Okay, so he’s not Jesus.
But it applies, I promise.
There is a sizeable debate in Indiana right now and the tone
of it hurts my heart. If you’ve been
living under a rock, there is a bill in the Indiana Legislature (HJR-3) which
would add an amendment to the Indiana State Constitution which would prohibit the
legalization/recognition of same sex marriage in the state of Indiana. Regardless of your stand on the issue, I
think it is fair to say that it is a “heart issue”. What I mean by that is that it isn’t
necessarily something that a person decides on just using reason in the mind,
but often more deeply, without rhyme or articulable reason, the stand rests in
the heart. What hurts mine most in watching this debate unfold is the way I
have heard and read people talk to and about the opposition. Facebook rants about “idiots” on the other
side (and worse), blurbs on the news, in the papers and splashed across my
computer screen. It is not restricted to
one side or the other. There is one
thing though that I don’t see. I don’t
see those tactics changing hearts.
Do we soothe crying babies by screaming at them? No. If
you do, you’ve got bigger problems and will probably be hearing from DCS shortly.
Catch more flies with honey people.
This popped up more in my head more today as I thought about
the passing of Pete Seeger last week-ish. “Who is Pete Seeger?” you ask. I’m appalled.
Pete Seeger is pretty much the coolest cat who ever lived.
(Despite some rather
significant ideological differences between us, I mean.) Widely considered to be the father of the
American folk music genre, he wrote, performed or made famous most of the major
protest songs for issues from pre WWII labor disputes, to de-segregation and
Civil Rights, to the Vietnam War, to the Hudson River clean up and even Occupy
Wall Street. You name it, this man took
a polarizing stand, but set it to a tune.
Don’t think you’ve heard of any of his music? Try these on for size:
If I Had a Hammer
This Little Light of Mine
Where Have All the Flowers Gone
We Shall Overcome
Turn, Turn, Turn
This Land is Your Land
These songs moved people.
They inspired others like Peter, Paul and Mary, Woody Guthrie, Bob
Dylan, and countless others. While he
did not always agree with political leadership (and by not always, I don’t
think ever) and he was considered a dissident by some, he was also seen as a
peaceful unifying force for causes that went deep to the heart of the evolving
American culture. He was a persistent,
gentle voice and his music helped change the character of the country. I’m not telling people what to do or where to
stand (and before you send a search party to bring me back from the hippie
commune you think I’ve been whisked away to) I’m just saying, I wonder how
differently this conversation would go if people would stop screaming at each
other and use some different tactics.
I
know, I get paid to advocate, I’m a natural born scrapper. However, there is a time and a place. “To
every season, turn, turn, turn” if you will.
Personally, I would prefer a season that builds us up as a state, and as
a nation, rather than tears us apart. If
Mr. Seeger were still with us, I wonder what he’d sing.
Care to partake in some fabulous American music
history? Give these a try:
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