The last few months have shown us that with the right propagandists, the right Machiavellian manipulation, and the right timing, forces can put the progress this country has made in equality and civil rights on its back foot. Say what you will about the moral compass of the current administration, they have proven that they are smart enough to win. And to them, winning is the thing. It is the end goal, that which justifies the means. To say the current times are unprecedented is now as overused as it is an understatement. And in these times, there must be an unprecedented answer by the people to maintain the soul of the nation. That answer is radical love.
We may spend a lot of time trying to understand how we’ve gotten to this point, and there are many reasons , but time and again, as we saw in rallies, and in post election incidents across the country , there is a smog that permeates this new era: Fear and hate. Fear of “radical” Muslims entering our country and causing harm. Hate of Mexican “ illegals” competing for resources (and apparently voting in elections) . Fear that same-sex marriage is somehow a threat. Hate of a woman’s right to choose. Fear that black lives mattering would mean that white lives matter less.Hate of a globalized world where countries are interdependent for their economic well being. And that fear and hate has worked its way into the mainstream. The fear mongers and hate peddlers have found their champions, and they now reside and work at the whitehouse.
That has put the rest of us in an interesting position as outsiders. It is now radical to believe that Black lives matter. It is radical to believe that love is love. It is radical to think that a woman should be in control of her own body. It is radical to think our country should be welcoming to those most in need, regardless of religion or place of origin. It is radical to want to believe in science, and to invest in educating our future generations. It is radical to protect our earth, skies and water. What ties all these things together is that they all come from places of love. A love of humanity, a love of our earth, a love for freedom and justice. Therefore, Love has become a radical idea.
As hate and fear drive policy, laws based on love are being shut down. The dismantling of the ACA is the best example of this. That our country loved its citizens enough to try and provide adequate health insurance to most Americans was a major feat in our history - and it’s defeat became the rallying cry of those that hated the idea that this major accomplishment belonged to our first Black President.
“People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” ― Nelson Mandela,
We need radical love because we have never witnessed an American president that has so much disdain for so much of America . Never have we seen a representative of an entire nation pit citizens against citizens, “real” Americans vs. Coastal “elites” , rural against urban , White against Non-White. If that is the “great” America that was promised to us, we have all been conned.
Resistance to this disdain and hate is strong and growing stronger daily. Organizations like The Indivisible Movement and groups on #resist Meetup are providing ways to march, contact legislators, & donate to causes. But we must also take ownership of the “Love” movement. Those who oppose this movement can only be choosing love’s opposite. And like the reactionaries of old, history will relegate them as the nameless screaming faces in the crowd as the truly brave climb up the front steps of greater justice and liberty.
“If any one says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.” - John 4:20
To oppose an administration from a motivation of love is a much stronger position than opposing from a position of hate. We’ve seen that example, when our previous president suffered the slings and arrows of the hate mongers, yet he thrived, governed well, and continued to bring our country forward . When an argument is based on hate and fear, there are no alternatives. Haters can make things difficult, they can obstruct progress, but they provide no solutions to the problems they create. That is a lesson for us as well. We cannot simply oppose Trump because we “hate” him and his administration. We must oppose them because they threaten what we love about our country.
Fighting for what we love does not mean fighters are any less brave, skillful, or fierce. In fact, fighting for what we love is the best motivation to push ever forward. The fiercest warriors are those who understand that they are the last line of defense for what they hold the most dear.
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” ― Mahatma Gandhi
Radical Love is filling airports across the country so that Muslims know they are welcome . It is announcing as a company that you will set out to hire 10 thousand refugees . Radical Love is a train car full of New Yorkers cooperating to clean off anti-semitic graffiti that surrounded them during rush hour. It is declaring loudly that you are a sanctuary campus or city . Radical love is veterans joining Native American water defenders to stop the DAPL . Love is not ignoring that our struggles are inter-sectional, and that all of our causes and discussions must take into account race, class, sexual identity and gender .
It is because these actions are based on a fundamental connection to fellow humans, that the resistance grows ever stronger every day. Remember this as the weeks continue by and the fatigue begins to set in. The constant barrage of outlandish comments and behavior may become the new normal, the international turmoil may tempt us to simply focus on surviving instead of thriving. The future may take a toll on our happiness, our relationships, and our mental health. But when we base resistance on love, we are better able to seek out or ask for help from our friends and from professionals when things get overwhelming
You must love who and how you want, and you should love more. You must express your love more, to those close to you as well as those who aren’t. You must reject the hate, the racism, the misogyny, the xenophobia in a way that tells the world that the real America is an America that loves.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” ― Martin Luther King Jr.,
I quoted these men (Jesus, Mandela, Ghandi and MLK) throughout my piece because these men were considered radicals in their time. They also combated fierce odds and and a power structure that was set up to triumph against them. In the end, their belief in fighting for that they loved was stronger than the system they fought against. And today, we do not remember those who declared them enemies or troublemakers, but we remember them as the foundation pillars of freedom and justice around the world. Let this time continue in that tradition. Love radically. And never stop fighting for what you love.