Howardism: It is Time to Heal

Comment

Thanks for writing this Howard. I agree with you. Hope you're doing well.

—Frank

Comment

Try sitting just the other side of that border, quaking with every shudder your mighty neighbor makes and completely unable to do anything about it. As Canadians we sometimes have to treat the US Government like a friend treats a drunk about to get into his car and drive. We can only politely, but firmly suggest that he take a taxi. Once in a while he does; sometimes he gets angry at us and accuses us of hating him, but most of the time he just mumbles to himself and drives home anyway. Occasionally this decision costs a lot of lives.

Please, please, at least vote Bush out on Tuesday. Healing the domestic rift that a close election will cause will be a lot easier if Kerry is president and the rest of us can breathe a sigh of relief and get off your backs.

—Chris Corrigan

Comment

The election is over, the results are now known.
The will of the people has clearly been shown. We'll show by our thoughts and our words and our deeds That unity is just what our country now �needs.
Let's all get together. Let bitterness pass.
I'll hug your elephant.
You kiss my ass.

—John Ronciak

It is Time to Heal

I'm sure of it. November 3rd will not solve any of our problems.

In fact, it will just make it worse. I mean, whatever the outcome, whoever wins, there will be 1/2 the American public upset, angry and fearful.

Yeah, fearful. Today I was talking to a close friend who just happens to be on the other side of the fence… politically speaking. He said that he didn't put up any political signs in front of his house for fear that the liberals would attack him and his house.

"That's really funny," I said. "I felt the same fear about the conservatives."

No matter how we got here, it is clear-- both sides fear the other. Where does this fear of our neighbors come from? The Unknown. We don't know our neighbors, we don't understand them. In this election, we have initiatives designed by some neighbors to hurt other neighbors. How is this possible? Clearly, the initiative-making neighbors are fearful of the others and want to get a jump on the attack they must feel is coming.

One of the political pamphlets I got in the mail stated that if we don't ban gay marriage, homosexuality would be taught in our schools. Granted, I couldn't quite connect those dots, but it shows to me that these neighbors are scared. They are so scared of them that they want to hurt them. Fear, anger, and hatred breeds more fear, anger and hatred.

But discussing the initiatives is not what I want to bother with now. I want to discuss how to heal. For that's what time it is. It is time to heal.

Politics is just our organized way of living together. The house rules, so to speak. And while we all agree to flush the toilet when we are done, what time we eat is up to us to decide. The problems before us are the most difficult. If they weren't difficult, we would have solved them years ago. But the only way we are going to work through them (call it marriage counseling for the nation) is to get to know each other. This includes their views, their ideology, their perspective.

Perhaps, continuing with my earlier example, neighbors scared of their gay neighbors should have them over and get to know them. Perhaps, the gay neighbors should go to church so that the members that fear them could see what nice neighbors they are. I know, I know, few gays would feel welcome in church, but I think you get the idea… in order to heal ourselves, we have to get to know ourselves.

So you've picked your initiative, your ideology, your political slant, and now it is time to get to know the neighbors on the other side of that fence. We aren't that different. We all seem to have similar goals, but we have different ideas on the route to get there. And let's face, none of us know. We're all in the same fog. So let's hold hands and try to figure our way out by talking. By understanding.

And a bit of tolerance is a great place to start.

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	My Response to Terrorism More Reflections on Peace When the Battle is Won... Who's Side are We on Anyway? God Bless and Pay For You What a Country Poll by Sex? I Changed Parties The Open Space of Democracy Re: Allah or Jesus? Read other entries in Politics...	Comment Thanks for writing this Howard. I agree with you. Hope you're doing well. —Frank Comment Try sitting just the other side of that border, quaking with every shudder your mighty neighbor makes and completely unable to do anything about it. As Canadians we sometimes have to treat the US Government like a friend treats a drunk about to get into his car and drive. We can only politely, but firmly suggest that he take a taxi. Once in a while he does; sometimes he gets angry at us and accuses us of hating him, but most of the time he just mumbles to himself and drives home anyway. Occasionally this decision costs a lot of lives. Please, please, at least vote Bush out on Tuesday. Healing the domestic rift that a close election will cause will be a lot easier if Kerry is president and the rest of us can breathe a sigh of relief and get off your backs. —Chris Corrigan Comment The election is over, the results are now known. The will of the people has clearly been shown. We'll show by our thoughts and our words and our deeds That unity is just what our country now �needs. Let's all get together. Let bitterness pass. I'll hug your elephant. You kiss my ass. —John Ronciak It is Time to Heal I'm sure of it. November 3rd will not solve any of our problems. In fact, it will just make it worse. I mean, whatever the outcome, whoever wins, there will be 1/2 the American public upset, angry and fearful. Yeah, fearful. Today I was talking to a close friend who just happens to be on the other side of the fence… politically speaking. He said that he didn't put up any political signs in front of his house for fear that the liberals would attack him and his house. "That's really funny," I said. "I felt the same fear about the conservatives." No matter how we got here, it is clear-- both sides fear the other. Where does this fear of our neighbors come from? The Unknown. We don't know our neighbors, we don't understand them. In this election, we have initiatives designed by some neighbors to hurt other neighbors. How is this possible? Clearly, the initiative-making neighbors are fearful of the others and want to get a jump on the attack they must feel is coming. One of the political pamphlets I got in the mail stated that if we don't ban gay marriage, homosexuality would be taught in our schools. Granted, I couldn't quite connect those dots, but it shows to me that these neighbors are scared. They are so scared of them that they want to hurt them. Fear, anger, and hatred breeds more fear, anger and hatred. But discussing the initiatives is not what I want to bother with now. I want to discuss how to heal. For that's what time it is. It is time to heal. Politics is just our organized way of living together. The house rules, so to speak. And while we all agree to flush the toilet when we are done, what time we eat is up to us to decide. The problems before us are the most difficult. If they weren't difficult, we would have solved them years ago. But the only way we are going to work through them (call it marriage counseling for the nation) is to get to know each other. This includes their views, their ideology, their perspective. Perhaps, continuing with my earlier example, neighbors scared of their gay neighbors should have them over and get to know them. Perhaps, the gay neighbors should go to church so that the members that fear them could see what nice neighbors they are. I know, I know, few gays would feel welcome in church, but I think you get the idea… in order to heal ourselves, we have to get to know ourselves. So you've picked your initiative, your ideology, your political slant, and now it is time to get to know the neighbors on the other side of that fence. We aren't that different. We all seem to have similar goals, but we have different ideas on the route to get there. And let's face, none of us know. We're all in the same fog. So let's hold hands and try to figure our way out by talking. By understanding. And a bit of tolerance is a great place to start. Tell others about this article:
	2014, Howard Abrams Some rights reserved	Originally written on 29 October 2004. Updated on 8 February 2014.