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Capitol Offense

Discouraged, heartsick, disappointed, frustrated, angry, in a state of disbelief. These and many more are some words that come to mind following the events in Washington and the capitol January 6. These and other words I could have added all seem to lack the ability to describe and express what I, and perhaps you, and others, were feeling as we watched these events unfold and have thought about this since. 

There has been and will be an autopsy on all aspects of that fateful day. Perhaps now the larger question is this: What needs to happen now? One party needs to repent of the words and deeds that incited the violence. Another party needs to refrain from seeing itself in some self-righteous fashion.  This can only be repaired by all working together.  Sound idealistic? Maybe.

In many years of working with highly dysfunctional families I have noticed a few things. When a leader in the family is sick and acting unhealthily, the family becomes infected with the sickness and likewise acts in an unhealthy fashion.  Yet in many such families one member may remain well or, at least, healthier than the rest.  One of the ways for healing to occur in the family is to focus on the healthy one and support them in any way possible so they can guide and lead the rest of the family to a healthier place. Who are those leaders now? How might they be reached out to so they can bring health and wholeness back to the entire family?

Will such a thing work? I don’t know. I do know we most likely have a long struggle ahead and we have not heard the end of this. Will we simply exchange one form of domination for another, however more gentle we might view it?  Velvet glove tyranny is still tyranny. Will we be a nation and parties working together, or will we strive for power that leads to dangerous domination?

Of course prayer is needed and can be helpful. But prayer is where our Christianity and any response called Christian begins. Prayer is not an end all. In recent weeks we have been given quite a civics lesson regarding how our government works or at least is supposed to work. So schooled we now have a responsibility to be both more aware and more involved. When is the last time your representatives and leaders knew what you thought about an issue? Your neighbors and family know, why don’t your leaders know? 

Filling out a ballot is only part of the responsibility of citizens in a democracy. If a democracy is to be led by the people, the people must lead. You know the old saying: “In democracy we get the government we deserve.” Don’t think for a moment the fact that you voted for someone else lets you off responsibilities’ hook.  If three million more voted for the losing candidate in 2016, why did they not use their pens, their computers, their phones and their voices to let all their leaders know?

So pray. And it is not too late to make a New Year’s resolution to be more a part of the democratic experience American style. Blaming is not very useful. Let the authorities do their forensics, but let them know where you stand. Prevention and healing are now our role. If we the people are in charge, we need to act like we are in charge. We may have a right to our feelings, but we have a responsibility for involvement and action.