to turn fear into hope through action.
We are all experiencing a new day, as if a storm has passed and the skies have cleared. But the landscape is rugged, and angry currents remain. I was recently reminding myself of this as I walked along the Potomac River not far from Washington.
There is a welcome flood of change. We are rejoining the Paris climate agreement. The New Start nuclear treaty has been renewed just before it expired. Immigration, health care, and justice issues are moving fast. But change can bring some turmoil.
There is no denying the political rocky cliffs abound. A new member of congress reportedly suggested that the Speaker of the House shall suffer death or be imprisoned and denies that school shootings have occurred. The Army wants to place restrictions on a large part of this river downstream in the District due to credible and specific threats of violence.
Violence is very deceptive as a technique because of the way in which it comes to the rescue of those who are in a hurry. Violence at first is very efficient, very effective. It stampedes, overruns, pushes aside, and carries the day. It becomes the major vehicle of power, or the radical threat of power. It inspires fear and resistance. The fact that it inspires resistance is underestimated, while the fact that it inspires fear is overestimated. This is the secret of its deception . . . Men resort to violence when they are unable or unwilling to tax their resourcefulness for methods that will inspire the confidence for the mental and moral support of other men. This is true whether in the relationship between parents and children in the home or in great affairs of the state involving the affirmation of masses of the people. - From Deep is the Hunger, by Howard Thurman, a friend of Friends, often called the pastor to the civil rights movement.
The other day FCNL staff had a wonderful retreat to refresh and renew. The opportunities before us are great, but we must act soon. Read what FCNL has recommended the Biden address in the first hundred days: https://www.fcnl.org/updates/2021-01/first-100-days-fcnls-recommendations-biden-administration.
For all of the danger we ve seen, the country has also shown sustaining resilience: elections were conducted and recounted as workers and officials diligently carried their tasks under unprecedented duress. It s good to note that this has brought the most diverse congress ever. There is a strong current of positive change. Let s go with that.
Please feel free to join in some upcoming FCNL events online: https://www.fcnl.org/events. You ll get an even better view of what your gifts are accomplishing. Events are also viewable on YouTube afterwards.
You might want to tell your elected officials what you think. It would matter especially now, and it s easy: https://fcnl.quorum.us/.
We re all on this path together. Let s breathe deep, keep our eyes open, and proceed.