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May 02, 2005
Getting Angry is not good
Yesterday I lost it during brunch with three of my friends. One of them (friend X) asked if I had received his email in which he asks friends to sign a petition urging Bush to close and fortify our border with Mexico. (a la Schwarznegger) I reacted from a deep primal place that was completely uncontrollable -- I was totally taken off guard by my reaction. I glared at him, close to his eyes, and said "when you tell me that you have befriended, touched and looked into the eyes of a desperate, violence-torn immigrant, I'll listen to you. Otherwise, I don't wanna hear it. I will not to listen to this hate talk." I stood up from the table and was going to walk away in a fury. I controlled myself, sat down and asked to change the conversation. He was quiet, then was about to continue his explanation of why securing our US borders is good for "them" but then agreed to stop talking about the topic.
I think that angry outbursts are not helpful. I remember another friend, Lynn Schofield-Clark, telling me about the importance of patience and sharing of ideas in a way that can open up new understanding. I failed at that miserably. I am still trying to figure it out.
It is just so terribly sad, really "triste," that economic US policies and political alliances between North and South elites are the substratum for horrible economic misery. The scandal cries out to God. And yet, because it is complex, people can see only "them" and "us" in simplistic terms.
I long for more patience.
Adán
Posted by Adan at May 2, 2005 11:51 AM
Comments
I don't know that patience is what is called for! Deep anger of the sort you are talking about may be welling up for precisely the reason that it is justified, and that it is calling our attention to the systemic injustices being perpetrated. That doesn't mean the anger has to lead to hatred or violence. It calls us to move in love and righteousness. It's not just sad that this substratum of misery is being created, it's evil.
Posted by: Mary Hess at May 3, 2005 06:52 AM
To tell the truth, sometimes I wish I had more experiences like that one. I tend to suppress my emotional responses, and yet the cool, calm, rational approach doesn't quite drive home the message sometimes about things I feel quite passionate about.
Posted by: Jason at May 3, 2005 06:27 PM