Last night, President Barack Obama announced that Osama bin Laden was killed. I sat transfixed, remembering, as many others where I was when the twin towers of the World Trade Center were attacked. Transfixed as I was, discomfort set in as the killing of Osama bin Laden--a human being--was celebrated with jubilation. Complexity of my convictions set in--a Christian, a supporter of pro-choice, a pacifist, and an ardent supporter of "respect for life" in a broad sense. See A Geography of Respect for Life to discover how I understand "respect for life."
In our daily lives, our elders advise us not to engage in acts of retaliation. Clearly, the stakes involved in the advice we are given does not approximate the extremity of bin Laden's actions. Yet, common to both situations is retaliation. Is retaliation--an eye-for-an-eye, a tooth-for-a-tooth--a mentality constructive to addressing extreme crimes, and grave injustices? Common to both situations, everyone involved is a human being.
Do I celebrate that the underlying basis for our entry into Afghanistan is gone now? Yes. Do I believe that extinguishing Osama bin Laden helps our society to live with greater civility? No. Do I believe civility is essential for a fulfilling society? Yes. Extinguishing Osama bin Laden's life presents an opportunity to affirm a peace-filled alternative to future needs presented by Osama bin Laden's life, values, and actions.
How may we be instruments of peace?
Showing posts with label President Barack Obama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label President Barack Obama. Show all posts
Monday, May 2, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
Geography of Respect for Life
I am perplexed by the geography of "respect for life."
Affirmation seems to come too easily--what is one's positions on abortion, the death penalty, commitment of military forces to quell upheaval, and wars against humanity, as well as support for killing a despot, who orchestrated those wars? Less immediate, although no less important are those who engage in the birther movement, and political rancor over so many issues--health care, and the federal budget, most notable to me.
Cries for support of "respect for life" are usually singular proclamations, "I am pro-life," or "I am pro-choice." Little more needs to be said, or so it seems. I have never been faced with that question in my own life. I have not known anyone closely, who has been faced with that situation.
The death penalty. I have known no one, who has confronted the death penalty.
Most poignant to me seems to be the unabashed affirmation of killing despots--Osama Bin Laden, and Gadhafi come to mind. There seemed to be great satisfaction, and accomplishment felt, when Saddam Hussein was killed. I may be wrong, but in each of these cases, the satisfaction felt is an affirmation, "By the death of this individual, we have rooted out all evil from our lives. We shall live in paradise from this day forward," or something to that effect. This unabashed affirmation is the plateau of Respect for Life's Geography.
Was there a birther movement prior to the presidency of Barack Obama? If so, when? Who was, or were the individual(s) targeted? If birthers were to prove their accusations, how would their priorities regarding the future of our society be changed--advanced? I am of two minds.
I have my own beliefs regarding the birther movement. I shall share them shortly. Yet, before I do so, I must be clear. My questions are meant to imply no cynicism. Are there more constructive means by which to address the doubts as to whether Barack Obama was born in the United States? Is anyone, who is in the birther movement, proclaiming "respect for life" as one of their values? Do they offer their thoughts as to how these two are reconciled within their value system? With all due respect, I have not heard the juxtaposition of these beliefs expounded upon, or explored.
The health care debate is one that I hope has ended. I believe essential issues, and questions were at stake. Yet, the tenor of the debate was not conducive to thoughtful, deliberative discourse. The decibel level of the debate exceeded my tolerance level. Guilty though I felt as someone who values my citizenship, my mental health was more important. I needed to value my own mental health, if I expected anyone else do so. I needed to respect my own life, if I had any hopeful expectation that others might respect their own lives, and the lives of other human beings.
I do not look forward to the Medicare debate. Discourse regarding its future--how to strengthen it--is essential. Yet, I fear that the decibel level will rival that of the health care debate.
I shudder to use "respect for life," for fear that I am corrupting the phrase to bring integrity to my beliefs.
I pray that my affirmation, "I have a commitment to "respect for life," is understood with the full complexity with which it is lived.
If profiled in traditional terms, I would be identified as a woman raised as a Universalist, who is now a Catholic. I am a pro-choice woman, who opposes the death penalty in regard to any criminal offense. I am a pacifist. I take no satisfaction in, nor do I understand why it is thought that killing any despot will eliminate evil. Yet, that profile of my beliefs does not reflect the texture---the complexity--of my commitment to "respect for life."
I pray each of us who utters, "respect for life" does so with thoughtfulness--with reverence. May we respect the convictions of others', whose convictions differ from our own.
Affirmation seems to come too easily--what is one's positions on abortion, the death penalty, commitment of military forces to quell upheaval, and wars against humanity, as well as support for killing a despot, who orchestrated those wars? Less immediate, although no less important are those who engage in the birther movement, and political rancor over so many issues--health care, and the federal budget, most notable to me.
Cries for support of "respect for life" are usually singular proclamations, "I am pro-life," or "I am pro-choice." Little more needs to be said, or so it seems. I have never been faced with that question in my own life. I have not known anyone closely, who has been faced with that situation.
The death penalty. I have known no one, who has confronted the death penalty.
Most poignant to me seems to be the unabashed affirmation of killing despots--Osama Bin Laden, and Gadhafi come to mind. There seemed to be great satisfaction, and accomplishment felt, when Saddam Hussein was killed. I may be wrong, but in each of these cases, the satisfaction felt is an affirmation, "By the death of this individual, we have rooted out all evil from our lives. We shall live in paradise from this day forward," or something to that effect. This unabashed affirmation is the plateau of Respect for Life's Geography.
Was there a birther movement prior to the presidency of Barack Obama? If so, when? Who was, or were the individual(s) targeted? If birthers were to prove their accusations, how would their priorities regarding the future of our society be changed--advanced? I am of two minds.
I have my own beliefs regarding the birther movement. I shall share them shortly. Yet, before I do so, I must be clear. My questions are meant to imply no cynicism. Are there more constructive means by which to address the doubts as to whether Barack Obama was born in the United States? Is anyone, who is in the birther movement, proclaiming "respect for life" as one of their values? Do they offer their thoughts as to how these two are reconciled within their value system? With all due respect, I have not heard the juxtaposition of these beliefs expounded upon, or explored.
The health care debate is one that I hope has ended. I believe essential issues, and questions were at stake. Yet, the tenor of the debate was not conducive to thoughtful, deliberative discourse. The decibel level of the debate exceeded my tolerance level. Guilty though I felt as someone who values my citizenship, my mental health was more important. I needed to value my own mental health, if I expected anyone else do so. I needed to respect my own life, if I had any hopeful expectation that others might respect their own lives, and the lives of other human beings.
I do not look forward to the Medicare debate. Discourse regarding its future--how to strengthen it--is essential. Yet, I fear that the decibel level will rival that of the health care debate.
I shudder to use "respect for life," for fear that I am corrupting the phrase to bring integrity to my beliefs.
I pray that my affirmation, "I have a commitment to "respect for life," is understood with the full complexity with which it is lived.
If profiled in traditional terms, I would be identified as a woman raised as a Universalist, who is now a Catholic. I am a pro-choice woman, who opposes the death penalty in regard to any criminal offense. I am a pacifist. I take no satisfaction in, nor do I understand why it is thought that killing any despot will eliminate evil. Yet, that profile of my beliefs does not reflect the texture---the complexity--of my commitment to "respect for life."
I pray each of us who utters, "respect for life" does so with thoughtfulness--with reverence. May we respect the convictions of others', whose convictions differ from our own.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Heroes
A different perspective--a societal perspective--regarding heroes presented itself to me this morning listening to television coverage of the crisis in Egypt. On a personal level, prior to the coverage of this story, I was averse to the notion of heroes. Yet, I acknowledge that heroes exist in public opinion.
The leader of Egypt--Hosni Mubarak--was described as a "war hero" of the war between Egypt, and Israel in October, 1967. Immediately following that description, the anchor said that it is likely that the Egyptian protesters did not care about that fact.
Am I being optimistic to think that we might be moving away from heroes--from the undue deference to heroes?
I watched coverage of President Obama awarding a soldier publicly for saving the lives of some of his comrades. The details of the situation are lost to my memory for the most part. Yet, what does stand out was the soldier's response to the award. When dubbed a "hero," the soldier ascribed his actions as being what anyone would do in a similar situation. He lived up to the oath of service he took--acted upon the military instruction he was given.
Yet, as I move condemning hero in whole, I am reminded of what true value hero may have, and the good hero may do, is in how it is used. At Thanksgiving, CNN airs a program, which is entitled CNN's Heroes. Viewers are asked to submit candidates, who are doing work that benefits others globally. At Thanksgiving, the work of--the causes championed by--ten individuals is profiled. The program does more to focus on the work--the causes--than it does to trumpet individuals.
So, I pray we may move away from worshiping the heroes individually. Rather, may we worship--honor--the work of the heroes by means of our own actions. It requires more work. Yet, I think it enables us to live lives with greater integrity.
The leader of Egypt--Hosni Mubarak--was described as a "war hero" of the war between Egypt, and Israel in October, 1967. Immediately following that description, the anchor said that it is likely that the Egyptian protesters did not care about that fact.
Am I being optimistic to think that we might be moving away from heroes--from the undue deference to heroes?
I watched coverage of President Obama awarding a soldier publicly for saving the lives of some of his comrades. The details of the situation are lost to my memory for the most part. Yet, what does stand out was the soldier's response to the award. When dubbed a "hero," the soldier ascribed his actions as being what anyone would do in a similar situation. He lived up to the oath of service he took--acted upon the military instruction he was given.
Yet, as I move condemning hero in whole, I am reminded of what true value hero may have, and the good hero may do, is in how it is used. At Thanksgiving, CNN airs a program, which is entitled CNN's Heroes. Viewers are asked to submit candidates, who are doing work that benefits others globally. At Thanksgiving, the work of--the causes championed by--ten individuals is profiled. The program does more to focus on the work--the causes--than it does to trumpet individuals.
So, I pray we may move away from worshiping the heroes individually. Rather, may we worship--honor--the work of the heroes by means of our own actions. It requires more work. Yet, I think it enables us to live lives with greater integrity.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Obama: Affirmation of Faith
"I am a Christian by choice," Obama began, standing beneath a blazing son, when asked why he was a Christian. "I came to my Christian faith later in life, and it was because the precepts of Jesus Christ spoke to me in terms of the kind of life that I would want to lead," Obama said. "Being my brothers' and sisters' keeper. Treating others as they would treat me. And I think also understanding that, you know, that Jesus Christ dying for my sins spoke to the humility that we all have to have as human beings." Humans are "sinful" and "flawed" beings that make mistakes and "achieve salvation through the grace of God," the president continued, adding that we also can "see God in other people and do our best to help them find their, you know, their own grace." "So that's what I strive to do," Obama said. "That's what I pray to do everyday. I think my public service is part of that effort to express my Christian faith." At the same time, Obama emphasized his belief that freedom of religion is "part of the bedrock strength" of the United States. "This is a country that is still predominantly Christian, but we have Jews, Muslims, Hindus, atheists, agnostics, Buddhists" and others, he said, adding that "their own path to grace is one that we have to revere and respect as much as our own, and that is part of what makes this the country what it is."
President Barack Obama http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/09/28/obama.tough.question/index.html?hpt=T1
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