Prophecy and hypocrisy, revisited

 Over the years, I've been to many observations and celebrations of the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. While many of these have been inspiring, there is often the fly of what Lincoln in another context called "the base alloy of hypocrisy" in the ointment, as I noted in this post from two years ago. I still recommend checking out the lyrics there of the late Phil Ochs' song Crucifixion, which sums up this dynamic better than anything I can say.

Specifically, the hypocrisy that grates on me occurs when politicians and people in positions of power who would have feared, hated and despised everything Dr. King  stood for--especially in later years when he turned his attention increasing to issues of economic justice and opposing the war in Vietnam--speak pious words from the pulpit or podium. As Ochs sang, "the drama is distorted to what they want to hear."

This year, the King family has issued a strong statement calling for "no celebration without legislation" for voting rights. As Andrea Waters King was quoted by CBS News, "We can't celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. without having the legislation, the cornerstone of his legacy, the cornerstone of our democracy, solidified."

That message is especially relevant to West Virginia, where Senator Joe Manchin's vote, which looks like a longshot at this point, will be crucial. Ironically, after some struggle by lots of people here led by the state's Black community, Manchin helped to draft the Freedom to Vote Act, which actually  has a lot of positive provisions, especially if partnered with the John Lewis Voting Rights Act...but it looks like he won't vote for it, supposedly out of reverence for senate rules.

Whatever.

This is one of the decisive moments in US history. My advice to Senator Manchin is this: if he doesn't act decisively to protect voters' rights and democracy, don't bother showing up for these events ever again. It would just add insult to injury.

Really.

And while we're at it, please check out this op-ed from the Charleston Gazette-Mail on the same topic by Rev. David Fryson.

Pass the chronos, please

I often think about how the New Testament uses two Greek words for time, kairos and chronos. Times of kairos can be described as critical, make-or-break, pivot points, hinges of history, times of decision and all that. Chronos is like the ordinary run of times when things are not so...interesting. 

It seems like this truly is a time of kairos for the nation and the planet with so much at stake, including ensuring the future of democracy; dealing with catastrophic climate change; fighting off authoritarianism; addressing gross inequalities and such, all in the middle of a pandemic. And things seem pretty close to unraveling all over the place.

And, just to prove that God, the gods, Lady Fortuna and/or world history have a sense of humor, people from West Virginia are going to have a disproportionate impact for good or ill. Will the right to vote be guaranteed or will the forces of racist voter suppression win? Will we "build back better" with a stronger and cleaner infrastructure and more just economy for all? Will we take what may be a last chance to deal with climate?

Which also means, what are the most effective things that we can do here and now to move things in a more positive or at least less bad direction? A lot of my friends are working on it. And we're all feeling it.

I keep thinking about those lines from Lord of the Rings where Frodo said "I wish it need not have happened in my time." 

To which Gandalf replies, "So do I...and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."

I wouldn't mind a good chunk of chronos right about now.

Say it ain't so, Joe

 WV Senator Joe Manchin wrote an op-ed yesterday on his opposition to the HR 1/S 1 For the People Act, which was designed to protect and expand voting rights. No doubt that was good news to white nationalists, insurrectionists and their enablers and apologists, and vote suppressors--but, as this article shows, it was a slap in the face to Black West Virginians, who arguably provided his margin of victory in the last election, not to mention anyone who cares about democracy.

On a positive note, it was nice to see the United Mine Workers Union issue this statement today in favor of the proposed legislation. Union president Cecil Roberts said that  “Congress should be doing everything possible to not just maintain, but expand voting access and create freer and fairer elections. If only one party is interested in doing that, then so be it.”

I think somebody kicked a hornet's nest and I have a feeling this isn't over.