A Bit of Disappointment
Last week I spied an announcement about an upcoming speaker sponsored by a local peace group, the Fox Valley Peace Coalition. This person Delmar Schwaller, had decided to get arrested during a protest at the School of the Americas in Fort Benning, Georgia. My understanding was that he would speak about the experience and present thoughts about his upcoming sentencing in a Federal court.
Civil disobedience has a long and honorable history. Henry David Thoreau is well known for his essay with the same title. His philosophy has been revisited and reshaped (and perhaps not understood) by some modern protest movements. The mythical exchange between Thoreau and Emerson epitomizes the fact that differences in approach to the problem of misbehaving public servants have always been present.
While I was not expecting a Thoreau type presentation, I did hope to get an insight into what motivated this man to trespass and face Federal prison. I was hoping to get some detail into the history of the School of the Americas and why this entity is a recurrent target for peace activists. I hoped to get insight into what this man wanted to accomplish and how the arrest would gain that goal.
I was disappointed. The format of the presentation was questions and answers. Make that leading questions and then try to answer. So “Tell us some of the evilness?” et-cetera was pretty much the tone.
The speaker did touch a bit on his experience. He had been arrested five years ago and as part of his sentencing agreement agreed to refrain from trespass for five years. That time was up. He touched a little on demonstrating with the names of victims painted on a white cross. The questions, if they can be called that, distracted from any message he might have had.
There was an opportunity for members of the audience to ask questions. Almost immediately, someone asked for an explanation of liberation theology. Soon, a person jumped behind the podium and launched an explanation. That’s when I left. First, the leading questions and now the bit about theology. I wouldn’t get any useful information.
One thing became clear to me during the time I spent at the meeting; this was the type of organization that practiced exclusion. It was Christian oriented, and nonreligious people like me could never talk that talk. I’m not about to be carrying crosses for a protest, a sign; maybe, but a cross; never. I suspect that for some the movement of liberation theology and discussion of the meaning of the theology is more important than the political realities of the region.
I am aware of the past behavior of the United States in undermining Central and South American democracies because they were not the right kind of democracy. I am aware of the support for South and Central American dictators that was perceived to be in our national interest. I am aware of the Platt Amendment and the now perpetual lease on Guantanamo Bay. I would like to find a way to terminate the lease. And, I would like to find a way for citizens of this country to be more honest about the dealings of our leaders. This may be a pipe dream, but without seeking, there can be no solutions.
Further, I do not consider myself a liberal or a conservative. While I have elements of both in my point of view, I am unable to embrace either as a way to truth.
One thing about organizations is that certain things will occur. There will be dominance encounters. People will try to impose their point of view on the organization. Some will have pet philosophies such as liberation theology and try to convert others. This is normal. This is part of the shaping of an organization.
It is singing to the choir that determines the growth or failure of a group. If I sing to the choir and the choir beams back, I will naturally feel great. That is the people pleasing part of being human. Then some one else sings and I as part of the choir beam back. Soon, we are a self-serving type of organization. There are a great many people who need to be convinced of the rightness of the cause, but they are not being addressed. And, the members of organizations will often begin inventing motives for the opposition and the invented motives are generally derogatory. This becomes a great obstacle in working toward a goal.
I’m not sure if I’ll attend another of these meetings. Probably not. But, it would be nice if an inclusive reform organization existed. I am not a religious person and I don’t want to pretend that I am. I also don’t want to get involved with a group that seems to make stereotyping and prejudging others a part of the movement. That would surely corrupt my thinking.
by Brian McCorkle
in category Seeking Perspective
