As we look at the storm of divisiveness and violence tearing our nation apart, it is tempting to try to heal our divisions by ignoring controversial topics like race, abortion, LGBTQ rights, health care or climate change.
It is understandable that people of privilege would try to “reach across the aisle,” “to meet in the middle,” or “to just get along.” The problem with “peace” between privileged conservatives and privileged liberals is that it risks ignoring the fate of those left out of the power equation all together.
A democratic republic is not held together by political compromises. It is held together by the principles of human rights. The prophet Isaiah said of the false prophets of his day, “They heal the wounds of my people superficially.” and “They cry ‘peace,’ ‘peace’ when there is no true peace.” It is a false peace for a minority population of privileged white male Americans to want to get along with each other by silencing the cries of those outside the consensus of the comfortable. The problem is, while privileged white liberals and conservatives are meeting in the middle people on the margins are perishing.
The prophets cry out a warning from across the ages. Peace is not found in compromises between the comfortably powerful. Peace is found by radical and universal principles that honor the humanity of every person.
We must never forget that, when it comes to justice, we aren’t talking about issues we are talking about human beings. None of us can find true peace until there is justice for the rest of our human family. Until all of us can cross over into the promised land of justice, none of us will.