Personal Plea – Stop Shooting – Start Caring

Could we curb current US gun violence simply to cultivate Canada’s kind of compassion?

Glance with me at our American 100% male cabinet and compare Canada’s 50% female cabinet to consider our warrior narrative against Canada’s peacemaker backdrop throughout history. What if our US cabinet adopted more diverse leadership? Could such a shift in equity among decision makers help us convert our warrior mentality into a more caring culture for all?

I’ve noticed over time, that when my own beloved faith resorts to warrior narratives, Christians too often subtly view people who differ as enemies deserving distrust, judgement or contamination,. What if a new narrative spotlighted all fellow humans as worthy of care and compassionate understanding? It’s merely a matter of choosing the care of a Good Samaritan over the condemnation of a priest and Levite who crossed the street to avoid care’s challenge.

Imagine the communities we’d build if we changed our narrative from winning warriors – to embrace heroes who help others win more. We’d likely call on people who differ to help us solve hurts between humans. We’d share more meals with strangers for the sheer purpose of bonding as neighbors, by finding common ground to toast together. Could such a shift also move us from characterizing real or perceived enemies as fellow humans who learn from differences and love others much like close families care at nitty-gritty levels.

Look – we’ll never all be one thing, and so our decision makers serve each of us better, by representing differences among us. Could a diverse cabinet become a first step forward toward inviting people we perceive as enemies into camps that work alongside differences, not to oppress enemies, but to walk alongside friends?

Let’s not settle for warrior narratives that come from a priest or Levite’s limited vision, but let’s look together at peace possibilities again through eyes of a Samaritan ready to risk for others who hurt.

Would you agree that we’d curb gun violence if we fed more hungry children, we combat cancer with new persistence for other’s well-being, we replace blame of “terrorists” with more benefits?  Yes, much like Canada opens its arms to oppressed people in ways that save and prosper refugees, rather than shoot would-be citizens?

How does caring versus killing fit with brain based leading and learning approaches highlighted on this site? An easy fit – we cannot lead or learn caring and killing at the same time. Best we can expect is a bottleneck where neither finds focus, and fear too often wins. Peace pushes us past fears and into the freedom that makes a difference for ourselves and others. Recently this dance was sent to me by a friend, and it best describes our freedom past fear to live in peace.

To replace fear is to lower walls and reach out to all humans with compassion and humility.

Isolation and fear spread to create increased isolation and fear. For instance highly valued Canadian schools are canceling their US trips to avoid embarrassment to their valued international students who may well be blocked at borders! Fear spreads and tears down trust – through visible and invisible walls we build. What one bridge of trust could we each build to regain the US humanity values many crave.

Looking to propose robust peace plan possibilities to widen students’ viable alternatives to wars and warrior plans they consider currently?

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/100-Brain-Based-Writing-Prompts-to-Celebrate-Peace-Plans-on-Veterans-Day-2193059

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