Stupid. Idiots. Insane. Nuts.
These judgement-filled names spew from my mouth, polarizing, within the political and social environment around me. I sit and drink wine late into the night speaking with a barrage of insidious names against people I don’t know nor understand even with I think I’m trying.
The names carry the venom of my reactions as I see the actions of hatred and selfish greed. The names carry my anger and sense of helplessness. I feel as if I have no voice. I don’t know what to do. My reaction is immediate as I push and pull between two dynamics. My muscles grow tense to prepare for the fight. My breath becomes shallow as my brain stops and I freeze staring into movement of oncoming attack. No thought. The names are a release.
Idiots. Stupid, Insane. Nuts.
I slow my breath and breathe in more deeply. As I calm, these words become sighs of despair, cries of sadness at the cruelty I witness. Power and greed are boldly on display in the caging of children, objectification of women, marginalization of race. The lack of empathy and compassion for the suffering of another grows within my heart into deep grief.
I look again, away from myself into the suffering. I see the child as my own grandson. The weeping woman as my own daughter. The dead man in the street as my own son. The name calling becomes lament. This suffering is stupid. This pain is idiotic. This killing is insane. These policies are inhuman. The greed-filled power is nuts.
Through the tears, I hear other names calling from the pain. Human names. Real names. Diego. Juanita. Laurie. Jamal….
These names become powerful to my weary spirit. These names help me stand in the face of fear to say “No”.
I will speak these names, asking others to join me in another name calling, for I will crumble on my own, into the madness of inhumanity.
Terrance. Juan. Emilia. Mary…. and more.
Whose names will you add? For this name calling is resistance to the powers.