May 2023

I am upset by the continuing and seemingly intensified efforts to silence and suppress people who don’t fit radical conservative politicians’ image of society. Our society is not promoting life, given the prevalence of guns and gun violence, now the number one cause of death for children. Our society is not promoting liberty, with small groups of radical activists banning books, censoring and distorting history, and denying women bodily autonomy. And our society is definitely not making it easy to pursue happiness, given all the above.

In their new book, “From Prosperity to Partner: Women’s Progress and Political Resistance,” authors Sheila Kennedy and Morton Marcus provide some important historical perspective.

“A fair reading [of the Bill of Rights] and its history discloses an underlying commitment to what has been called the libertarian principle: citizens — including female citizens — have the right to direct their own lives and pursue their own life goals free of government interference until and unless they harm the person or property or another, and so long as they are willing to grant an equal liberty to others.”

Why is that so hard to understand and follow? It’s so sad that fear has been intentionally promoted to the point that the mere existence of someone different is perceived as causing harm. Lies and distortions have created a false narrative and fear-based picture of society to encourage hatred and violence.

What can we do about it? We desperately need to find ways to rebuild social connections, to strengthen trust in public institutions, and to invest in social capital. We need to show, not just tell, that we share common interests, and that we can do more when we work together. We need to learn how to listen better and talk about our values and ideas without immediately demonizing (or threatening) those who disagree.

At the very least, if we demonstrate kindness and compassion in our daily interactions, perhaps we can defuse just a bit of the negativity around us.