When I was a kid and fought with my siblings, the first weapon we raised was the pointing finger. My mother, now 97, would say, “Well the one thing we have plenty of right now is blame -- and it won’t get this fixed!” Then walking away from us, she would call back, “Figure this out -- now.” With that we were left on our own, the message was clear, stop finger pointing and fix it or we would all be in trouble.
As I read about the finger pointing regarding police/protester conflict. I want her to step in. She would put everyone in one room and close the door and expect that we are able to take those first steps together in something new.
Blame is a lose/lose proposition. What I do know is for the new to rise up, the old must die. What do want our communities to look like after this is over?
I believe we are suffering from collective PTSD. The way out is for each group to be heard, by someone, and to bring those concerns into the light of day.
Leonard Cohen said in the song, Anthem, “Ring the bells that still can ring. Forget your perfect offering. There is crack, a crack in everything -- that’s how the light gets in.”
Everyplace we look we see cracks, and there too will we find light -- hold onto the light, have hope, believe that what is before us in this most imperfect society will be better than what we have now.
And…Forget the national guard, send in the mothers.
I’m Lou Ness and that’s my Perspective.
