In the Pagan community, there is a unique respect for
life. All life is sacred, is immanently
divine. So it makes sense that some people feel it is important to maintain
that focus, to try to prevent false dichotomies and the creation of a hierarchy
of life that is valued. I can understand that underlying concern behind the
conversation.
But you see, that is already what has been happening. For
centuries in the United States, some lives have been valued more than others.
Black people are not always at the bottom of that hierarchy, it’s true. There
are many lives that have fallen victim to the patriarchal over-culture.
For me, coming up in the feminist Goddess movement, my focus
and concern has always been the influence of patriarchy on society. My knee
jerk reaction is to say: “But, WOMEN are a larger group than any single race or
culture. What about THE WOMEN!” However, we have enough awareness to recognize
that patriarchy does not only affect women. And make no mistake, it is
patriarchy and the oppress-and-dominate over-culture that is at fault for all
devaluing of life.
My teacher, Shekhinah Mountainwater, told me the story of the
100th Monkey. I don’t know how factual it is, but it goes something
like this: there was an isolated community of monkeys living in a rainforest
near a river. The monkeys would gather food as they do. One day, a female
started washing her food in the river. The next day, another monkey joined her.
Each day, another monkey would join this revolutionary group, but the rest of
the group continued gathering food the usual way, dirt and all. On the 100th
day, another monkey joined. Seeing how many monkeys had joined the river group,
suddenly all the monkeys started washing their food.
This story illustrates the concept of the “tipping point” or
critical mass. There was no indication as to why all of the monkeys suddenly
decided to change their behavior pattern. But suddenly, one act changed the
entire community.
We can no longer ignore the fact that in our society, at this
time, Black people are disproportionately victimized by police brutality, the
prison industrial complex, and the daily effects of racism and prejudice. We
are reaching critical mass. This does not leave out any other race, culture, or
community. What it means is that THIS is the act that has the potential to
start large-scale social change. It even has historical precedence (who can
deny the influence of the Civil Rights movement?).
So, let it. You don’t have to get behind it if you don’t want
to. But if we reach the tipping point, the cascade of social change has the
potential to benefit All Lives. And there will be a new set of powerful allies
to help.
If you are struggling with the idea, ask yourself, what are
you afraid of? If Black Lives Matter is successful, what do you have to lose?
What belief that you hold is threatened? Once you figure out what is at the
root of your struggle, you can decide if it is really worth holding on to.
If
you feel you need to hold up the perspective that All Lives Matter, remember:
“We must recognize that the suffering of one person or one
nation is the suffering of humanity.” – Dalai Lama XIV
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