Disasters as Political Fodder
Recently, a family member asked me if I knew about the LA fires. I said "yes, it's terrible". And they said "and they've proven that the fires were started by immigrants." I burst out laughing derisively and said "yes, if they'd just shoot all the immigrants, everything would be fine." It was not one of my finer moments, as sarcasm does't invite connection or understanding. It invites the opposite, actually.
When the plane and helicopter collided over the Potomac River a couple weeks ago, killing everyone, immediately the news was about the incompetence of air traffic controllers and the increasing treachery of flying brought on by lowering standards and selecting unqualified minorities and women for air traffic controller jobs. This was without any data, any analysis, that indicated air traffic control was at fault. There was a dumb, affirmative action policy put in place years ago, that was then abandoned years ago. That's what the news highighted.
The Left uses disasters as fodder for their purposes as well. They aren't in controll of the narative right now, so I'm writing about what's here. Politics are wicked. I remember that, after the election, I was going to sit back and watch the political theatre unfolding while eating a metaphorical bowl of popcorn. I'm not sure if that's the right thing to do, as what's happening is distressing, but I can't find any political action that would be effective.
What I do know is that the investment of our time in people, through Relatefulness and Uptrust, is real, powerful, joyful work for something good and true. I am resting on that.