Monday, December 16, 2019

I'm Not The Radical Left, I'm The Humane Middle

I believe most people are decent, and have the same aspirations, to have their basic needs met and an opportunity to thrive.


I believe none of us have all the facts, so we should not make wrong assumptions about what someone believes, nor condemn others for not thinking exactly as we do on all topics.


I believe there is a war for your consciousness, and we are living through a paradigm shift, where much previously obscured information will be unveiled, shifting each and every one of our perspectives and awakening humanity.


I believe if we tap into our innate intelligence and ancestral wisdom, humans can find creative solutions to any personal or collective challenge we face.


I believe we live in an abundant and co-creative Universe, so our intentions should be clarified and expressed with care.


I believe we should also draw on our sense of humor, and give people the benefit of the doubt.


I believe in mutual respect, and in being kind, even to people we don't like, or who don't like us.


I believe we must forgive ourselves for our mistakes and others for their transgressions.


I believe heart-centered navigation is imperative, for us to evolve as a species.


~PB


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I don't see eye-to-eye with all of Michael J Dalterio's posts, nor with the author of this piece,
but this one by John Pavlovitz is a gem that I'm honored to share with you:



~~~
johnpavlovitz:


"Apparently, I’ve been radicalized and I wasn’t aware.


Certain people call me the “radical Left” all the time.


I never considered myself radical before.


I just thought I was normal, ordinary, usual.


I thought equity was important to everyone.


I imagined America was filled with people who took that Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness stuff seriously—for all people.


I thought the Golden Rule was actually mainstream.


Recently I took an inventory of my positions, screening for the extremism:


I believe in full LGBTQ rights.


I believe we should protect the planet.


I believe everyone deserves healthcare.


I believe all religions are equally valid.


I believe the world is bigger than America.


I believe to be “pro-life,” means to treasure all of it.


I believe whiteness isn’t superior and it is not the baseline of humanity.


I believe we are all one interdependent community.


I believe people and places are made better by diversity.


I believe people shouldn’t be forced to abide by anyone else’s religion.


I believe non-American human beings have as much value as American ones.


I believe generosity is greater than greed, compassion better than contempt, and kindness superior to derision.


I believe there is enough in this world for everyone: enough food, enough money, enough room, enough care—if we unleash our creativity and unclench our fists.


I’m not sure how these ideas became radical, though it seems to have happened in the last few years.


I grew up being taught they were just part of being a decent human being.


I grew up believing that loving my neighbor as myself, meant that I actually worked for their welfare as much as my own.


I was taught that caring for the least in the world, was the measure of my devotion to God.


I thought that inalienable rights of other people were supposed to be a priority as a decent participant in the world.
I don’t think I’m alone.


In fact, I’m pretty sure that most people reside here in this place alongside me: the desire for compassion and diversity and equality and justice; that these things aren’t fringe ideologies or extremist positions—but simply the best way to be human.


I think most people want more humanity, not less.


I think the vast middle is exhausted by the cruelty of these days.


That these aspirations seem radical to some people, is probably an alarm that they’ve moved so far into the extremes of their fortified ideological bunkers and been so poisoned by the propaganda, that normal now seems excessive, that equality now seems oppressive, that goodness feels reckless.


Maybe the problem is, these people are so filled with fear for those who are different, so conditioned to be at war with the world, so indoctrinated into a white nationalistic religion of malice—that they’ve lost sight of what being a human being looks like anymore.


I am pretty sure that I don’t represent the “radical Left,” but the vast, disparate, compassionate, humane Middle; people who are not threatened by someone else’s presence, who do not see another person’s gain as their loss, who don’t worship a Caucasian, American god.


I suppose humanity feels radical to inhumane people.


In that case, I’ll gladly be here in my extremism."


I'm Not The Radical Left, I'm The Humane Middle


original source:
https://johnpavlovitz.com/2019/09/26/im-not-the-radical-left-im-the-humane-middle/
Apparently, I’ve been radicalized and I wasn’t aware. Certain people call…

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