Circles of Us: A Response to the attack in Manchester

On Tuesday we woke up to the news of the horrific attack in Manchester England.  This time so many injured at  so many dead, so many injure in another horrific attack.

 

As I began to process what had gone on I had two responses. The first one really troubled me—it was somewhat sterile detached response. Yes, I thought it was terrible, but I still felt somewhat ho-hum- this stuff is happening every day-- I didn’t feel it in my being like I had in the past like 9/11, like Sandy Hook, like the Boston Marathon Bombings or even the shooting at Emmanuel Baptist Church.  There was no cry to God about how long must we endure.  This was news we’ve grown accustomed to and that bothered me ---that my response wasn’t different that it wasn’t more empathetic.

 

The second response  I had was  thinking we can’t really change this—these acts seem so random—they  are increasingly hitting “soft” targets that can’t be secured fully with metal detectors and security guards and bomb sniffing dogs .   

So there was  a bit of frustration a throw my hands in the air moment when I thought thinking I have no control to change this.  

What can I do? Not much.

 But then, as I was watching the news unfold one of the experts was asked, “Why are we seeing these sorts of terrorist attacks more in Europe than in the US?

The expert said something to the effect that here in the US we have not ostracized our Muslim brothers and sisters as has been the case in other countries.  He said We have helped make our Muslim brothers and sister feel like we are all on the same side--so in turn there is less of a chance that someone might become radicalized and do those things here.  

The expert then made an editorial comment to the effect of how troubled he was with the things that happened during and after the presidential campaign—and that that may be moving us in a more dangerous direction. In fact just the other day, a man in Portland stabbed and killed two people when they were standing up to his berating of Muslims. 

I heard in the experts words, words cautioning us that we need to be careful not to create an environment that ostracizes those who different  which in turn then could create an ecosystem that births folks who want to lash out in toxic, violent way.

As listened I began wonder how do we continue to create  an “us” culture here in the U.S., a culture that says we are all on the same side and  I began to wonder  how do we  continue to to dismantle the us  vs. them culture that we fall into--- not only with our Muslim neighbors, but with our black neighbors, with our immigrant/refugee neighbors  our mentally ill neighbors—how stretch out our arms to become more of an “us” nation—because at least according to the expert I saw that is how we fight terrorism and fight so many other isms.”

But think about it --what might happen if we widen the circle of “us.”  Wouldn’t there be less Poverty— less hunger— less homelessness – less failing school systems,   what would happen if we thought about people in those situations as our people, as part of us—not as “thems.” 

In a couple weeks we will celebrate  Trinity Sunday—we celebrate the Trinity-Father-Son and Holy Spirit the ultimate “us.”  Three distinct  personalities but one in relationship, substance and unity. The Trinity is not a them, but  the trinity is an us.  I think one of the gifts of the trinity, of  thinking of God as 3 in 1 encourages us as  to widen our circles to stretch out our arms to think more expansively about who and how we are connected to one another.  The trinity invites us  Not to be closed off from one another, but to be more expansive in our relationships with each other.  

I did some reading about the dynamics of us vs. them and psychologist MichelleRoya Rad says that there is no limit to how wide our identities can be.  The circle of “us” could be as large as we want it to be.  The “us” can include our Muslim neighbors, our Jewish neighbors , our black neighbors, our rich neighbors, our poor neighbors, our republican neighbors, our democratic neighbors. Those in favor of the  Dover Greenway and those opposed to it. 

So how do  we get there—I think we continue to strive to work those parts of our baptismal covenant that invites us into relationship the parts of the covenant that remind us that our  work as Christians is to  work on respect the dignity of every human being.     Those parts of the covenant that remind us To Seek and serve Christ in all people –recognizing that every one of us who has a heartbeat reflects the beautiful image of God  and therefore deserves dignity and respect.  

I think we also take the opportunity to learn about the “thems” in our lives.   First we ask the questions, Who are the “thems” for us — then go and Meet them, google them, learn about the “thems.”  And if we do this, slowly the thems, become part of us.

Several years ago, my congregation was invited to a Muslim Iftar dinner—a  community dinner during Ramadan when Muslims break their daylong fast from eating.  The beauty of dinner was simply to break bread with one another to realize we all  put our pants on one leg at time that we actually have the same concerns for our families and our community and there are so many similarities between our religions.

I think we  also  work to speak respectfully about the “thems”—no to racist jokes—we speak against broad generalization like all Muslim are terrorists or Islam is  a religion of violence.   We open our mouths when folks aren’t speaking fairly about  the “thems” and say wait a second that’s not my experience or my understanding.

When we do these things—the “thems”—they are transformed into us—barriers are broken down, differences are understood, and community is built.

God is not an us vs them proposition and we shouldn’t be either.  Yes, there will more terrorist attacks, more shootings, more mass violence, but we can do our part-we can do the work of the kingdom to create larger circles of “us.”   If we do that work—only good can come and maybe just maybe there might be a little less violence a little less hate a little less “us vs them” and a little bit more of God and peace and harmony in our world.

So our work today and everyday is to create circles of us.

AMEN