My efforts to present my ‘opinions of the truth’ in a gentler and more kind way over the last few years seem not to be working. My latest effort came today with the gentle and kind creation of a web page, Resurrect the Rims. This page along with organizing a local gathering at a nearby Church is an attempt to have an open and honest discussion on the question of whether prohibiting teens and young adults from playing full court basketball in daylight hours is really good for the neighborhood, county park residents and the park itself.
My hope is that this attempt will not be ignored as have my other attempts on other issues to have a civil and honest discussion of questions. A few years ago I even had the President of Marquette University saying we could debate the question of military bases on a Catholic campus, only to find the so called ‘peace persons’ at the university killed the debate.
However, failure or being ignored cannot stop one from speaking their conscience, even if it is their ‘opinion of the truth.’ Like Dorothy Day, co-founder of the Catholic Worker movement I say: “My understanding of the teaching of the Church is that we must follow our conscience, even an erroneous conscience.”
This attitude might come across as ‘arrogant’ at times, especially when I am pushing my ‘opinions of truth’ as Gandhi calls them with enough respect for other opinions. Speaking and acting on our conscience and ‘opinion of the truth’ is necessary, but that we must try to do it in a gentle and kind way is difficult.
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