Friday, July 30, 2004
Nicole commented:

I just spent all morning talking about politics with my conservative grandparents, who were trying to make my brother into a Republican. This is even more pollyanna, but I think that in the end, the basic desires of both groups are the same, but they're all hidden under anger and stereotypes.

I think that's where the hope is. I remember when I was in high school in the mid-1980s, Sting wrote a song on his first solo album (The Dream of the Blue Turtles) called "Russians" ... I've been thinking a lot about it today. It goes like this:

In Europe and America, there's a growing feeling of hysteria
Conditioned to respond to all the threats
In the rhetorical speeches of the Soviets
Mr. Krushchev said we will bury you
I don't subscribe to this point of view
It would be such an ignorant thing to do
If the Russians love their children too

How can I save my little boy from Oppenheimer's deadly toy
There is no monopoly in common sense
On either side of the political fence
We share the same biology
Regardless of ideology
Believe me when I say to you
I hope the Russians love their children too

There is no historical precedent
To put the words in the mouth of the President
There's no such thing as a winnable war
It's a lie that we don't believe anymore
Mr. Reagan says we will protect you
I don't subscribe to this point of view
Believe me when I say to you
I hope the Russians love their children too

We share the same biology
Regardless of ideology
What might save us, me, and you
Is that the Russians love their children too

Now, Republicans and Democrats don't have nuclear weapons aimed at each other ... but there is a similar intractability of ideology. We need to remember that we have the same biology, that at our best we really want the same things, no matter how different our views are on how to get from here to there.

So today, Sting might remind Republicans, Democrats, Greens, Libertarians and whomever else to remember that all the other people love their children, too. And it would help if all of us remembered that Iraqis love their children ... and even members of Al Qaeda love their children. That doesn't mean the places where we disagree aren't important ... but it does mean that our common humanity must never be overlooked.

In our prayer book, we say that we believe the church is about reconciliation. Specifically, "to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ." That means every act we undertake should aim for reconciliation with each other and with God.

That means remembering and building on what holds us together.

That means remembering that not only do we all love our children, too ... but that as God's children, God loves us all, too.

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Mike at 7/30/2004 08:41:00 PM