originally published in The Chattanooga Times Free Press
On my birthday this past Sunday, I made a wish for peace and civility. Why? I’d gotten a phone call full of hurt, fear and outrage at the current situation, asking me how to achieve that goal. I had no idea, so I decided to post this question online: “How are we going to stop all this violence, hate, and threats? Can we?” Eager for answers, I was fascinated by this response: “Can we? Peace? We have “all or nothing mindsets”, and “like oil and water”, two people, ideas, or things that are inherently incompatible and will not mix or get along. Yes, there is potential for resolution, but it’s tricky.”
Tricky indeed! Or maybe non-existent! One of the founders of cultural/structural anthropology, Claude Levi-Strauss noted that it’s human nature to distrust the outsider and have negativity towards the Other. That’s what I studied at Harvard back in the 1960s and have struggled with ever since. Levi-Strauss maintained that there are always cycles of intensity that can take our breathe away. We’re in one now, and it’s really hard to breathe.
Later that day, we attended a ‘Comedy for Peace’ program at the Christ United Methodist Church that I hoped would bring some relief. Various faith communities including Chattanooga’s Jewish Federation hosted Christian, Jewish and Muslim comedians. Yes, it definitely put a smile on my face. Happy Birthday!
The three comedians engaged us with stories about their lives and work that illustrated both their differences and what they have in common. Erik Angel, an Israeli-Jewish comedian, amused us with stories of being an immigrant, newly wed, and falafel fan. Kaitie Blunt, a Christian comedian and single mom uses the power of laughter to challenge bully culture and build a kinder, safer world—especially for the next generation. Gibran Saleem, a Muslim-American comedian raised in Virginia and shaped by his vibrant Pakistani household, has an insightful, and hilarious take on identity, culture, and the everyday absurd.
None of the comedians were local and they typically traveled around the country, and sometimes, around the world. But they all expressed their appreciation for Chattanooga’s beauty, goodwill and friendly smiles. Let’s add our interfaith collaborations to this list of assets because the combination can provide answers to these questions: ‘How are we going to stop all this violence, hate, and threats?’ And ‘Can we?’
The first time I formed an interfaith coalition was more than 30 years ago along the technical corridor in the Chicago area where there was an amazingly diverse population. Unfortunately, there were also riots in the streets and threats against the lives of community leaders and educators regarding religious differences. Our first meeting was a name-calling yelling fest until I insisted our goal was peace and civility, not hate and revenge. We proceeded with panel discussion open to the public where diverse speakers shared stories about their lives and work. We were not comedians, but we did engage audiences with our stories. We shared what we had in common: families, homes, work places and aspirations. We educated everyone from law enforcement to healthcare professionals about cultural differences: holidays, food, calendars and traditions around life and death. The impact was excellent – there hasn’t been a riot in the community in decades.
What can we take away from this for today’s world? First, make sure that peace and civility are our goals and that our leaders insist on maintaining those goals. Second, share our stories so that we can better know what we have in common. Lastly, remember that a friendly smile can be a powerful tool. So use that tool when you’re seeking peace and civility.
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