Last Friday, I listened to two patriotic speeches given by Barack and Michelle Obama at the opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, Illinois.1
At the heart of these speeches was the United States Declaration of Independence, ringing through the centuries: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”2
Throughout my life this refrain has produced inspiration, and confusion. In spirit, it flows straight to the core; in practice, it leaves much to be desired. Nevertheless, these words provide essential guidance as we attempt to navigate the twists and turns of our shared human experience.
Earlier this month, while in Washington D.C. for my cousin's wedding, I read another noteworthy phrase etched into the Jefferson Memorial: “I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.” This sentiment felt uniquely poignant after following Jefferson’s statue’s gaze directly to the White House, which was partially blocked from view by a giant steel arch and cage erected for the first ever UFC fight on the South Lawn.
During his speech, Barack described two stories that embody the American experience. First, the story of might makes right: the strong have always dominated the weak, the weak will never be equal, fear conquers love. Next, the story of we the people: the human conscience exists, to harm another is to harm Oneself, love conquers all. Michelle reaffirmed our collective interdependence in her own speech, pointing toward the unity in diversity that is a cornerstone of the democratic project: “They are us and we are them.”
Perhaps most remarkable was the idea that these stories are not entirely incompatible. Indeed, the promise of humanity may lie in recognizing the goldilocks zone between these two poles: to make peace with our own inner demons rather than projecting them outward onto ever more familiar scapegoats.
In the final analysis, the most oppressive form of tyranny may be that of the or: victim or perpetrator, guilty or innocent. This makes sense: the or is an easy way to signal which team we’re on (us vs them), allowing us to take mental shortcuts and forgo critical thinking. Yet, at the truest level, we are all both, victim and perpetrator, guilty and innocent: we contain multitudes.
“Oftentimes have I heard you speak of one who commits a wrong as though he were not one of you, but a stranger unto you and an intruder upon your world. But I say that even as the holy and the righteous cannot rise beyond the highest which is in each one of you, So the wicked and the weak cannot fall lower than the lowest which is in you also.”3
Rather than vilifying our own shadows from a place of self-judgement and fear, may we soon be holding them with love and laughter; dancing together in bittersweet communion.
Love always,
David
1) Obama Presidential Center Opening Remarks LINK
2) United States Declaration of Independence LINK
3) The Prophet by Khalil Gibran
