Are we at war?
We're not in a full-on civil war but something is happening in America. I'm calling it a soft war.
The left and right are at each other's throats. The level of division and contention is high. There are skirmishes - violent and even deadly events. And now our military is being deployed to left-leaning cities by a right-leaning administration.
But I'm not writing this to attack the left or right. I'm wondering, what do you call this situation? And how will you respond? If things escalate will you pick a side and fight? It feels like many Americans on both sides are more than ready for a fight. And maybe we should be. Maybe that's the path forward - fighting for what you believe in, hoping for good to triumph over evil.
But I am conflicted. It gets complicated. On the one hand I understand fighting for what you know is right. On the other, if things escalate, I wonder if the best thing to do is to simply leave. Get away from the fight and the harm. If things escalate, is moving away from America ok? I know I will be criticized for saying so, but I think it is.
Some would call that an act of cowardice. I'm thinking about human nature. We tend to be self-righteous. We genuinely believe our side is right. We are gifted, extraordinarily talented, at justifying our fights, whichever side we are on. Sometimes we do it even when we know we are wrong. In fact, sometimes we dig in deeper and find the most creative ways to justify ourselves, because we know we're wrong.
Is stepping away from the fight an act of cowardice? Or is it wisdom? Is it helpful? Is it constructive to avoid and prevent the damage from a fight? Is it potentially the best path to peace?
I want to be careful. I'm not sure how I will respond if things escalate. For now I want to try to walk the middle ground. Try not to get recruited to fight by either side. Whatever time or energy I have for a fight, try to use it to find peace.
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