In 1992, I fell under the spell of a candidate and even more of an ideal I heard him state in an impassioned speech on a tiny black and white TV in a small strip mall in Gainesville, Florida. I dropped out of law school, and went to work to get him elected, and later served in his administration.
The ideal?
That there is nothing wrong with America that can’t be fixed with what is right with America.
I still believe that today.
And I think there isn’t one of us who didn’t see, live, on screens broadcast around the world last week, our enormous challenge, our shared shame, the thing that is still wrong today (and has been for centuries): the coddling of white “protesters,” peacefully being walked out (while some had even been peacefully walked in), to desecrate one of our nation’s seats of democracy and time honored tent poles of government, while the memory of the bloody beating and tear gassing and shooting (and arresting) of Black “rioters” is still fresh in our memory.
White supremacy is terrorism. Period.
And it is long since past time to address it, and dismantle it.
(By the way, if this newsletter is angering you, that’s cool. I’m not for you, and you can unsubscribe below. I’m sorry to see you go, but I understand.)
Capitol Hill Flag
After the dust had settled and both chambers resumed discourse, over and over on the floor of both houses, I heard elected officials — who no doubt inspired young people just like one had once inspired me — say “this is not America.”
But I think it’s high time we realize that it is, in fact, America.
It is an America that we let become America, as a continued extension of the 244 year old experiment that is that greatest form of government on earth. But it is an America that we can change and grow and revolve into what we want and need and dream it to be if it is to survive another 244 years.
And like that candidate spoke to me 30 years ago, and inspired me to upend my life to get him elected, I propose a solution, the same solution: service.
Imagine if every one of those Members of Congress had spent a year serving in a community that was not their own before taking an oath to the country (and not just their party).
Imagine if every one of those insurgents had spent a year serving along someone who was unlike them before donning their war paint and their hoodies.
Imagine if every journalist had spent a year serving with people who had different stories before reporting their own.
Imagine if we could understand, empathize, respect, and interact with people who don’t look like us, think like us, eat like us, love like us, learn like us, pray like us?Service helps us see each other, really see each other.
Last week I saw a news story where a hospital lost its refrigerator and was able to give 600 vaccines in light breaking speed before they spoiled. It was an all hands on deck situation and they got it done. This is an all hands on deck situation. And we can get this done. (And the vaccines, too. Paging all young people with nothing but a summer of social distancing facing them. Assemble for training!)
The point is this: There are facts and there are truths and we are so blinded by our truths that we have stopped seeing the facts, even when they are broadcast live in front of us.
Because I am from Miami, I’m think it’s cold when it is 65 degrees outside. Because my son was raised in Boston, he thinks it’s warm when it’s 65 degrees outside. The fact is that it’s 65 degrees outside. But our personal truths are a different matter entirely, and those personal truths determine how we internals actual facts.
Empathy beats narcissism.
Caring beats ignoring.
Relationships beat assumptions.
We can’t make progress until we have empathic, caring relationships. And the way to achieve these is through service. We can do this. We can be the America we want to be.
Service is the way.
