A New Hope

Episode IV of the Star Wars trilogy (i.e. the first Star Wars movie) was subtitled A New Hope.  Watching the movie, you would believe that Luke Skywalker is the new hope.  But after watching Rogue One, you come to the realization that the new hope isn’t a person at all.  Without giving away too much, I can say that the rebels are in a seemingly hopeless situation.  And they seem to be splintering.  Some question the reasons for fighting the Empire while others see nothing but futility in continuing the fight.  Because a few were willing to put aside their differences and work together, in spite of the odds, the movie ended with new hope.  There wasn’t any one individual that could be considered the hero.  They all worked together. Although the situation hadn’t really changed, the Empire still had the Death Star after all, there was a new hope that the Empire could be defeated.

I think a lot of people will say the country is probably not any better off than it was on January 20^th, 2009.  Some will disagree.  Some will see Trump or the new Republican Congress as a new hope.  Others will see them as the Evil Empire from Star Wars.  I don’t see either as the embodiment of hope or evil. Regardless, I do know if things are going to improve in this country, it has to start with us.

How do we create a new hope?  For starters, we could follow what Peter wrote in his first letter, “Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”” (1 Peter 5:5) But doing that means we have to keep in mind:

1. Disagreement doesn’t mean hate. People can respectfully disagree. Trying to understand why they disagree may be helpful in reaching an agreement. Assuming that they disagree because they hate gets us nowhere. 
2. Most people don’t really want to hear our opinion or our complaints about politics, transgender issues, radical Islam, or the designated hitter rule, or whatever the complaint du jour may be. Our freedom of speech doesn’t mean we are entitled to have an audience.
3. Respect has to be earned; don’t demand it. 
4. Trying to shutdown opposing viewpoints prevents us from having meaningful conversations about important subjects.  Having a “safe space” to evade differing viewpoints because they might make you uncomfortable is silly.  If the differing viewpoint makes you feel “unsafe”, is it because we are afraid our viewpoint may be proven wrong?
5. Be polite in our discourse. Rudeness is a sure way to shut down a conversation.
6. If you wouldn’t say it to another person, face to face, don’t put it on Facebook, Twitter, or some other social media.  People probably wouldn’t spew the venom they do on social media if they had to look the subject in the eye while they said it.
7. Speaking of social media, we should count to 10, or 100, or 1000 before we type that reply.  Just because social media allows us instant communication doesn’t mean we should instantly communicate.
8. Our freedom of speech, within reason, is protected.  However, we should not assume that this freedom means that we are the only one free to speak.  Others will likely disagree with us.  Be prepared for that.
9. Just because we find something offensive doesn’t mean it was intended that way. We all come from different backgrounds and perspectives. If I use words you find offensive, perhaps it’s because I don’t have your perspective and, therefore have no understanding of the offense.  It isn’t malice, it is simply ignorance. Give me the benefit of the doubt.
10. On the flip side, try to be cognizant of the different perspective.  What may seem harmless could be deeply hurtful.
11. Live by the Golden Rule.  We should treat others as we want to be treated.

If we want a peaceful coexistence, all of us, regardless of race, politics, gender, orientation, income level, or other differences, will have to make an effort. That effort is the new hope.