Righteous Indignation

I am angry. Let me say that again. I AM ANGRY. It’s not the irrational, horrific sort of anger found in the mentally unstable person who guns down people in a movie theater or on a college campus; not the bravado, shoot-from-the-lip-and-let-the-shit-splat-where-it-may anger; not the volatile, explosive, lava-hot anger that spews and then cools as quickly as it came; not even the retaliatory, vindictive anger that seeks its revenge.

No, rather my anger can correctly be identified as “righteous indignation”. This type of anger is a reactive one, stemming from a perceived, or real, moral or social injustice. Righteous indignation can serve as a catalyst, spurring the righteously indignant person into action in a positive and pro-active manner. It is this kind of anger that can effect the most change, and could even be considered “healthy” due to the way in which it is acknowledged and managed. It’s may be the only type of anger that can result in a positive conclusion.

I am an American who also happens to be a white, middle-aged, middle-class, well educated, straight, liberal, Christian woman. As such, I could be considered privileged by circumstance of birth, and if that’s even remotely true, I am grateful for who I am and for what I have. Even so, I don’t know how the winds of change will affect me personally. I do believe that as Christian, i.e., a follower of Christ and not of other Christians, it is my duty, obligation, and privilege to stand against all forms of injustice, and to not only be righteously indignant for their sake, but active and vocal in seeking moral and social justice on their behalf. The reasons for my righteous indignation are as varied and numerous as the people who have the most to lose from the outcome of the recent elections; henceforth they shall be called the People On The List (POTL). In no particular order, and as they came to my mind:

women
all minorities
people of color
immigrants
refugees
Muslims
religions other than Christianity
liberals
liberal Christians
the LGBTQI community
children
the elderly
the physically challenged
people who depend on Medicare and the ACA

This list is what I came up with purely on the spur of the moment. I’m sure there are more, but basically, POTL includes anyone who is “different”, as “defined” by the President-Elect and those in his entourage. (Scientifically, we are ALL different by virtue of having unique DNA, but I digress.) This quickly becomes personal for me. Interestingly, but perhaps not coincidentally, I personally know many people from each of the above categories that will be affected if the changes that have been announced by the president-elect go into effect. These people are my friends, family, students, and neighbors. They are people with whom I inhabit this planet.

Whether you are on the list, one of privilege-by-circumstance, or would serve as an advocate to POTL, here are some ideas to for being a catalyst for change. Will it be easy? No. Will it be quick? Again, no. Will it always be fun and pleasant? Heck, no. Will you feel better about yourself as a human person? I guarantee the answer to that question is a resounding “yes”.

Why Be a Catalyst?

If you are blessed to have so much, to be in a position to be able to help those in need, you are also morally asked to do so. That should be a basic human concept, but society has gone askew, and we’ve turned into “every person for him/herself”. We learn the idea of giving back, or helping others, through the idea of noblesse oblige, which infers the responsibility of the privileged to act with kindness and generosity to those less privileged. We also can take the same lesson from many scripture passages where Jesus admonishes us, i.e., His followers, to take care of those less fortunate than we. Further, if you call yourself a Christian, but do not act against evil, then I question your profession of Christ. Not judging, just questioning. To be known as a Christian, one exhibits “fruits of the Spirit”, which include love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Do we always “hit the mark”? No, but these are the ideals set for us. Christian or not, these are pretty fine characteristics for all humans.

Ways to Be a Catalyst

Now that I’ve convinced you to be a catalyst for change in our country, here are some things I would suggest:

• Be especially aware of what’s taking place in your government, from the local to the federal level; who’s being appointed to which Cabinet positions; who’s nominated to SCOTUS; etc.
• Stay abreast with what’s transpiring in our country with regard to “hate crimes” (and according to myriad sources such as the New York Times, CNN, USA Today, Time magazine, CBS News, et al, there have been literally hundreds of such crimes since the election; people who are “pumped’ and emboldened to do evil having been given the “go ahead” by the president-elect); and the political climate in your locality. In essence, BE AWARE. Just be aware.
• As you observe the political process unfolding, keep those in office accountable and voice your opinions, opposition, and suggestions. Find out who your elected officials are, and then get on their email list (“know the enemy”). Communicate regularly with them. Doesn’t matter if they are not of your party or beliefs. They represent YOU and you deserve to be heard.
• It should go without saying, but VOTE!
• Join with other like-minded individuals, such as this site, Living Liberal. A list of such organizations appears at the end of this article.
• Practice kindness wherever you go. It’s not a small thing. “Love trumps hate” is more than a meme.
• See an injustice? Stand up, speak up, act up!
• If you’re comfortable in doing so, wear the Safety Pin and be a part of that movement.

Like-Minded Organizations

The Christian Left
Pantsuit Nation (There are also Pantsuits in several states such as Texas, Illinois, and Florida.)
Proud Liberal Christian
Democratic Party
Change.org
Living Liberally (No affiliation to Living Liberal, but a like-minded organization)                                                                   Liberal Democrats Living and/or From North Texas

Invitation to Unite 

Let’s join together and be more than a place where we can bitch, dis Trump, and commiserate with each other. Those things are fine, and have had their time, but now is the time for action. Now is the time to be making a difference, not just talking about it. Now is the time to act upon your righteous indignation.

That last sentence reminds me of something I practiced in my typing class in 1973:

“Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country.”  I would amend that to say, “…for all good people…” because everyone is welcome, everyone is invited, everyone is included in this en masse effort to be unified. Together, we have a powerful voice, but divided, dear friends, we are screwed.

I’ll be joining the Women’s March in Austin (this is the planning page for the event) on January 21, 2017. This is the “sister” march for the one planned in Washington D.C. on the same day. It is not so much a protest as it is a march pro ALL human rights. We will start at the Capitol, follow a route that’s being planned, and march back to the Capitol grounds for a rally. The event is scheduled for noon and will last until 3:00 p.m.

Will you join me?