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| R.I.P. |
Interesting sign, huh? Crude and
primitive, the message comes across loud and clear. Posted in a small community
in north central Florida, the sign bears three names its creator wishes death
upon for supporting the “wrong” candidates in the upcoming local election. How
do I know this?
The second name on the sign is my
brother John.
John’s a police chief in a small neighboring
Florida town. Remember the movie “Walking Tall?” The storyline is probably the
best analogy I could draw to John’s life and career. He’s ruffled many feathers
over the years by driving the drug dealers from his town and giving speeding
tickets to elected officials and other “important” people who travel on a major
thoroughfare outlying his community.
Over the years, John’s house has
been burned down. He’s been held hostage, survived a hit on his life, and
stared down many a criminal. He’s also considered a friend to many, including a
few he’s sent to jail, served their time, and then returned to live in the community.
He’s been known to utter the admonition “act like you’re somebody” to those on
the wrong path instead of wasting their lives in self-destructive or criminal
nonsense.
I could write a whole post about
John, his compassion and ministry, but that’s not the point of this particular
post.
I’ve witnessed many elections during
the past few decades, and each time I think it can’t get any uglier—it does.
Another example is actress Ellen Barkin’s
retweet prior to the RNC. (It was first tweeted by another Twitter account.)
I found her tweet horribly inappropriate
and shared my distaste for such outrageous behavior on FB.
Among the comments posted on my FB
status was advice to just blow off the Barkin tweet. As long as you’re
comfortable with your position, who cares if someone calls you names? Kind of
like the little ditty we learned as kids, “Sticks and stones…”
However, this behavior goes
beyond mere name calling. It’s too easy when venom is spewed to attribute it to
point of view or imply if the offended person is self-actualized enough, they’d
prove it by shutting up and sitting down.
Name-calling and distasteful
rhetoric are nothing new in elections. And while it’s a waste of time to get
embroiled in every dispute, when we reach the point where we give a free pass
to death threats against those supporting a different candidate/party, sensible
people should speak out against the insanity.
So what drives such nonsense? Disrespect
for others and fear. The ability to respect others is a character trait. You’ve
either had it instilled in you or developed it. If a deficiency exists, you
choose to improve—or not.
Fear, on the other hand, is a
different creature. It can be irrational, based on real or perceived threats, thus
causing people to behave irrationally.
I blogged about fear last week. The greater the fear, the more ridiculous the behavior. Apparently,
some are so fearful they wish (or plot) death upon those who hold different
beliefs or plan to cast a different vote than their own.
I love my country. A healthy
concern for its direction is a good thing. Healthy fear rallies people to
action and allows them to stand up for their beliefs. Irrational, unhealthy
fear (along with disrespect) causes people to lob insults and threats.
In the United States, we’re each afforded
one vote under the Constitution. Exercise it and respect others’ rights to do
so. Instead of looking for someone to agree with your point of view and downing
them when they don’t, take a page from JFK’s book: Ask not what your country
can do for you but what you can do for your country.
Or from Jesus: “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in
your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you
say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time
there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of
your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your
brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:3-5
In other words—start with the man
in the mirror.
And here’s a reassuring thought: As
Christians, we have nothing to fear. We’ve read to the end of The Book. We know
how the human story ends—in eternity with our Father. Meanwhile, while we’re
stewards of this earth, the community and country God placed us in, and the
great commission Christ charged us with, let’s continue to reflect that through
our choices and behavior.
Regardless of the election
results and the direction the country goes, Christians will continue to help
the poor, sick, and disenfranchised through our churches, community service,
and charitable contributions. Always have, always will.
Meanwhile, God remains on His
throne!
And my brother? Well, the fact that
John’s life is in jeopardy is something our family learned to live with long
ago. Don’t get me wrong—it’s not easy. He and I often have conversations about
his mortality. Though each conversation is different depending on the current
threat, I half-joke that he’s used up six or seven of his nine lives and to be careful. He promises he will and
tells me he loves me. I tell him the same.
As much as losing my brother
because of someone’s narrow mind or criminal activity would crush me, I have no
fear where John’s soul is concerned. That is not in jeopardy.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey
everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very
end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20
If you are a Christian, I
encourage you to look at the big picture and cling to Christ’s promise when
fear threatens to engulf you.
And
when absurdity warrants it, don’t be afraid to speak out.
© Laura Hodges Poole
