While the Parents Bully, the Children are Affirmed
Rev. Roger Butts is the Minister at High Plains Church Unitarian Universalist in Colorado Springs.
I could not believe my eyes and ears.
The most aggressive, hostile, dehumanizing rants imaginable. All over a speech by the President of the United States to be given to the nation’s school children. Since the speech’s announcement, certain conservatives had worked themselves into a tizzy over whether the speech would invite the children to become little socialists. Talk radio was aflame. Names were called. Incendiary language swirled.
Nicholas, my five year old son, attends a public Montessori school in Colorado Springs. There, the principal had decided on a compromise: at 2:30 p.m., on the speech day, the children would gather and watch the president’s speech. If parents wanted to excuse their children, they could do so.
Some parents responded with rage. A listserv serving the school’s PTA was buzzing with letters from liberal parents about Mr. Brilliant’s compromise. The liberals’ language protesting the principal’s decision was cruel. It stripped the principal’s humanity.
For days, conservatives had lessened public discourse with scare tactics, appealed to the very worst of our nature. Now, at my kids’ school, some liberal parents were doing the same—attacking, crossing lines of decency, calling names. I could not believe my eyes and ears. These were parents of children with whom my children were attending school and they were acting like schoolyard bullies. What was going on?
Finally, on speech day, my son sat with his classmates and watched the president speak. For fifteen minutes the president told the children to do as well as they could. Nicholas sat transfixed. His eyes barely left the screen. When the president was done, along with his classmates, he clapped wildly and giggled with joy. I don’t think it would have mattered at that moment if the president was liberal or conservative, black or white, tall or short; his message–not his politics–had touched the children. Nicholas looked at his mother and said: How did he know that we would all be sitting here?
In that moment, all of the posturing and all of the bullying melted away in the simple, delighted, wonder-filled response of that five year old child, sitting in a downtown classroom in the shadow of Pike’s Peak.
Nicholas seemed to be saying, “That guy treated me like I mattered, like I was important, talked to me about hope—I know he is important and he spoke just to me and my class. He noticed me. Me.” I could not believe what I was hearing—all of the cynical posturing gave way to a moment of pure goodness–an adult reaching out to children with care and compassion in his voice and a child’s simple, awe-filled response.
Knowing that someone is there for you is in part what it means to stand on the side of love. Knowing that someone will have your back, no matter the craziness swirling about you. We can make a world where truly everyone matters. We can make a world, standing on the side of love.
THANK YOU SO MUCH for these reasoned words. I am proud to be your colleague and countrywoman! (Rev.) Beverly Boke (currently living and working in Beirut, Lebanon – but ordained UU minister since 1985)
Thank you for sharing this. It is again, a reminder that hate and prejudice is taught. I can only hope that I have done a good job of not teaching it to my now grown daughter.
For those interested in creating an interfaith dialogue in your community, that promotes unity and peace, I encourage you to check out the Amazing Faiths Dialogue Dinners that are being hosted in various towns across the US in November. see http://www.amazingfaithshouston.org for more information.
I was so happy to read the description of your child’s experience I do not have children, but watched the video of the president’s speech and wondered how old a child would need to be to understand what was being said. To read that a 5-year-old was so moved was reassuring to me. It makes me feel there really IS hope for future generations.
On a less positive note, I predict that the children who were not given the opportunity to witness this historic event that was in their honor will one day be enraged that their parents prevented them from receiving the gift.
Thank you Rev. Butts for articulate and beautifully written statements regarding the frenzied suckers of media hype. Isn’t it a sad state of affairs that we have so many “sheep” in our numbers. Makes one wonder if these folks are not able to think for themselves….ever. It seems that it is more important to find fault with Obama than to help correct so many of our country’s needs. A 5 year old child was never caught up in it and he saw and heard a parent’s message to him and all the other children of the USA.
What an excellent reflection on the craziness, and what a wonderful way to remind us all of the importance of respect. I’m proud to be standing on the side of love with you!
Clay Bosler (former member HPCUU, now at PUC)
Sir, this is a really wonderful, well-written, and thought-provoking response to the uproar created by the simple desire of our President to motivate and inspire the nation’s children. Your son’s response shows exactly how successful he was (and how much more he could have been if the adults involved had just been calm and rational!)
Thank you.
There’s no accounting for the kinds of idotic behavior that occurs when people (of whatever political persuasion and belief) feel threatened and afraid. What a terribly sad commentary the “rants” and actions of individuals have been in a country where we SAY we value freedom of speech. Standing on the Side of Love is THE message for this age. Thank you for your thoughtful comments and reminder that tolerance, love and inclusiveness are words we too often don’t stop to really consider and model in this world full of those who are afraid of…whatever.
Thank you. I too listen to talk radio (both sides) and was as upset and befuddled as you. I was also perhaps more disgusted than you, first at the politics of the conservatives, who seemed to start it and personalize it, and at the liberals, for rising to the bait or, if you prefer, of lowering themselves to the same level.
I’m waiting for an angry parent to slam Rev. Butts. Why? Because I believe in irony.
Take cover, everyone.