Saturday, July 20, 2019

White Rose Inspiration & Warning

I read about the White Rose, a student group that stood up to the Nazis on a professor's bulletin board at a local university. The words reminded me of the fictional story I read last year about the Chinese Revolution. In both stories, young bright lives were extinguished because they spoke and/or lived their truth--a truth that didn't hurt or harm anyone, but a truth that threatened the authoritarian regimes at the time.

Trump's hateful words and reactions to those that speak and act their truth reminds me of these heart breaking stories, and makes me want to shout out from anywhere I can that we can't be complacent in the face of such hateful ridicule--words/actions meant to silence those with new ideas. Instead we have to entertain & forward new ideas using civil discourse and debate with the focus on bettering the path of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all.

Unlike trumpians who feel that there is only room for some to succeed in life, I believe that we hold the potential to find win-win solutions to life on Earth--solutions that pave the way to good living for all. I believe that a lack of imagination, weak collaboration, lack of discipline, and an unwillingness to work for a positive, peaceful vision is the wall that prevents this good work.

As we think of that giant wall of ineffective action, thought, and mindset, a wall not unlike Trump's simple-minded, one-size-fits-all solution to the complex immigration/refugee situation at our southern border, we recognize how weak we are, and how we have to work better, do better, and collaborate more with imagination to forward our good work and potential for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

What we know is that humanity continues to move towards greater and greater positive solutions for good living. While it's a two steps forward, one-step backwards path, data shows us that overall we are headed in a good direction. We also know that we can do more and do better to move forward with harmony and positivity.

Trump and his self serving #gop cronies and family members still hold the mindset that only a few can succeed, and as for the rest of us--they will death and poor living to those who cannot serve their wealth, recreation, whims, and interests. They don't care about most of us and that's easily illustrated in their lack of support for the environmental, healthy food and food systems, good schools, economic equity, optimal health care, and positive infrastructure--instead they lead mostly to elevate their bank accounts, egos, and power while tightening their club-like membership to the group of super-wealthy, elite, and privileged in the world.

We need to work against this inequity in society with our words and actions. We have to be more intentional about who we support with the money we spend, places we go, and people that work with and for us. We have to aline ourselves with those who truly care about a good life on Earth for all rather than a few. There's limitless ways to do this.

Today as I spend a day in a beautiful place with a loved one, I'll think more on this. I welcome your thoughts in the meantime. Each of us can probably come up with a number of simple and more complex actions to better aline our lives to supporting peaceful, collaborative, good living for all. For starters, I plan to do the following:

  • learn more, support good people in ways that I can
  • live with personal responsibility
  • cut ties with businesses and individuals who support discriminatory actions and officials
  • green my own lifestyle as much as possible
  • use good sense, commitment, and care in my own work and living
I will grow my efforts as I learn more. I welcome your ideas and insights.