News from Peace Begins With Me

Recently a friend forwarded an email he had received to me to ask my perspective on its contents. The email expressed great concern with a minority faith group that is increasing its presence in the community. The author of the email states this minority group is "unwilling to integrate into mainstream society, settles into enclaves, and holds values and beliefs that are inconsistent with the community in which they have settled". The author concludes his email with a plea for us to be less tolerant, less generous, and less welcoming to this and other minority groups.

My friend forwarded the email with the question, "Is this racist?" He felt compelled to consider the implications of forwarding an email such as this. At the same time he was concerned by the anxious and fearful tone the email had evoked. I appreciated my friend's deep desire to determine what action of his would do the most good.

I joined the discussion my friend's email had inspired. One respondent reminded us that similar sentiments have been expressed for generations whenever a new group of immigrants makes its way to our shores. It wasn't that many years ago that the focus of such concern was directed at Chinese and other Asian migrants. In the community I grew up in similar concerns were raised about the increasing numbers of Polish, African, Caribbean, East Indian, and even Newfoundlanders who were making the community their home.

In many cases broad, sweeping statements are made in these situations with the effect that we no longer consider these people as individuals but rather as one homogenous group. Implicit in the statements is that all of these people act the same, hold the same beliefs, and represent the same level of risk to our safety and well being.

It is this broad, all encompassing classification of individuals, cultures, and faith groups that invites the question of racism. When we treat others based on some preconceived notion of who they are or pre-judge all of them based on the actions of a few, we are at risk of doing great harm in spite of our intention to do good. The fact is we are all capable of behaving in good and bad ways. We are all capable of accessing the full range of human behaviours.

Where I believe we get lost in our journey to do good is when we focus our attention on what others need to do in order to be good citizens. It seems when the focus of concern is directed at others we become distracted from placing our energy and attention where it can have the greatest potential to do good - ourselves.

My friend's email reminded me of the story of the traveler who drives into an unfamiliar town. The traveler inquires of an elder whom he meets, "What kind of people live here?" The elder responds with a question of his own, "What kind of people live in the town where you come from?" The stranger answers, "Oh, they are lazy and irresponsible and fight all the time." The elder replies, "The same kind of folk live here as well."

A little while later another traveler drives into the same town and engages the same elder. "What kind of people live in this town? she asks. The elder gives the same response - "What kind of people live in the town where you come from?" The second traveler replies, "They are happy and loving and very generous." The elder replies, "The same kind of folk live here as well." The moral of the story is that our perception is more often a statement about ourselves than it is about others.

I think a better focus is not on how others are living, but rather on how I am living. Am I living honestly, respectfully, compassionately, open hearted, and peacefully? Am I the kind of citizen and neighbour I would want to live next to? Am I considerate of differences? Do I live responsibly?

Our greatest power is in managing our own thoughts and behaviors rather than trying to manage the thoughts and behaviours of others. When we focus on what others need to do different we can be blind to our own misdemeanors.

Byron Katie, author of Loving What Is offers a beautiful piece of wisdom for our consideration. She states there are three kinds of business in this world - my business, your business, and God's business. When in any difficult situation she advises the first question we ought to ask is, "Whose business am I in?"

Cheers,
Ted