doing: Do not give up. There is strength in our humanity that we have yet to draw upon. There is power in our unity that we have not yet touched. Our greatness awaits us.

 

This aired on 10/28 on WDRT‘s Consider This. You can also listen on Soundcloud