There was a recent post that brought a lot of drama, dishonesty, and attempts to manipulate to the fore, and attempts by some to redirect that towards community healing. The original poster has removed it. Let me tell you folks something. Im probably resented at times for having to be playground monitor and Im getting tired of it. Here is why I do this. I was raised in the Unitarian church, and our minister was a man named Karel Botermans. Our family was in difficult times and he was a sort of surrogate father to me as well. Karel fought in the Dutch Underground during WW2, and was responsible for hundreds of Jewish families getting to safety. He was being hunted by the Nazis and had to flee to the US, and then studied for the ministry here. He also refused to pay a portion of his taxes during the Vietnam war and went to jail for that and for protests during the Civil Rights movement. You can Google his name to see more if you wish. He took his Sunday school teaching very seriously, and many of us were profoundly influenced by him. One of the things he said over and over is that Love is a verb. Also that our practice must be to serve our communities, that all the words in the world have no meaning if service to others isnt part of our lives. He saved my mothers life, and in a sense mine, and I made a vow to live what he taught. He taught also a kind of tough love, to look people straight in the eye and say the truth, even if it hurts. Enabling others BS is not love. If someone is taking advantage of others, not following through on their responsibilities, lying, stealing, being manipulative or whatever, no one is done a favor by putting up with it. Witness, speak, heal. But with love. Everything is fun and games and gossip and drama on FB until we have a real need to work well together as a community. FB is a great tool for community activism, but so at risk for being dragged down to the lowest common denominator. Much of Karels generation is gone, those that *had* to learn to work towards the greater good with high ethics and hard work. Are we ready to take the torch? Can we protect our community against real dangers like corporate or individual greed damaging the environment, too much government control, thieves impacting our own safety, etc.? Not if we cant communicate well and work together effectively. Thats what this group is for. There, sermon for the day, in honor of my beloved and always remembered Karel Botermans, a hero and angel for the greater good of all. Fight evil with love and commununal strength and intelligence and right action, please, in memory of him and others like him. Thank you all who help keep this group on track for Williams well-being.
Posted on: Tue, 09 Sep 2014 19:24:10 +0000
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