I'm will listen, and your views on toleration and exchange are worthy and I take them to heart, Imola, but I also must speak out: As Trump’s inauguration looms, as his threats to create detention camps loom, as prison stocks rise, as he plans to deport thousands from our nation, separating parents from their children, looms,
Let us hear Friedrich Gustav Emil Martin Niemöller (14 January 1892 – 6 March 1984), German theologian and Lutheran pastor, whose words appear on the U.S. Holocaust Memorial:
"First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for me."
We must speak out to save democracy and condemn inhumanity.
I wholeheartedly agree with you Mary! Yes, absolutely to speaking out. We can do both listening and speaking. I am definitely not preaching complacency, I hope it was clear. The quote you mentioned is actually my guiding light.
Thank you for this, the Jon Stewart quote will stick either way me because I admit freely that I have shut down conversations before and since the election. I don’t want to hear it. We can’t let it metastasize.
My husband and I are watching Derry Girls right now, a comedic yet poignant look at a group of young Irish women growing up during “The Troubles.” In a scene where a group of Catholic teens gather with another group of teen Protestants, the priest asks them to find commonalities and they can’t! Only a clapboard full of differences. Of course, this is a comedy, but it was a great illustration of how division breeds more division, blinding us to even our most shared experiences.
Derry Girls has been on my list of things to watch. Now you have convinced me I must watch it. And yes, divisions are unfortunately everywhere, but if we took the time to really listen to each other, I’m convinced that we would find many things in common.
Imola, I did not know you lived in Israel at one point. I have a close friend, Tania, who lives in Tel Aviv. We have been discussing the very issues you bring up in this essay. What shatters my heart most about what she shares with me is this: One, she believes that "nobody cares about us" in the West; and two, she says that it's not true that Israelis hate Palestinians, or all Muslims. I can attest to this truth, because I remember years ago when Tania told me a story of meeting a Muslim woman whose child has the same diagnosis as Tania's son Miles (and my daughter Sarah), of Apert syndrome--and how the two women became friends, how Tania helped introduce the family to proper medical help and resources for support.
We have to move beyond this "othering" we are doing, and I honestly see it on both sides of the political fence. I truly believe we can no longer say that the "side" we take is the only right way, and that there is some moral high ground that elevates it above the other "side." All sides are responsible for ad hominem attacks, for blaming and projecting, too.
So I believe in peace and in our common humanity, as you say. I'm so relieved to see other Substack writers openly discuss this instead of continuing to spread the divisive rhetoric that got us nowhere and continues to be non-productive. Thank you for this refreshing read, Imola.
Absolutely, there are good, decent people on both sides, who want to live side by side and actively try and make this happen. But nuance and moderation is not as popular as the loud divisive voices that drown all reason. I grew up in Israel (in a leftist kibbutz) and served in the IDF (not by choice), so yes, I am familiar with these issues. I have written about this subject out of deep pain, always from a nuanced, compassionate perspective. For some, it’s not good enough. But I can only be me and keep speaking out about our common humanity. If we lose sight of this, I think both sides, as well as the world, stand to lose so much more. It actually scares me.
Imola, I hear you. My friend Tania speaks about the kibbutz she intends to send her son, Miles, to one day. She speaks of the IDF. Like you, Tania is an expert on understanding nuance and compassion, and our conversations are filled with interesting discussions because of that. She is an agnostic Jew. I am a practicing Catholic. We are very close friends. Even though nuance is not a popular stance, I still believe it is necessary--vital even--for the times in which we live, and I intend to be a person who builds bridges, as I mentioned on our Zoom meetup (yay!) today.
If we lose sight of our common humanity, it terrifies me, too. You are not alone in your perception. Keep writing from that perspective. It may never be good enough for some, but you are doing what my spiritual director calls worthy work. I believe in it. I believe in what you are writing, Imola. And I am with you in this, trust me.
A book that has helped me immensely is called Non-Violent Communication by Dr. Marshall Rosenberg.
I hope they are good tears, Imola, healing tears. I do want to be a person who spreads love. I try. And I’m glad to be here with you. I believe we have a common mission, and I believe it is not coincidence that, despite however few of us there may be, we are rising up as voices of peace in this time of strife and hatred and division. Peace is always powerful, even when it is not popular. It is always the best way forward. I will never stop believing that. Just know I am walking alongside you, every day.
This really hit me and inspired me. Thank you for writing and giving my soul some comfort during these divisive times. It is like a warm flame on a cold night.
Imola, thank you for this heartfelt response. You and I see eye to eye on many things, and I also had to avoid other commentaries right after the election. I needed to hear all the screaming voices in me, to figure out what strikes me most. Now I’ve begun reading and listening to what others say, and I truly appreciate those who speak most directly to what others might quickly try to normalize. In the Nov. 8 episode of on the media, I found the interview with Masha Gessen most illuminating, even if it’s also sobering. I believe you might identify with some of this, too:
Martha, you are a huge source of inspiration to me, so I thank YOU! Nuance might not be the popular view, but I am most interested in exploring the grey zones. And thank you for the recommendation, which I will read! I am familiar with Masha Gessen’s writing from The New Yorker, and I always appreciate her perspective, as I appreciate yours! That’s all we can do: keep on being humans and write about our common humanity. I’m so grateful to you and your writing.
I'm will listen, and your views on toleration and exchange are worthy and I take them to heart, Imola, but I also must speak out: As Trump’s inauguration looms, as his threats to create detention camps loom, as prison stocks rise, as he plans to deport thousands from our nation, separating parents from their children, looms,
Let us hear Friedrich Gustav Emil Martin Niemöller (14 January 1892 – 6 March 1984), German theologian and Lutheran pastor, whose words appear on the U.S. Holocaust Memorial:
"First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for me."
We must speak out to save democracy and condemn inhumanity.
I wholeheartedly agree with you Mary! Yes, absolutely to speaking out. We can do both listening and speaking. I am definitely not preaching complacency, I hope it was clear. The quote you mentioned is actually my guiding light.
Thank you for this, the Jon Stewart quote will stick either way me because I admit freely that I have shut down conversations before and since the election. I don’t want to hear it. We can’t let it metastasize.
I hear you Joanne. As I said, and Jon Stewart admitted as well, this is very uncomfortable. Lots of self compassion!! Big hug
My husband and I are watching Derry Girls right now, a comedic yet poignant look at a group of young Irish women growing up during “The Troubles.” In a scene where a group of Catholic teens gather with another group of teen Protestants, the priest asks them to find commonalities and they can’t! Only a clapboard full of differences. Of course, this is a comedy, but it was a great illustration of how division breeds more division, blinding us to even our most shared experiences.
Derry Girls has been on my list of things to watch. Now you have convinced me I must watch it. And yes, divisions are unfortunately everywhere, but if we took the time to really listen to each other, I’m convinced that we would find many things in common.
Imola, I did not know you lived in Israel at one point. I have a close friend, Tania, who lives in Tel Aviv. We have been discussing the very issues you bring up in this essay. What shatters my heart most about what she shares with me is this: One, she believes that "nobody cares about us" in the West; and two, she says that it's not true that Israelis hate Palestinians, or all Muslims. I can attest to this truth, because I remember years ago when Tania told me a story of meeting a Muslim woman whose child has the same diagnosis as Tania's son Miles (and my daughter Sarah), of Apert syndrome--and how the two women became friends, how Tania helped introduce the family to proper medical help and resources for support.
We have to move beyond this "othering" we are doing, and I honestly see it on both sides of the political fence. I truly believe we can no longer say that the "side" we take is the only right way, and that there is some moral high ground that elevates it above the other "side." All sides are responsible for ad hominem attacks, for blaming and projecting, too.
So I believe in peace and in our common humanity, as you say. I'm so relieved to see other Substack writers openly discuss this instead of continuing to spread the divisive rhetoric that got us nowhere and continues to be non-productive. Thank you for this refreshing read, Imola.
Absolutely, there are good, decent people on both sides, who want to live side by side and actively try and make this happen. But nuance and moderation is not as popular as the loud divisive voices that drown all reason. I grew up in Israel (in a leftist kibbutz) and served in the IDF (not by choice), so yes, I am familiar with these issues. I have written about this subject out of deep pain, always from a nuanced, compassionate perspective. For some, it’s not good enough. But I can only be me and keep speaking out about our common humanity. If we lose sight of this, I think both sides, as well as the world, stand to lose so much more. It actually scares me.
Imola, I hear you. My friend Tania speaks about the kibbutz she intends to send her son, Miles, to one day. She speaks of the IDF. Like you, Tania is an expert on understanding nuance and compassion, and our conversations are filled with interesting discussions because of that. She is an agnostic Jew. I am a practicing Catholic. We are very close friends. Even though nuance is not a popular stance, I still believe it is necessary--vital even--for the times in which we live, and I intend to be a person who builds bridges, as I mentioned on our Zoom meetup (yay!) today.
If we lose sight of our common humanity, it terrifies me, too. You are not alone in your perception. Keep writing from that perspective. It may never be good enough for some, but you are doing what my spiritual director calls worthy work. I believe in it. I believe in what you are writing, Imola. And I am with you in this, trust me.
A book that has helped me immensely is called Non-Violent Communication by Dr. Marshall Rosenberg.
Oh my Jeannie, and now you have made me cry… Thank you for your supportive, loving words! It means more than I can say here.
I hope they are good tears, Imola, healing tears. I do want to be a person who spreads love. I try. And I’m glad to be here with you. I believe we have a common mission, and I believe it is not coincidence that, despite however few of us there may be, we are rising up as voices of peace in this time of strife and hatred and division. Peace is always powerful, even when it is not popular. It is always the best way forward. I will never stop believing that. Just know I am walking alongside you, every day.
That is one powerful army that we have! :) I’m such a crier…
This really hit me and inspired me. Thank you for writing and giving my soul some comfort during these divisive times. It is like a warm flame on a cold night.
Aww. Happy to hear it’s not a forest fire…
Imola, thank you for this heartfelt response. You and I see eye to eye on many things, and I also had to avoid other commentaries right after the election. I needed to hear all the screaming voices in me, to figure out what strikes me most. Now I’ve begun reading and listening to what others say, and I truly appreciate those who speak most directly to what others might quickly try to normalize. In the Nov. 8 episode of on the media, I found the interview with Masha Gessen most illuminating, even if it’s also sobering. I believe you might identify with some of this, too:
<iframe>frameborder="0" scrolling="no" height="130" width="100%" src="https://www.wnyc.org/widgets/ondemand_player/wnycstudios/#file=/audio/json/1480357/&share=1"></iframe>
Martha, you are a huge source of inspiration to me, so I thank YOU! Nuance might not be the popular view, but I am most interested in exploring the grey zones. And thank you for the recommendation, which I will read! I am familiar with Masha Gessen’s writing from The New Yorker, and I always appreciate her perspective, as I appreciate yours! That’s all we can do: keep on being humans and write about our common humanity. I’m so grateful to you and your writing.