The Irreverent Reverend

Please. Just. Stop. Please just stop saying “all lives matter” in response to Black Lives Matter. No one disputes the fact that all lives matter. It’s a no brainer. The Black Lives Matter movement is about lifting up a marginalized people to a place of equality with all others. It is a movement that has come of age and it needs to flourish. Three hundred years of systematic racism and oppression of people of color have found the fullness of time for this movement. It needs to stand.

Responding with “all lives matter” is a defensive position that diminishes the power of the movement and the people who are part of it. It reflects a level of not hearing the facts.

Facts:

• Our country is built on the systematic marginalizing of people of color. It began with the genocide of Native Americans when the Colonial period began. It continued through the time of slavery and continues to this day.
• Unarmed black men are at greater risk of death at the hands of police than any other single demographic.
• Parents of children of color, particularly male children, are given “the talk.” It’s not the talk about sex. It’s the talk about how not be killed by the police.
• In these days of Covid-19, people of color have disproportionately higher rates of infection. The main reason for this is that low-wage service workers are the backbone of keeping essential services available. As the economy continues to open, we will see increased infections among low wage workers.
• We need Black Lives Matter today and for years to come.
• White privilege is real, whether we realize it, accept it, or like it.

Black Lives Matter. Let it stand. Listen. Allow the truth of many movements throughout history that have tried to put forth the simple truth that black lives matter as much as white lives. We have yet to learn the lesson.

We see it in the viral videos that spew horrendous racist language at people with black and brown skin who are just living their lives. We see it in the fracas over the confederate flag at NASCAR. Now that the flag has been banned on the race tracks, it is flying in the race track parking lots over the RVs of fans.

Be the beginning of dismantling white privilege by standing in solidarity with people of color. Be part of the solution. Use your power to stand with those who have none.

Challenge racism when you hear it. Say things like, “I’m uncomfortable with that statement.” “I am trying to become more aware of how my privilege benefits me every day.” “No, I’m not calling you a racist; I am trying to offer a word that helps us come to terms with our white privilege.” Sure, it will upset people. Sure, it will be uncomfortable. We will not, however, make any progress in the conversation on race until we confront our privilege.

Black Lives Matter is a movement whose time has come. More than 7 million people participated in events around the United States. More than 4700 demonstrations have taken place to date. Black Lives Matter protests have sprung up around the world, showing that racism is not a uniquely American thing.

“We wouldn’t have to have Black Lives Matter if we didn’t have 300 years of black lives don’t matter.”  (Jane Elliot)

Poverty does not respect skin color, gender, mental or physical ability or one’s level of education. As the pandemic unfolds, more people are seeking SNAP benefits and assistance from food pantries for the first time.

That’s why the Poor People’s Campaign has been revived. It originated with Martin Luther King, Jr as a continuation of the civil rights movement. He was working with the Southern Christian Leadership Council to organize the movement when he was assassinated. The goal was economic justice for all.

Fifty years later the movement is getting a new lease on life. On June 20, 2020, two and a half million poor and marginalized people gathered in a virtual protest to reinvigorate and reimagine the movement. More than 300,000 sent the Moral Justice Jubilee Policy Platform to their legislators. I encourage you to do the same. You can download it here.

According to Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, “the goal of the Poor People’s Campaign is to shift the moral narrative in this country. And we know that shifting means shifting who holds the power.” The Poor People’s Campaign gathers those directly influenced by poverty to address the issues they know all too well and answer the issues that affect their lives. It is a grassroots movement that has the power to make substantive changes. A major platform of their work right now is working against voter suppression and encouraging people to exercise their right and responsibility to vote. It has the potential to change the political landscape in ways that make substantive change possible.

In response to the ongoing violence and murder of unarmed black men, the unrest is unearthing and merging with other systemic issues in our society. Systemic racial injustice is an umbrella under which limited access to health care, education, affordable housing and clean water are safely shielded.  As racism is protested more and more, these issues come to light.

It is estimated that 140 million people in the United States live in poverty or have significantly low income. This backdrop exists as millions of people of all skin colors are applying for unemployment. If we aren’t outraged, we are not paying attention.

The Poor People’s Campaign worked with the nation’s best economists to see how a living wage for all workers can be accomplished. The question of redistribution of wealth is a difficult one; those with privilege are reluctant to give it up. In the richest country in the world people are born into poverty, live their whole lives in poverty and die in poverty, not because there is a scarcity of resources, but because we have lacked the will to change this reality. That’s a whole other blog or two.

According to the Poor People’s Campaign, shifting funding from the border wall and canceling one military contract would fund expanded Medicaid in the 14 states that haven’t done so under the Affordable Care Act. Budgets are moral documents. They tell us where our priorities are and what is important to us. This is true in our own homes as well as in our nation.

Some of the other issues the Poor People’s Campaign raises as related to systemic injustice and racism include:

• Ongoing lack of potable water for Flint, Michigan
• Political corruption (really? Say it isn’t so…)
• Unlivable minimum wage
• Corporate drilling on Native American lands
• Deaths caused by lack of health insurance (and let’s not forget the administration is trying to overturn the Affordable Care Act in the midst of pandemic)

The Rev. Dr. William Barber, founder and president of Repairers of the Breach, speaks powerfully and prophetically to the need for a redistribution of power, goods and services in our society. He takes up the path of Jesus, who spoke more words about the plight of the poor, the corruption of the Roman Occupation and the collusion with religious leaders, than he did any other single subject.

The Poor People’s Moral Justice Jubilee Policy Platform speaks powerfully to the principles that form the foundation of their work:

• “Everybody in, nobody out. Everybody is deserving of our nation’s abundance.
• When you lift the bottom, everybody rises. Instead of “trickle down,” we start with the bottom up.
• Prioritize the leadership of the poor, low income and most impacted. Those who are on the frontlines of the crises must also be in the lead identifying their solutions.
• Debts that cannot be paid must be relieved. We demand freedom from servicing the debts we cannot pay.
• We need a moral revolution of values to repair the breach in our land. This platform abides by our deepest moral and Constitutional commitments to justice. Where harm has been done, it must be acknowledged and undone.”

While the platform builds on solid constitutional principles, it also builds on strong theological principles. In addition to Jesus advocating for the poor, this movement also puts forth the biblical commitment to Jubilee.  In the Old Testament, every fifty years, all debts were cancelled, lands seized in tax defaults were returned and everyone had a clean slate to start the next fifty years. It was not an invitation to reckless living, but rather an assurance that when life is hard beyond imagining there is a way to start over with a clean slate and hope for something better.

The poor of our land need Jubilee, a promise of something better that comes when we join hands and work for the redistribution of goods and services on a platform of compassion and justice.

Everything looks like a nail. It’s an apt analogy for yet another police shooting of an unarmed black man. In Atlanta, Georgia, Rayshard Brooks was shot by police outside a Wendy’s restaurant after falling asleep in his car due to intoxication.

When police tried to arrest him, he resisted. And who can blame him? He might have thought he was the next one to end up in a choke hold or with a police officer’s knee on his neck until he was dead. I can understand running from the police, especially if your brains are a little stewed on too much alcohol.

There are many things wrong with the shooting of this man. Granted, if Brooks went off randomly discharging a Taser at people just for laughs, it would have posed a problem. It’s far more likely he would have found some place to sleep it off.

The Taser posed a non-lethal threat. Responding with lethal force was overkill, pardon the pun. There was no danger of serious physical harm. The man was intoxicated, ran away and discharged the Taser backwards. The chances of doing physical harm were pretty low.

There were other options, even after Brooks grabbed the officer’s Taser. The other officer still had his Taser, why did he not use it? How hard can it be for two (presumably) sober police officers to overtake an inebriated man in a foot chase? Why were no other options offered? They could have offered a ride home, called a cab, contacted a family member or de-escalated the situation. All these options could have written a very different ending.

The police chief has stepped down and the officer has been fired. It’s a bit like locking the barn door after the horse is stolen. You can fire the whole damn department and Brooks is still dead. What is needed is a different paradigm for police intervention. Shoot now ask questions later is not a strategy that is working, especially if one has dark skin.

I have the greatest respect for law enforcement officers. I am grateful for what they do. The larger issue is that police are routinely asked to do things for which they are not adequately trained. They are put in harm’s way, having no idea what kind of situation they are walking into. Beyond that, they also are often dealing with people who have mental health issues, substance abuse issues and a host of other problems that are not the primary purview of law enforcement.  Yet, they are asked to intervene.

All of this doesn’t change the fact that black and brown skinned people are routinely profiled and have a greater chance of dying at the hands of law enforcement than those who are white. It’s just the way it is. There are geographic variables, but far too many people of color are killed by law enforcement, suggesting the systemic racism of our culture impacts police departments as well.

Another issue is the prevalence of a paramilitary paradigm in police training. According to an article in the Atlantic Monthly, Rosa Brooks noted that paramilitary training is a fairly recent development in the world of policing. You can read the entire article here.

In the Colonial period, policing was a communal responsibility. Ordinary citizens were routinely engaged and deputized for specific situations to keep the peace. According to Brooks, “By the mid-nineteenth century industrialization and rising income inequality and the growth of cities led to increases in personal and property crime. Policing ceased to be viewed as a community obligation and became instead the work of a permanent body of paid specialists.”

They were paramilitary from the beginning, using uniforms and military style rankings within the force. In more recent years surplus military equipment is made available to police forces. Interestingly, it is associated with decreased trust in law enforcement and increased police violence.

In some progressive police departments training now includes more skills in de-escalating situations, engaging other strategies before resorting to violence and prohibiting the use of certain restraint movements during an arrest. Sadly, such prohibitions do not always prevent the use of such techniques.

It may be that the greatest impetus to police reform is the invention of the cell phone video. More and more we are seeing the bad actions of a few police being widely exposed, which increases the calls for police reform. As in other situations, the actions of a few shape the opinion of the whole. The majority of police officers discharge their duties with respect and integrity. Many officers complete their entire policing career without ever discharging their weapon.

The need for honest reform, increased transparency and accountability, dealing with systemic racism and shifting the paradigm for police training is a monumental task. We who do not live the life of a police officer do not fully understand the role and responsibilities. This does not excuse us from calling for consistency, excellence and uniform treatment of all people, especially those with black and brown skin.

It is rare that Rhode Island makes the national news. As the smallest state in the union, lots of people think it is part of Massachusetts. Many people just have no idea where Rhode Island is located.

This past week, however, Rhode Island made several national news outlets when it’s iconic donut shop, Allie’s, stopped offering a courtesy discount to police and military personnel. Matt Drescher, owner of Allie’s donuts, made a decision to stop offering a complementary service provided as a courtesy. It was his decision to begin offering the discount and his decision to end it.

In a statement earlier last week, the donut shop owner said he wanted everyone to be treated equally and offering privilege to one group and not another did not treat all people equally. Since the announcement of the new policy, employees have received threats and many do not feel safe working there in the current backlash. Drescher is currently the only person working at the shop and is holding the positions of all employees open. Apparently his show of solidarity in the fight against police and military brutality is a little too much for some people.

In a widely released statement Drescher wrote, “We’re fed up. Until local police take action to solve problems with racism and injustice, Allie’s Donuts will choose to stand with the people of our great state.” The statement quickly went viral and received widespread support from Black Lives Matter activists as well as others. A line out the door was evident in the aftermath of the announcement. It seems there is as much support for the decision as against it.

What was most troubling was how the narrative quickly became a commentary about disrespecting the military, not honoring the sacrifice of military families and not supporting the police in their work. It was like a rebellion against God, mom and apple pie.

The same thing happened when Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem as a way of protesting policy brutality against unarmed black men. It’s repeated when people utter the mantra, “All lives matter” in response to “Black Lives Matter.”

There are several things wrong with these scenarios. In each of these situations the narrative is hijacked with a different narrative. First, the message of the protest ceases to be decided by those protesting. Second, privilege and the status quo are maintained. Third, by widening the point to all lives matter, the succinctness of Black Lives Matter is diluted.

Privilege always protects the dominant cultural voice for its own agenda and purpose.  It’s unfortunate that many people don’t realize they are being played.

It’s time to pay attention. When a narrative is hijacked with a different message, pay attention to what is being reinforced. Police and military are no more entitled to discounts than anyone else. Colin Kaepernick is free to use his notoriety to speak a message people don’t want to hear. Black lives matter amplifies the voice of a racist society that is too willing to keep the structures and systems of disenfranchisement firmly in place.

We need to stop taking the bait. We are perfectly good Americans when we stand with those who have less power and whose voices are systematically silenced in favor of the status quo. In fact, we are better Americans when we stop using our privilege to redefine the narrative in ways that stabilize the status quo. Systemic change begins when privilege is challenged.

No one deserves a donut discount. If you live in Rhode Island, go buy a donut or a dozen. Give them to people who need to hear the message. Petition the NFL to give Kaepernick a contract.  Challenge the retort of “All Lives Matter” for what it is—a nod to the status quo that needs to change.

The push back from last week’s blog on white privilege and racism was swift and in some cases, vitriolic. Bullshit was a common comment, as was inviting me to perform an anatomically impossible act. Vulgar GIFs were also common. Emoji responses were predominantly laughter, sprinkled with some anger and, gratefully, more than a few thumbs up. I wrote much of the negativity off as denial of the exact point I was trying to make. The fact that people are in denial about their privilege makes it no less real. It is part of what makes conversation on race so difficult. There is a deep seated assumption that being American means being white.

There were also some assumptions underlying the comments. Boot strap theology and the notion of rugged individuality were common.  Boot strap theology can be summed up by the phrase, “God helps those who help themselves.” It is the belief that everyone can raise themselves to a higher socio-economic standing with hard work and diligence. This combines with rugged individuality to reinforce the fallacy that successful people are self-made. The opposite is also true; if you are poor it is your own fault.

I discovered early on there was no point in arguing with these folks as they had no interest in another point of view. They were predominantly interested in belittling, judging and generally being rude. Some were quite good at it.

There was, however, another voice worth noting. These were people who took time to respond with something of their own truth; people who worked 2-3 jobs and were barely scraping by. These were people who never saw any privilege associated with their being white–people who lived in generational poverty. They defined privilege as opportunity that was not given to them, mostly education and employment.

I learned that my white privilege is not everyone’s privilege, my opportunities are not everyone’s opportunities and my educational access is not everyone’s educational access. It occurred to me that there is just as much anger in poor whites as in poor blacks. Giving more information to poor white people will not cause them to have a sudden epiphany. It will just piss them off.  Racism is not their issue, poverty is.

I learned something from my readers this week and I am both humbled and grateful. Seeking insight sent me off to my study and prayer closet. This is the fruit of that seeking and prayer. I may be way off, but that is a chance I am willing to take. I pretend no expertise in this area, just a series of observations about the last week’s blog post.

First, the privilege associated with being white diminishes with socio-economic status. It appeared that the poorer white people were the less privilege their whiteness afforded them. It speaks volumes to the economic inequities in our society. Poverty is no respecter of persons, skin color or gender, though women are more apt to experience greater income inequity than their poor male counterparts, regardless of ethnicity.

Second, there are disenfranchised people on both ends of the continuum of the ethnic divide. Poor whites and poor blacks feel they have no access to the means for upward mobility.

Third, there is an urgent need for reconciliation–true and deep reconciliation. This is a theological construct that is based in deep listening and understanding one another, without necessarily agreeing. It honors the differences in people’s experiences without judgement and seeks to build new relationships based on this new understanding. Both sides let go of their need to be right, their need to be self-righteous and their need to be the dominant voice, even if it is the voice of victimhood. Arguing about who has had it the worst is an exercise in frustration at best, deepening division at worst.

Learning to talk with one another and listen to one another are increasingly rare phenomena in our culture. Being right and being utterly convinced of the righteousness of a position makes conversation and insight impossible. As divisions in our culture grow deeper and more violent it makes the kind of conversation needed almost impossible. I have no idea what the answer is, but I feel sure that it has a strong root in a commitment to deep listening and reconciliation.

The pushback from last week’s blog on white privilege and racism was swift and in some cases, vitriolic. Bullshit was a common comment, as was inviting me to perform an anatomically impossible act. Vulgar GIFs were also common. Emoji responses were predominantly laughter, sprinkled with some anger and, gratefully, more than a few thumbs up. I wrote much of the negativity off as denial of the exact point I was trying to make. The fact that people are in denial about their privilege makes it no less real. It is part of what makes conversation on race so difficult. There is a deep seated assumption that being American means being white.

There were also some assumptions underlying the comments. Boot strap theology and the notion of rugged individuality were common.  Boot strap theology can be summed up by the phrase, “God helps those who help themselves.” It is the belief that everyone can raise themselves to a higher socio-economic standing with hard work and diligence. This combines with rugged individuality to reinforce the fallacy that successful people are self-made. The opposite is also true; if you are poor it is your own fault.

I discovered early on there was no point in arguing with these folks as they had no interest in another point of view. They were predominantly interested in belittling, judging and generally being rude. Some were quite good at it.

There was, however, another voice worth noting. These were people who took time to respond with something of their own truth; people who worked 2-3 jobs and were barely scraping by. These were people who never saw any privilege associated with their being white–people who lived in generational poverty. They defined privilege as opportunity that was not given to them, mostly education and employment.

I learned that my white privilege is not everyone’s privilege, my opportunities are not everyone’s opportunities and my educational access is not everyone’s educational access. It occurred to me that there is just as much anger in poor whites as in poor blacks. Giving more information to poor white people will not cause them to have a sudden epiphany. It will just piss them off.  Racism is not their issue, poverty is.

I learned something from my readers this week and I am both humbled and grateful. Seeking insight sent me off to my study and prayer closet. This is the fruit of that seeking and prayer. I may be way off, but that is a chance I am willing to take. I pretend no expertise in this area, just a series of observations about the last week’s blog post.

First, the privilege associated with being white diminishes with socio-economic status. It appeared that the poorer white people were the less privilege their whiteness afforded them. It speaks volumes to the economic inequities in our society. Poverty is no respecter of persons, skin color or gender, though women are more apt to experience greater income inequity than their poor male counterparts, regardless of ethnicity.

Second, there are disenfranchised people on both ends of the continuum of the ethnic divide. Poor whites and poor blacks feel they have no access to the means for upward mobility.

Third, there is an urgent need for reconciliation–true and deep reconciliation. This is a theological construct that is based in deep listening and understanding one another, without necessarily agreeing. It honors the differences in people’s experiences without judgement and seeks to build new relationships based on this new understanding. Both sides let go of their need to be right, their need to be self-righteous and their need to be the dominant voice, even if it is the voice of victimhood. Arguing about who has had it the worst is an exercise in frustration at best, deepening division at worst.

Learning to talk with one another and listen to one another are increasingly rare phenomena in our culture. Being right and being utterly convinced of the righteousness of a position makes conversation and insight impossible. As divisions in our culture grow deeper and more violent it makes the kind of conversation needed almost impossible. I have no idea what the answer is, but I feel sure that it has a strong root in a commitment to deep listening and reconciliation.

The exercise cited in “Being White in America” is originally the work of Jane Elliot. Her videos are easy to find on YouTube. I saw it in multiple places and neglected to cite my source. Thanks to a reader for calling this to my attention.

I write as an ordained minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I stand in the full authority of my office and say with holy rage, how dare you? How dare you co-opt the sacred text of Christians and Jews for a cheap photo op? How dare you insinuate that your rhetoric bears any resemblance to the Christian faith that is revealed in the bible you so cavalierly brandished? How dare you violate a constitutionally protected right to peacefully protest so you could trespass on church property for your little publicity stunt? Your role does not allow you unlimited access to whatever you want whenever you want. How dare you further denigrate the faith by your sudden need to visit the memorial to the pope John Paul? How dare you further blur the line of separation between church and state by pandering to your extremist base with a thin layer of religion? How dare you?

I am outraged. Your behavior is an abomination to the Christian faith. You blaspheme the name of the Holy God of Abraham and Sarah and the heavenly parent of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ with your empty gesture. I abhor your attempt to cheapen the Judeo-Christian tradition through your ongoing boorish and cavalier behavior, while pandering to extreme fundamentalists because they support you politically.

I cannot judge your heart, but I can and I do judge your behavior. Everything you do and everything you stand for is to benefit the rich and further marginalize the poor. If you actually read the bible you flash around, you would see that every page of scripture is filled with witness to a God who cares for the poor and disenfranchised and desires to construct a just society. Read Isaiah and Jeremiah and then move on to the gospels. I am available for private tutoring.

In the name of all that is holy and just, stop misusing faith for your tawdry political agenda.

If you are a white American you are steeped in a culture of white privilege.

Imagine for a moment that you are in an auditorium filled with people of all ages, women and men, mostly white. The lecturer comes onto the stage and asks you all to close your eyes. He waits for the crowd to become quiet, eyes closed. He then asks people to rise, keeping their eyes closed, if they would like to be treated like a black man in America. After a moment he tells people they can open their eyes. Not one person is standing, including you, including me, including everyone we know in the crowd.

At some level we all know that privilege is ours because we are white. Pretending we don’t know or don’t understand is no longer an option.

Standing around wringing our hands and lamenting that nothing can be done is no longer an option.

Here are a few resources that help challenge our privilege and understand how we participate in and benefit from it.

• Pyramid of White Supremacy
• White Fragility by Robin Diangelo
• Dismantling White Privilege by Shannon Sullivan
• White Privilege Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh
• Anti-Racism Resources for People of All Ages
• Dismantling Privilege: An Ethics of Accountability by Mary Elizabeth Hobgood
• America’s Original Sin by Jim Wallace
• White Privilege Unmasked by Judy Ryde
• Lies My Teacher Told Me by James W. Loewen
• Textbook Racism: How Scholars Sustained White Supremacy by Donald Yacavone
• How to Be an Antiracistby Ibram X. Kendi
• White Anti-Racism Must be Based in Solidarity and Not Altruism by Jesse A. Myerson

Christianity is a religion that should comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. Instead, we have become yet one more institution more concerned about our buildings and the status quo than the mission to which we are called.

We cannot be the people of faith we are called to be and not deal with our inherent racism.  It’s just that simple. The God we worship, the God of resurrection ushers in a new way of being in the world, showing us what is possible when we stand in solidarity with the oppressed.

Solidarity means, in part, that we

• don’t speak for people, but stand with them as they speak for themselves;
• use our privilege for the benefit of Blacks, Latinos, and other oppressed groups;
• stop appropriating the cultural celebrations of Blacks, Native Americans and others and using them for our own purposes;
• do the hard work of educating ourselves and looking into our very core;
• vote in the best interests of those with the least power; and
• keep up with the changing lexicon regarding race.

Check out new music recommendations here and here.

All of the resources listed above are hyperlinks that will take you directly to the site. They are filled with information and practical ways we can transform ourselves into people who stand in solidarity with our black and brown sisters and brothers.

Your insipid twaddle is tiresome. You are not being oppressed.

• Oppressed are people of color who, every day, face a double standard and do not have access to the same opportunities you have because you are white. While you flash the confederate flag around you show your intent to keep hatred and prejudice alive.
• Oppressed are the poor who bear a disproportionate burden of this public health crisis. Traditional low wage workers were barely making it before this disaster. They don’t have the option of working from home. They may not even have a home.
• Oppressed are the six million Jews sent to the gas chambers during World War II because some lunatic decided they were an inferior race. It is tragic on every level, including the level that had thousands of people blindly following a crazy despot.
• Oppressed are GLBTQ persons in this country who don’t meet your standard for how someone should look or who they should love.

Wearing a mask does not quality as oppression. Privileged, selfish, spoiled, entitled small human beings are far more apt descriptors.

You think that your individual “rights” are more important than the well-being of our nation’s people. There are hundreds of thousands of grieving family members whose loved ones died without them by their side who would beg to differ. Just. Stop. Get. Over. Yourselves.

Your self–righteous, self-important assertions are not becoming. Your rights are not being violated. Your right of free association is not impinged. You can gather with whatever group of nut jobs you choose. You should know, however, you are being played like a cheap kazoo. Your so-called protests are, in many cases, bankrolled by those who have political motivations. Yeah, it’s not that there are that many people who agree with you. They are being paid by high rollers to take up your “cause” for the political favors they will call in down the road. It’s called astroturfing, and the solidarity they show with you is as phony as the grass after which it is named.

Lest you think in error about how your rights are being violated, let me clarify. According to Civil Rights attorney Peter James, “the Supreme Court has long upheld time, place and manner of public gatherings.” The current restrictions are within well-defined parameters and are perfectly legal. According to James, “Public health and safety, especially where it comes to highly infectious diseases, has been upheld as a compelling governmental interest that can override fundamental rights including the right to free exercise of religious beliefs.”

It is also perfectly acceptable for store owners to set limits on what can be purchased and when. They are free to set their own policies and determine how these policies are carried out. For example, store owners have the right to limit your purchase of toilet paper for your whole town, should everyone get dysentery at the same time. Store owners also have the right to deny you entry into their store if you refuse to wear a mask. Deal with it. Don’t go to a store jonesing for a fight and start recording so you can demonstrate how oppressed you are. It makes you a laughing stock. Don’t go to a store and spit in a cashier’s face because you refuse to wear a mask. It is a disgusting behavior under any circumstances, all the more now as it might be deadly. You might take heed that someone who recently did this has been charged with a felony.

What is curiously absent in your whiny assertions about your rights is a moral conscience. During World War II people willingly (for the most part) lived with rationing. It was for the good of the war effort and people were united around it. Currently, we need to be united around a common cause–saving lives and stopping the spread of the Corona virus. If you are utterly unable or unwilling to see this, you are indeed a sad human being.

The limits you are being asked to obey are for the good of people as a whole–social well-being over individual “liberty.” You are simply being asked to “take one for the team.” It is in the best interest of our country for you to get off your self-righteous soap box and follow the rules. Put on the damn mask. The loved one you save may be your own. The longer you insist on your silly little protests, the longer this virus is going to spread unchecked.

You should know that blathering on about your “rights” makes you look arrogant and unconcerned about anyone other than yourself. No one wears that look well. I would like to believe that you are better than that, but your behavior suggests otherwise. Prove me wrong, please. I dare you to put forth a better self. I challenge you to subvert your own self-centeredness with gestures of magnanimity that benefit everyone.

I have no idea what your political affiliation is and I do not care. What may interest you, however, is that there is wide bi-partisan support for not opening everything too soon. According to the Atlantic Monthly, roughly sixty percent of Americans are concerned about opening too soon.  You are not in the majority.

There is a need for social unity over individual assertion of rights and liberties. People everywhere are counting on every one of us to put forward our best selves.