Dreaming the World

I’ve been left wordless. In spite of that, I’ll try to write something in response to recent events; these events demand words and actions.

The weather has turned, and remains, warm and dry. Most of the trees, save the oaks, have lost their leaves. Like last year, here in November there are few signs of winter.

Last week Jennie and I presented at an expressive therapies conference in New York City. Although we worried that our presentation, on using object and toy theatre for clinical and social change, was not quite ready, the day went very well indeed. Somehow those in the master class felt safe enough to speak about their fear and anger following the election. Slowly that sense of permission, even necessity, seemed to spread through the conference as a whole.

One discussion at the conference was about the ways the election, and the violence and racism of the new administration, are creating new trauma for those  already traumatized. This seems true for those suffering intergenerational trauma, those with battle trauma, and those who have experienced myriad forms of other harm. I imagine the consequences of the verbal, and physical, violence will be long-lasting.

Sadly, as the weekend progressed we learned that the president in waiting has chosen advisors who have publicly spoken of hatred for persons with disabilities, Jews, people of color, the LBGT community, and Natives. They have said, essentially, they are coming after us.

I was raised Christian, my father seeing no conflict between Christianity and Native religion. He seemed not to harbor anger against the role Christian churches played in the decimation of Natives and our cultures. Rather, he looked to Jesus as a model for being in the world, as do I. Now I wonder where the Christians who follow Jesus are, and why so many, especially the Evangelicals among whom I grew up, are silent about the violence and threat.  I find myself awakening in the night, thinking: it is happening, again, HERE. I wonder what Jesus is feeling as he watches so much harm being done in his name.