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The other day I was listening to an Alternative Radio program of a speech given by Chris Hedges, a journalist and activist, about the abuses of corporate power, and the needs to address those abuses. As I was listening, I found myself aware of a kind of flatness of tone in how he was speaking, an kind of matter-of-factness that felt in some way uncomfortable to listen to, but I nevertheless listened and felt compelled by many of the things he was saying, about the abuse of corporate power, and the self-servingness of corporate interest at the grave expense to many people around the world. Toward the end he was reading a letter that summarized both his disdain for the actions of corporations and for corporations themselves, as well as his recounting of the devastation caused by actions of corporations. He used a provocative term – sacrifice zones – to as way of underline the destruction promulgated over history and in current times by greed in unrestrained capitalism.
I felt the truth of many of the things he said, but I didn’t like listening to him talk even though much of what he said was compelling. Yet I felt I needed to listen also, so as to stay awake to the abuses of capitalism, and not asleep and therefore unaware.
Later I mentioned the program to someone whose perception and understanding I deeply value. She said she had heard it briefly, then said “I had to turn it off. I couldn’t listen to the energy in it”.
I reflected on what she meant. I reflected on my desire to listen and the temptation to become captivated by the speech – disregarding my discomfort - because of the aspects what he said that also needed to be spoken of.
What I realize is that while the speech was about standing up for human dignity of those whose rights have been abused – that there was an “us vs them” mentality, a vilifying of those who work in corporations, and in this a failure to treat them, too, as human beings. In other words, there was a kind of warfare, not peace, in his words. A lack of care. And that was the energy that made if difficult to listen to him.
To be sure, I believe that this way of speaking likely is born of great pain, of feelings of helplessness, of desperation to make change. From what I gathered from his biography, he has first-hand witnessed the atrocities of war, and chosen to do so as a journalist so that we could know what is occurring in the world of pain and suffering from war and oppression - and so that through awareness these things would change.
But when feelings of helplessness and anger, turn to rage and vilification of others as a way of the seeking to muster power to overturn the existing order of things, then we become part of very lack of humanity that we seek to stop. In this way, we become part of the problems we say we want to overcome, and we abandon the center from which true change comes: love.
And so in these moments when we are overcome by the ‘energy’ of attacking others, it is incumbent upon any of us who speak, to recognize that when we turn protest into forms of vilification, or when our opposition becomes any form of warfare, that in these moments we are acting in opposition to what we say we are standing for. For otherwise we would be leading others misguidedly and mistakenly to see the other as enemy. Such is not the direction of positive change, and does not lead to positive outcomes for anyone. Nothing good comes of forms of war or hatred, and we must watch for it in ourselves.
It is better to speak our pain, openly, to share it. The express the pain, and the solidarity with those who suffer. It is better I believe to speak to those who profit from harming others by saying something that opposes what is wrong, but supports all in coming into their humanity. Something such as:
“This is what I see that you are causing by your actions. I cannot and will not stand silent, and I oppose what you are doing that causes harm to others. But I do not condemn you as a human being. We are all are imperfect, and all of us can change. I ask that you examine your conscience about all the effects of your actions. And I ask my fellow citizens to examine their consciences, so that whatever harm is caused by the free will of corporations, that we act as citizens and government to create laws and consequences to prevent such harm. Also, that we learn to utilize only the goods and services of corporations who missions and actions strive to make the world a better place and not cause harm.
In time, the structures of civilization that undermine life and goodness will not be able to stand, because of being out of harmony with what is and will be needed. New structures can and will emerge. To the extent that each of us chooses to stand in courage and lead that change - rather than being forced into change more precipitously by the karma of consequence - we all will the better for it, in this generation, and for our children and theirs.”
My heart cries for the pain that Chris Hedges has witnessed, and that so many around the world have lived through. My heart cries for pain that any of us struggle to deal with, to cope with, in our striving to create a better world. May we be in a healing process with one another, and with God in whatever way each may feel the greater Life of which we are part. May we stand in both truth and love bearing pain, in solidarity with all who suffer, in faith that our doing itself is essential to change. For we do so with our hearts connected with the Source of Life itself. The choice to align of ourselves and actions with both love and truth, is in and of itself, central to that which will bring about the changes we long for in the world. In the meanwhile, we must seek to courageously do what we can, in harmony with love and with truth, while waiting with faith and trust for for the changes that are needed to unfold in God’s right tming.
All blessings to all who seek to create a world of kindness, and of love.
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Here is a link to a brief excerpt from the speech referred to.
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