Off My Rocker

By Tommi Halvorsen Gatlin

I have fond memories of my longtime editor, John Hughes, occasionally stepping out of his glassed-in office at The Daily World in Aberdeen and offering pithy comments. Often, he addressed the rest of us on his newsroom staff as “brothers and sisters.”

One of John’s succinct remarks, posed actually as a question, came to mind recently: “Brothers and Sisters,” he probably began, “Can’t we all just get along?”

I don’t recall that John was necessarily articulating the need for his staff to stop arguing. I really don’t remember exactly what prompted his playful plea, though, which sounded like it had come from an exasperated parent trying to put a damper on his children’s bickering.

The odious tenor of much of America’s ethos these days makes me want to get a bullhorn, stand atop the highest building I can find and ask those just waiting for someone to come along and offend them: “Hey folks, can’t we just all get along?”

I am not a Pollyanna, I hasten to add. I fully understand that, as has been the case since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, there is much grievously wrong in the world in general, and in our country specifically.

But my tearing into the next 157 people who cross me, purposely or otherwise, isn’t going to help improve my circumstances, nor theirs, nor that of any other poor souls trying to make their way through life. In fact, I strongly believe in the Biblical principal of sowing and reaping: We not only reap what we ourselves sow, we reap more than we sow.

What might be the consequences to me, and just as importantly or more so, to others if I exchange thoughtfulness, caring and a bit of self-sacrifice for a bite of the seemingly sumptuous, but worm-filled fruit that I fancy? Worse, what if I mistake that delectable-looking fare for a poisonous look-alike that I serve my family?

Ugly and divisive

Since last November’s election, huge amounts of poisonous hatred has been spewing from countless people who’ve bought into the lie that they can get what they want by being as repulsively and revolting as possible.

That’s just pure ugly and divisive.

Is it really worth helping destroy this beautiful — though admittedly imperfect — country to get whatever we — so often selfishly — desire?

Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began refusing to stand for America’s flag and “The Star Spangled Banner” last year to protest what he says is police mistreatment of African-Americans. “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick said in August.

He may or may not have a legitimate concern in some instances. Though I highly esteem the police and others who place themselves in harm’s way to protect us, sadly there may have been others who haven’t been so altruistic.

They deserve better

But I disagree with Kaepernick’s stance of disrespecting America in general. Even if he’s correct, that some people are still being oppressed by authorities because of their race, stirring up acrimony to right a wrong won’t bring the desired result. Rancor and hostility only breed more rancor and hostility.

Moreover, by centering his protest on America’s flag and national anthem, Kaepernick and those in the National Football League recently following suit, completely ignore those untold numbers of military members who’ve also put themselves in harm’s way for us, many having made the supreme sacrifice.

But Kaepernick isn’t the only one who’s unlikely to get what he’s after because of how he’s going after it. Americans have the right to disagree and to protest. But our cause will seldom, if ever, be served by our becoming disagreeable ourselves.

I believe the wisest book ever written, the Bible, shows us better ways of accomplishing anything that’s worth doing. The Old Testament book of Proverbs notes in Chapter 1 that it’s invaluable for “instruction in wise behavior, righteousness, justice and equality.”

Chapter 15 tells us that a “gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, but the mouth of fools spouts folly.”

There are many other life-changing nuggets of wisdom in the book of Proverbs, as well. And put into practice, they can really help us “get along” with others.