The Pursuit of Life and Health Isn't Always about Fear

When I first studied the Catholic Faith, I learned that the Ten Commandments were not just for Old Testament times, that they applied to our lives today, and not just in the most obvious ways. For example, the commandment, Thou Shalt Not Kill, didn't just refer to murder. We don't get off that easy. It also included anything which intentionally or knowingly could lead to a death or to injury of the health of others or ourselves.  

I read an article this morning where a woman said she has dealt with chronic illness, and this has prepared her to deal with the panic around Covid-19.  Without quoting, because my purpose isn't to get into an article battle, the impression I got from the article was that she felt we are destroying our health and the health of those around us by living in fear of the virus, and more specifically in fear of dying.

Let me say this. As someone with a strong faith in God and a strong trust in his mercy I am not afraid of death. Now, that is not to say that I have no fear about what manner of death I might face. Another thing I learned, a little later in my studies of the Catholic Faith, is that if God allows hard things to come to us, he will give us the graces when we need them, not necessarily before we need them. In other words, if we fear a certain type of death (I never could get on board with being eaten by lions), that doesn't mean we won't be able to deal with whatever actually does happen to us. I've learned not to dwell on the various ways I could die. But as someone whose son died, and I experienced how hard that was on all of us, I want to do all that I can to live, especially for the sake of my family and other loved ones.

But being cautious in a time of a highly contagious virus is not only about my own life and health, but also all those I come into contact with, as well. Although there are some people - on both sides of the thinking about this situation - who turn it into fear and anger, it isn't fear that drives me to be careful; it is love. When I decide to stay home, it is out of love for myself, yes, but also out of love for my family who wants me around.  When I decided to wear a mask wherever I go (unless it's outdoors in a wide open area), I made that decision out of love for myself, my family, and everyone I come in contact with. Not out of fear. Certainly not out of fear of death.

Yes, we do need to be careful that we don't let fear and anger destroy our health, as the author of the article pointed out. But that same caution – to not let fear and anger destroy our health - is needed on all sides of the issue. She pointed out stories of people who have gotten angry at people in the store for accidentally or minimally invading their boundaries. No, that is not healthy or charitable. Nor is it healthy or charitable when people get angry with a store employee because the store or the state requires a mask. Some people on all sides need to lay down their anger or at least ratchet it down a notch or two. 

So, yes, we do need to protect our mental health and that of those around us. We don't do that by panicking about an illness; but neither do we do that by panicking that the government might take away our rights by asking us to wear a mask until we get better control of an illness which has been highly contagious so far.  

Don't Miss the Protests for the Riots

No, I'm not telling you to get out there regardless of any danger you might perceive. Public protests are not for everyone. But please don't miss what's happening. Please don't misinterpret what's happening.

Black lives have been in danger, and black people have been disproportionately targeted and abused, for years. If some of us have not been aware, it's time we become aware. And some have been doing just that in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd, which was videotaped and shared to the world. We've seen it in that video.

We've even seen it in the crushing responses to some of the protests. Peaceful protests in the daytime, and then, sometimes, as curfew nears, tear gas is used before the protesters can even get out of an area, and sometimes people are trapped on a street or a bridge, or attacked with dangerous rubber bullets.

Some people see it now. But some others have questions.

Some people say: But there's police overreach against white people too. Yep, that's true; but in infinitesimally smaller numbers and degree per the size of the white population. But, also, if we work toward better training and more accountability for our police forces, wouldn't it help people of all races?  And wouldn't it also help those many officers who want to do the right thing and are trapped in systems that are not always honest or fair?

"But it's not okay to loot and destroy," some people say. Is it okay to kill people? Honestly, is it?

While it's true that two wrongs don't make a right, let's get our priorities straight. Life is more important than property.

But who is looting and destroying? Very few compared to the huge numbers protesting. And in the videos I've been seeing, I've been seeing white people vandalizing and destroying property. I've heard that some are anarchists and others white supremacists (think klan or neo-nazi types).  Opportunists find a way to further their malignant goals, and will unfortunately take advantage of such a crisis.

If any of the looting does comes from black people (and like I said, I haven't seen it), that TV you see going out a door might be exchanged for rent, or for food for the kiddos, to keep them alive, or it might come from angry hopelessness, or an effort to get people to pay attention.

I've heard that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "A riot is the language of the unheard."  He was explaining where it comes from, not participating. And he was referring to the rioting against police overreach and brutality of the 60's, not to the riots which were done by white people against minorities in the 1800's and the first half of the 1900's, where white people took the lives of many black people and some other minorities. 

In some ways, we have come a long way since those white riots against people of other races. Yet, black lives are still being taken, just differently. We need so much more growth, because for too long, we have turned our heads away in denial. We need to grow and make serious changes in our systems, wherever those systems oppress people.

It's time we listen. It's time we learn. It's time we grow. 

A Few Important Immigration Facts

Although I'm not an immigration expert, there are a few things I know. There are lots of other things that I have learned more recently, but can't explain as well as some other people can; and there are also lots of things that I do not know. But here are just a few important, easy facts that I've seen some people forget or not know.

It's okay if you didn't know (unless you are in government or saying bad things about whole groups of people, then, well, at the least, it's important to learn).

1) Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory and its people are citizens of the United States. They don't have to do anything. They just are.

2) If someone was born in this country, that person is a citizen. They don't have to do anything. They just are.

3) If someone came into this country as a child and went through naturalization later, no one can intelligently tell them to "go back to your country", because this *is* their country. Period.

4) If someone has a "green card", that means they can live here and continue to be a part of this country legally, legitimately, for life! A "green card" (permanent residency) is permanent.They don't have to do anything. They belong here. It is their country.

5) If someone is an immigrant whose papers are not in order, it doesn't mean they started out that way, or intended it that way, or even that they know that something went amiss. They have families and they contribute to their communities.

6) Immigrants who are not citizens or permanent residents ("green card"), do not have access to welfare or food stamps, as some people think. They just don't. 

7) Every single human being, without exception, is a human being and has certain rights as a human being. Full stop.

A Speech about Columbine

Generally politics, news, and what's wrong in the world are not what you will find at this blog.

But this speech was more about the importance of student prayer and the need for the spiritual life in our world. Father John Molloy, S.D.B., at his new blog A Shepherd's Voice, provides us with the words of Darrell Scott to the House Judiciary Subcommittee. Mr. Scott is the father of Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine shootings of 1999. You can read his inspiring speech here.

Niece Teacher of the Year

My niece Tamra Tiong, daughter of my sister Chris McLeod, teaches special education at a reservation school in New Mexico. Tammy was selected State Teacher of the Year!

She then went on to be one of the four finalists for National Teacher of the Year! We are so proud of Tammy, not only for this honor, but for her dedicated work with her students.

If you would like to read or hear the U.S. President acknowledge her achievement, you can do so (several paragraphs down) in this speech at the White House.

Thoughts and Prayers about the Tragedy

Sr. Pat wrote the following yesterday about the tragedy at Virginia Tech University. She said, so much better than I could, just what I would want to say:
"Still at the same time, God is always with us...I do believe an angel of God was with each student and person killed - I pray they were all ready to say Yes to a glorious eternity. It is one of the beliefs of the Church that no one dies before his time. No matter how sudden or unforeseen the tragedy is - God is there with love and mercy."
(You can read Sr. Pat's full post here.)

At the school itself, the vice-president for student affairs said:
"We will move on from this. But it will take the strength of each other to do that," said Zenobia Hikes, vice president for student affairs. "We want the world to know we are Virginia Tech, we will recover, we will survive with your prayers." (Quoted in a Fox news article here.) Thank you to Alicia for gleaning this uplifting paragraph from the long article and sharing it at her blog.

And the world is praying, Zenobia, including the Pope: "The Pope offered his prayer to 'the entire school community,' as well as the victims of the shooting, and expressed the hope that those affect would find 'the spiritual strength which triumphs over violence.' " (Quoted from Catholic World News.) Thank you to Danielle for sharing this at her blog.