Do not stand silently on the sidelines.

Speak Up

“I want to be able to say that I contributed more than I criticized.”

Brene Brown

          I wonder how many of you watched the One World concert last night. The purpose of it was to raise money for the World Health Organization, and it featured lots of well-known musicians and television personalities. The audio was not the greatest, because everyone was performing from their home studios, but the wholeheartedness was genuine. The WHO is an outreach of the United Nations, and among other things, helps to extend medical help to parts of the world in which healthcare is spotty or inadequate. Our president is currently holding back the money that the US contributes, which is almost half the WHO’s budget.

          Here is another quote by Brene Brown that I think is important, especially at this moment: “We desperately need more leaders who are committed to courageous, wholehearted leadership and who are self-aware enough to lead from their hearts, rather than unevolved leaders who lead from hurt and fear.” Right now, we are not seeing that in the US, and I know we are not the only ones. I pray that this changes soon.

          I confess that in seven-plus decades of life, I have never seen anything like this pandemic, nor the intentional hurtful actions of a leader who, in the middle of it, withholds support from the medical body that could help to slow the spread of this disease in developing countries. I am appalled, but I should not be since the same unconscionable disregard has been shown to so many others—asylum seekers, the free press, our allies, the tribal people of this continent, and even state governors who are not from his own party. Instead of the support and access that should be shown to people on the frontline, protective equipment has been withheld and doled out to supporters. While our prisons are full of petty criminals, those who leveraged millions of corrupt dollars in service to this president are out of prison on house arrest. And now, protests by his supporters are being encouraged and incited, even as they act against the advice of his own administration. Where, I wonder, does it stop?

          I love my country. I believe with all my heart that most Americans are good and decent people. I would love to have leaders who act in the best interest of these good and decent people. I would love not to criticize our leaders. But no one of good conscience can watch what is happening daily and not speak up. When we do not oppose this utter disregard for the world and for our own people, when thousands of people have died, and thousands of more will die, then we are part of the problem. Our silence grants permission for more of the same. I don’t know about you, but I could not sleep at night if I did not speak up.

          Here is my prayer for America, and for all the peoples of the world: “God, grant us the wisdom to wake up and stop following like sheep behind ruthless leaders. Give us strength to stand up and speak out against tyranny, especially when it resides within our own land. Amen.”

                                                            In the Spirit,

                                                            Jane