Thoughts From Guest Writer, Angela Bengtson

Angela Bengtson, a friend from our time in Buffalo, MN, recently shared content by Heather Cox Richardson, political historian and writer, on a well-known social media platform. Not unusual, I know, but Angela's introduction to the post included information from another well-known writer and it was so well-written I asked if I could post it on my blog. Angela graciously agreed. The post centers on dehumanization and its connection to current political activity. Read away!

Heather Cox Richardson is a political historian who writes daily reflecting on what is happening in the world today and what insight we might find in history. Today, she reflected on past cycles where dehumanizing categories of people has been used for political gain: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15oHnE4qJ9/

Here's how Brene Brown describes dehumanization: "Groups targeted based on their identity—gender, ideology, skin color, ethnicity, religion, age—are depicted as “less than” or criminal or even evil. The targeted group eventually falls out of the scope of who is naturally protected by our moral code." ~ https://brenebrown.com/.../dehumanizing-always-starts.../

It is the opposite of loving your neighbor.

Back to Heather Cox Richardson: "In The Cross Section, Paul Waldman notes that the point of the right wing’s dehumanization of political opponents is to dismiss the pain they are inflicting. If the majority of Americans are not really human, toying with their lives isn’t important—maybe it’s even LOL funny to pretend to take a chainsaw to the programs on which people depend. “We are ants, or even less,” Waldman writes, “bits of programming to be moved around at Elon’s whim. Only he and the people who aspire to be like him are actors, decision-makers, molding the world to conform to their bold interplanetary vision.”"

And Brene again: "Once we see people on “the other side” of a conflict as morally inferior and even dangerous, the conflict starts being framed as good versus evil."

It is easy to mentally write off the malicious billionaires and distant uneducated (statistically) masses who theoretically got us here.

It is more painful to think about the choices of normal people in my local world who otherwise seem informed and compassionate. And it becomes harder to be in personal and professional relationships, or even in public settings, with folks who voted to dehumanize your loved ones.

I saw a post from someone the other day looking to change hairstylist ... I know a fiber art teacher who is stepping back from teaching ... I know another professional who is becoming more selective in who they accept as clients. I find myself quietly chuckling at a meme before acknowledging it might cross a line I don't want to cross. I find myself struggling to worship alongside "those people" before reminding myself they are also made in God’s image.

But no one in my life is among the billionaires who will benefit from any of this. We are ALL the nonplayer characters, part of the "parasite class" who have no value to their game.