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Words and Their Impact

9/21/2016

7 Comments

 
Last week, I received a copy of a message that William Jones, President of Bethany College, shared with his Bethany College family and the Lindsborg community in response to the racially-charged threats aimed at him and his family. Having grown up in that area—I attended high school in Lindsborg and watched my father serve as a very successful volunteer fundraiser for Bethany College—this incident hits me on a deeply personal level. As well as the obvious disgust to learn that such racist actions are going on, the potential impacts are way beyond upsetting and are making folks feel unsafe in this small, tight-knit community. Apparently, because of Bethany’s success in recruiting minority students, a small faction want to shut the college down. Although the college is rightfully doing their best to protect free speech and avoid any connection to politics, I understand the folks responsible for the threats have made very clear their political leanings—going so far as to shift the message of their chosen Presidential candidate into the despicable phrase, “Make Lindsborg white again.”

Though, as a country, we have made strides towards our founding belief that all people are created equal, the way this progress is perceived, disseminated to, and acted upon by the general public has often reminded us just how much work remains—on both a systemic and grassroots level. We have grown more conscious of intolerance and injustice and demanded greater respect for our historically-marginalized communities, but yet, hateful messages and actions persist in many ways and all across the country. So how have we arrived here, and what can we do about it? I do not pretend to know for sure with great accuracy. But I know we have had disagreements over the direction of our communities and our country throughout history and have been able to discuss these issues civilly within our political sphere. Today, I worry that this ability may be eroding, and these problems are only made worse by the intolerant rhetoric spewing outward from the Presidential election.

I understand there is blame to go around—in truth, no one is without some responsibility. But when Donald Trump suggests that the Secret Service guarding Hillary Clinton should not be armed, just to “see what might happen,” I fear we have done more than just reach a new low in this Presidential race. I believe we have, in essence, authorized politically compatible citizens—who in many cases are legitimately frustrated Americans—to take actions that were never before thought as acceptable for any person.

At a time when we should be debating the best way to grow the economy, take care of our infrastructure, deal with the challenge of immigration, and preserve our nation’s security—just to name a few—​instead what we see all too often looks like a food fight. This was made possible by irresponsible Republican candidates who failed to step up and seriously challenge the Donald. And, of course, the press always likes a horse race, so they did their best to provide him with as much free publicity as possible. But the outcome of this election will be decided by the people—one-by-one—who enter the voting booth, and before they do so, I strongly urge them to consider this question: Do we really want to elect a President whose primary “accomplishment” so far has been to bring out the worst in us?

All of this is now playing out in the area where I grew up—the place I originally learned the importance of community and the value of mutual respect. I have been encouraged by the response from the Lindsborg and Bethany College community, who have rallied around their leader and his family to affirm their support for a more inclusive campus and community. Though this supportive response doesn’t come as a surprise to me, I believe it sends a strong message to those who spew hate that the revolting actions they have threatened will not be tolerated. I also want to believe that come November 8th we will have significant positive results, so the message of darkness will have suffered a setback and, as a country and a state, we will have some hope for a stronger, more united future.
7 Comments
TH
9/20/2016 08:45:59 pm

True. But the letter he wrote was inspired as well as inspirational. Equally so the community response. If nothing else, we can be happy the resistance to the nutbags who are hiding in our midst. Now if we could just get the majority to see the connection between these loons and the vile D. Trump.

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Dindu Muffins link
9/21/2016 08:07:46 am

You are a sad cuck of an individual. We're gonna Make America Great Again. Also White Again, but that will take a bit more time.

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Lindsborg Resident
9/21/2016 10:44:41 am

You show your intelligence (or lack thereof) by nearly every word of your statements. We do NOT need to "make America great again" ...we have ALWAYS been great. We NEED to make the United States respected, welcoming and looked up to as a leader in progressive economic development, compassionate and responsible in caring for her citizens (ALL OF THEM) and supportive of her allies. Freedom of Speech is a great thing, BUT the right DOES NOT give her people the right to infringe on the personal rights of other, when that occurs it is NOT FREE SPEECH...it is human degradation and oppression of the rights of others. THIS COUNTRY HAS NEVER BEEN WHITE, NIR SHOULD IT EVER BE!! Native Americans were here long before we "Europeans" came and there is a reason we were known as the melting pot of the world. We embrace diversity, we welcome people from all ethnicities, all cultures, all races and we support anyone who wants to join us in building a good life for everyone. And we do not welcime, embrace nor encourage anyone who will make threats against those (based on racial, social, ethnic and religious profiling)whom they deem unworthy. Threats are never acceptable and they are unconscionable when they are directed at children and people who are simply "not the same".

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Learn your American History
9/21/2016 09:31:56 am

America was never white to begin with. Want to return it to it's true roots, then return it to the Native Americans. THEY are the TRUE color of this country.

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Henry Rollins is NOT Gay
9/21/2016 10:14:53 am

The Native Americans were a sad failed people. My proof? Visit a reservation. They have free college, free healthcare, and massive welfare benefits. What have they done with these advantages? Gotten fat, drunk, inbred and criminal. Wake up. - HenryRollins

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K. Glen Morrison
9/23/2016 05:23:02 am

What you have just described is what happens to a nation (in this case native Americans) is placed on a welfare system.

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Lindsborg area
9/21/2016 01:09:12 pm

America never was a melting pot, as some may say. And the amount of people telling white people to go back to Europe is very sad, considering "native Americans" came here via a land bridge from Eur-asia. No one is indigenous to this country, as some may say, and it's wrong to punish white people for creating a country in which we all, European and non European people live.
Regardless of all that, this story is very fishy. The chalk messages pertained to a political candidate, and at worst a racial message said make Lindsborg white again. This is what was in the articles I have read on the subject. So the extra stuff, about bodies being drawn, and this presidents family being targeted, seems a bit fabricated. How convenient but to play the victim card when your college is in financial collapse.
It is an insult on Christianity, and to the community, to drag them through unnecessary drama, when there has never been a real threat. If there was, why no pictures? In this last few years of racial outrage I find it hard to believe, considering the number of hoax's that have happened, when people try to create hate crimes.

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    John W. Carlin​—​61st Speaker of the Kansas House, 40th Governor of Kansas, 8th Archivist of the United States, and student of leadership

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