I would have added a snark note, but this is no laughing matter. Asking our young son how he liked his Christian summer camp experience in southern Indiana, yesterday, he reported that he loved the basketball and swimming, but he was hurt and confused by an exchange he'd had with one of the ADULT counselors.
Our son shared that he'd recently gotten to shake hands with Barack Obama after a town hall, and this was the response he got from one of his counselors:
Counselor: "Did you wash your hand afterwards?"
Our son: "No."
Counselor: "Well, you should have. Obama is a baby killer who doesn't believe in God."
We were stunned. Our church doesn't talk about politics, but rather focuses on developing a personal relationship with God. Abortion isn't discussed. Though, our pastor and many in the congregation are Pro-life, they aren't militant about it or even vocal about it. For that matter, my husband is strongly against abortion, and I'm Pro Choice believing it should be left to individual conscience. So, this came completely from "right" field.
The temptation may be to write off this person, but they are far from alone. And, if we don't find a way to tear down the walls, this time, if we return this hatefulness with dismissal, this time, if we find the gulf between us and that counselor too hopeless to try to find common ground, this time ... I fear that we may not only lose an election in November, but also fail to take another crucial step toward perfecting this improbable experiment we all call home.
After comforting our son and talking with him about hate, fear, courage, ignorance and love, we were left wondering how we might better understand and reach beyond whatever IT was/is that compelled this counselor to say such a hateful thing to a little boy.
Is IT racism? Is IT fundamentalist hatred of abortion? Is IT both? Or is IT something else or everything else? Is IT different for different people? Just what was IT that compelled that counselor to communicate such a creepy thing to a kid?
AND what are we going to do about working through this kind of hate-filled JUNK? The temptation is to turn away and blow off this person because they are "obviously a nut-case, racist ... pick your label." But, make no mistake about it. If we pull away in disgust and anger, it will not go away, and it will be used by capital and religious elites to maintain rifts between the majority of Americans who actual share many economic and values based interests.
Left unaddressed, we are probably in for an ugly fight again, this Fall in the Midwest and swing states -- in rural parts of OH, IN, PA, GA, VA, not to mention WV, TN, and KY. I don't think we can shrug and say "whatever" for two reasons:. 1) I would expect that someone who felt compelled to express these kinds of sentiments to our son at a church camp will be very fired up and active this Fall. 2) I'm not ready to concede that it is hopeless to reach out to the hopeless, because well, I have hope.
So, what are we to do to not only manage to win in November, but also go the step further to reach out and help heal the ugly, poisonous rift that Rove spawned and the likes of Limbaugh feed upon? Do we even fully understand this gulf, this angry, hate-filled rift? Exactly what are the dimensions of it?
Do we have NO common ground? Are we doomed to say hateful things to one another like separate tribes with increasingly less and less in common with one another?
Even before this upsetting and infuriating event, I've been trying to work through and communicate my perceptions of what I've been hearing and seeing in our KY/ southern OH community in an effort to foster some greater, mutual understanding in a couple of diaries. I've been curious to understand why with similar positions, why did Hillary capture the hearts of so many while Obama has inspired so many others.
Here are the other two diaries I've written where I've tried my best to capture what are admittedly jsut my perceptions and personal insights.
Understanding Appalachia - Standing Together
Time for Fireside Chats?
I don't begin to claim to fully see a way forward, but I'm afraid we must find common ground for a more civil dialog, or possibly face heart-breaking losses by close margins in swing states in November. And, as provocative and hateful as this experience was for our child and family, we are groping to find a path toward more positive dialogs for a more HOPEFUL future.
For all who live in the swing states, red/ red leaning states, rural communities, "The South," who are Christians or anyone who may interested or have any ideas that could promote a deeper or broader understanding, I'd greatly appreciate your comments on the perceptions I've posted in previous diaries. I guess my goal is to foster a dialog among interested people that might help me, our family and perhaps others find a way forward. We share so many concerns with many of the people in these areas that I just have to think there must be common ground --- (even if they begin as little patches of like interests like curtailing mountain-top clearing for mining or dental care for KY kids) --- to begin to build connections across this hateful rift -- whatever IT is.
I'd love to hear from others regarding their ideas, experiences, or comments on the what I've been observing in the other diaries I've posted. Thanks.