That Radical Idea of Love

The posts below by my fellow bloggers reflect the ways that we are taught to hate from our political and religious leaders. Because it's spring, and the air smells wonderful, I'd like to interject a radical idea into the national debate.

Why not love?

Americans today are separated from the world at large, unable to bond with those of other cultures because of politics and ideology. We fear the physical embrace of another human, it might lead to sin. Our humanity suffers from the lack of human contact, and we are unable to feel empathy for a world mired in injustice and poverty, because we are deprived of human touch. Because we are not allowed to show affection in everyday life as people in other parts of the world do, a kiss on both cheeks for men and for women, hugs are frowned upon in the work place, you might get sued for sexual harassment. Don't get too close to your friends of the same sex, don't ever hug your employees, and when your children are teenagers, lock them in the basement, so that they will feel that physical love is something to be feared, after all there are plenty of viruses you can catch from kissing your classmates, but not too many that will kill you. And instead of teaching our kids a safe way to love each other just in case they decide that they are mature enough, let's keep those condoms locked away.

If we were taught as young children to love each other regardless of our race or religion, we might feel less isolated. If it were okay to love Muslims or Jews, we might not feel so threatened by those aberrations of religion, those extreme forms of fundamentalism that spring up like weeds and threaten the growth of human understanding. The religious right would have no hold on our nation if we were not so afraid of reaching out to other ideas. I have engaged in meaningful conversations with people who believe in Islam, and they tell me that killing is against their teachings. I've spoken with Christians who tell me the same thing. If the universal belief is live and let live, then why are we at war with Islam? What sort of corruption have we allowed to take hold in all three of the major religions that has caused this worldwide crisis?

It can't be just the fight over sacred real estate. Aren't we more evolved than that?

Americans have isolated themselves in a web of protection. We know that our world will soon collapse. We know that the world economy will not sustain the middle class, and there is nothing that the Bush Administration can steal from us that they don't already have their thieving fingers on, our savings, our Social Security. We live in a world that is grabbing for resources, our lives clinging to the idea of the American Dream. We were here first, we should get those jobs mowing lawns and babysitting the rich kids, not those foreigners.

What the white middle class doesn't know yet is that we are headed for poverty just like those immigrants, and it is in our best interest to march with them side by side, and demand economic justice.

Religions that promote hatred of any group of people are an aberration, and an impediment to the future of the human race. Fear and legislation against another color or nationality is a step backwards and prevents us from our natural condition of peaceful coexistence. Any wall built between us will only make us lonely and more isolated, and keep us from happiness and love. Loneliness keeps us purchasing more big screen TVs and separates us from our family, the human race. We will only survive if we help each other.

Think about love for a while, and see where it gets you.

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