Why I'm an Activist Who Can't Stand Activists

I'd like to create a discipline of writing more, particularly after speaking about it with an old friend and mentor this week. Often though, I fear I am not so good at maintaining disciplines. This one, in specific, I have failed at many times.

Tonight I was thinking about my dislike for activists in spite of my own activism. It's like that Mitch Hedberg joke "I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." I have been moved to writer particularly in light of the current 'Occupy Wall Street' movement, my sympathy with the cause yet disinterest in joining anyone on the street coupled with how the effect of the media and how they have or have not been involved up to this point. Christian communities, as well as politically active communities of either side, will warn the public of evil media influence. We hear of there being too much sex or violence and media bias swaying elections. Sensationalism gets in the way of real news.  These things do bother and affect me, but I'm sick of hearing and talking about them.

Are you not sick of dwelling on everything that is wrong with the world? Is it not exhausting?

"Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things" Philippians 4:8 (NRSV - New Interpreter's Study Bible)

 The book of Philippians is beautiful to me. In this book Paul is doing much less scolding and directing, he's pleading and he's encouraging. The major issue I have with Paul is when he speaks of the role of women in the church, sometimes suggesting they should just keep quiet. But this verse is actually in response to an argument between two women Euodia and Sytyche who Paul is pleading with to stop fighting, to stop looking so closely at each other's faults. He respects them because they "Struggled beside me in the work of the gospel." They weren't silent. So here Paul is asking us to look for the best in one another. It's real easy to get together and complain but until we can find something good, is there any way forward?

In spite of all the complaints we do have plenty of good messages in our media and we don't have to look that hard for them. What in modern media do you find worthy of praise? What is true, honorable, just, pure, pleasing, commendable or excellent?

If you are prone to only consume media of one type (e.g. "I only listen to 'Christian' music.") I challenge you to look for this good in unexpected areas.  I once read a beautiful story about Martin Luther King Jr. The story was told to Bono by Harry Belafonte:

The Civil Rights Movement had hit a wall, Bobby Kennedy had been elected Attorney General. No one in the movement had anything good to say about him. He was an Irishman, and the Irish were racists.  Culturally the Irish were just one step above Blacks on the social ladder and they were sure to exercise that power because it was all they had.

Eventually Dr. King got angry. He would not reconvene the meeting until they had one redeeming thing to say about Bobby Kennedy because until then they couldn't move forward.  Soon they learned that Bobby Kennedy was close to his Bishop, so they befriended him.

When Bobby Kennedy was assassinated, in Harry Belafonte's words "There was no greater friend to the Civil Rights Movement. There was no one we owed more of our progress to than that man." (paraphrased from Bono in Conversation with Mitchka Assayas)

We cannot continue to only point out what is wrong with the world and think that it will change. Things change when the best is appealed to, not the worst.  History has proven that change is better, more effective, and (best of all) more desirable when we seek the light in (of?) the world. Has anyone out there caught sight of a really bright star worth following recently?








Silver Lined Heart by Taylor Mali