What To Do With Rage

"To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.” ~ James Baldwin
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When I saw this quote I thought to myself: "this was me to a tee."  If I remove negro from this sentence it was an apt description.  From the age of 16 I knew something was amiss.  I just couldn't tell what it was.  And I got angry and was angry for a long time.  

For Baldwin he had to leave the USA to find a place he could call home, he was attacked on the left and the right for being black, gay, a freedom fighter, and outspoken.

And while that direction was right for Baldwin, it is not right for me.  If there is one thing I have learned from Quaker meeting it is that you can't run from your thoughts, they follow you wherever you go.  For me the transformative power of Quaker Meeting was using the alchemy of silence to change rust into gold.  That is changing rage about the way things are through love to create the world we seek.  

As we come upon April and consider the world we seek, I ask that members of the meeting consider seven areas that we can share with FCNL (Friends Committee on National Legislation) for our representatives in Washington DC.  You can write down seven areas that you feel are important for legislative action and include up to 20 words as a comment on each.  Such as: 

Dismantling Nuclear Weapons
The world I seek is one where we do not threaten each other with mutually assured destruction, but use that money for constructive purposes such as education and the general uplift of all people.  

Rage has it place, but it is only useful for a very narrow thing -- getting into action.  If you are angry, offended, and upset by the actions of government that's okay.  What are the next steps?  

Here's one: Join the Outreach, Peace, and Justice Committee on April 7th at 10 am and share your thoughts. 

Some Quaker concerns are: 

• Peacebuilding, diplomacy and the peaceful prevention of war the Middle East 
• Reduction in military spending and armed interventions
• Nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation
• Equitable and fair criminal justice system
• Immigration system that promotes dignity and fairness 
• Open and transparent political process
• Ending gun violence 
• Witnessing Native American concerns & honoring treaties
• Economic justice 
• Healthcare affordability
• Sustainable energy solutions and climate change ​

Here are some queries to consider: 

• What am I angry about? 
• What comes after rage? 
• Do I just complain about the way things are or am I part of the solution? 
• How do I constructively engage with the powers that be? 
• What areas can I work on that will make a difference? 

Joseph Olejak 

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