A Challenge

I do not know if or when the government of the United States of America will decide to focus on respecting human and civil rights; becoming a just and pluralistic society; being an honorable member of the international community; and rectifying its many sins based on the dehumanization of others. The nation and her people have so much to do to clear the stench of this administration and rebuild our nation in a manner worthy of all of our children.

Today, the federal government and, in some cases state and local, is hellbent on giving free rein to a very evil man with no moral compass. He has replaced the Common Good with self-aggrandizement; any notion of democracy with autocracy and freedom of religion with the distortion known as Christian nationalism.

In the early days of his first administration, even I struggled with the idea that one person elected to the Office of the President of the United States could be so gravely flawed. Long before that term ended, my struggle was resolved. Like most other women in Black bodies who voted during the 2024 election, I clearly saw his flaws. They were glaring. What some may have considered to be dog whistles or jokes to be dismissed, we recognized as foghorns and threats to be taken seriously, very seriously.

It can be daunting to think of the tasks before us. Where do we begin? Where can I begin? The answer to these questions arrived today. I offer it as a challenge. The next time you hear a person speak who is not a heterosexual, cisgender male in a white body identifying as Christian, listen closely to what is being said.

Do not be quick to judge or dismiss their thoughts. Give them your full attention. Listen with holy curiosity and not preconceived ideas. If the person speaks of painful or unjust experiences, can you simply empathize without assigning them blame. If the person speaks with an accent that reveals English is not their first language, be patient. What must your voice sound like to them? If after all of this you do disagree, is there room for nuance?

Maybe, just maybe, if we grow in the ability to recognize and appreciate the wealth of diversity in our nation, women in Black bodies will not be the only ones to recognize the next con artist posed to shred the Constitution, demolish the East Wing of the White House and rape the Statue of Liberty.