Why do people when they hear something disturbing to their conscience feel the need to attack the messenger rather than dialog and listen to each other. Republicans do it with Democrats and Democrats do it with Republicans. They attack each other, thus avoiding listening to each other messages and having a dialog about the difference. This method of ignoring the message and attacking the messenger over dialog seems to be popular these days.
As one of the imperfect messengers of two messages, Stop Teaching Killing at Marquette University and Using the money given to St. Catherine’s parish as stewards to do the corporal and spiritual works of mercy in the neighborhoods where the money came from, I know something of these experience. I also know there is some truth to the fact that I have been responsible for actions that made it easier to ignore the message by marginalizing the messenger. There is some truth to all stigmas as I keep finding out.
However, as anyone involved in either of these situations know that when others present the message of to stop teaching killing at Marquette or writing a parable of how lives can be changed by St. Catherine being good stewards of the money given to them, they are ignored also. Maybe they are not marginalized as much as some of us but, nether the less, message is still ignored.
What to do when one is ignored and marginalized. Many persons, especially powerless and poor, give up and just accept whatever the “powers that be” decide. Some protest and talk about what is right but take no action. A few, progressive Democrats, and right wing conservatives stigmatize the other side.
What to do? I think Jesus gave us the answer when he said “love your enemies and do well to those who hurt you. St. Ignatius said when she would be happy when we are prosecuted or insulted in the name of Jesus or for proclaiming his message.
For me this means not giving up and accepting what others decide for us, not protesting and talking about what is right and certainly not stigmatize the other side.
It means trying for dialog, reconciliation, accepting the suffering and still loving your enemies or friends. I was not very good doing this at a meeting tonight but being negative to me and getting angry about getting angry does no good. The answer my friend, I believe, is blowin in the wind: simply continuing to profess one’s conscience and message and suffering the blows and insults that may come my way while continuing to love my enemies and friends. The message of Jesus Christ to stop teaching killing or to give preference to share money with poor and marginalized needs to be said, if need be, over and over again. At the same time we must listen and dialog when others express what their conscience says abut teaching war at a Catholic University or about what to do about the stewardship of the money. People can minimize and marginalize someone’s expression of conscience but eventfully conscience will win out. Easter is a good time to remember this lesson and to bring an end to one’s own marginalizing and ignoring the message.
I think back to the sixties where many were fighting segregation and poverty in North Central Milwaukee and some of us were struggling to end the draft, ROTC and war in Vietnam. I look around now and seen more segregation and poverty in north central Milwaukee then at that time. I see a Catholic University have a region contract with Department of Defe3nse to host three military training schools at Marquette and know we lost those battles. But I do not think we should give up. I believe research, information, social teaching of the Gospel and storytelling could change people’s minds and open them to dialog and discussion. I was wrong. The only thing that works is the same thing that has worked for thousands of year to make meaningful change, nonviolent creative action.
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