Thursday, September 21, 2006
What's In A List?
In an episode of West Wing, Donna, a White House staffer, was asked to review case histories of inmates who had been imprisoned by mandatory minimums. There were 36 names on the list. They were nonviolent offenders with no previous felonies. Grudgingly, Donna plows through the files of case histories for each of those who were listed. The intent was to pick six or seven so that the president could pardon them. When the time came to choose the lucky few, Donna refused to be part of the selection process. Her comment was, "They are not a list anymore, they are persons."
That comment resonated within me. How often do I fail to see persons behind lists? Persons designated as troops . . . candidates . . . democrats . . . republicans . . . drug offenders . . . death-row inmates. The categories could go on and on. It was a wake-up call for me. Persons have families, histories, all the successes and failures of everyday living. I pray that I remember that, the next time I encounter a "list."
It is easier to see a group as an enemy than an individual. I try to get inside the thoughts, hopes, and feelings of the individual. Periodically in my life, I've gotten upset with a group. But then when I go through people one by one, that disappears. There's nobody there that I feel that way about. The true nature of the human being is "unconditional love." This holy place awaits our entry. In any threatening and disappointing situation, try to find an energy you can move with. I have no real enemies -- only teachers who call me to grow.
Pray the News
That comment resonated within me. How often do I fail to see persons behind lists? Persons designated as troops . . . candidates . . . democrats . . . republicans . . . drug offenders . . . death-row inmates. The categories could go on and on. It was a wake-up call for me. Persons have families, histories, all the successes and failures of everyday living. I pray that I remember that, the next time I encounter a "list."
It is easier to see a group as an enemy than an individual. I try to get inside the thoughts, hopes, and feelings of the individual. Periodically in my life, I've gotten upset with a group. But then when I go through people one by one, that disappears. There's nobody there that I feel that way about. The true nature of the human being is "unconditional love." This holy place awaits our entry. In any threatening and disappointing situation, try to find an energy you can move with. I have no real enemies -- only teachers who call me to grow.
Pray the News
