Insurrection, anger, and self-reflection

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“You have heard that it was said to the men of old, ‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment” (Mt. 5:21-22).

Wednesday my husband called me and said turn on the TV. It is never good when you get such a call. It always means something awful and shocking just happened. The longer I watched the more my anger grew. Usually it quickly fades and in a few minutes I am able to adjust my emotions and my perspectives, but not this time. In the hours that followed the attack on the Capitol there were comparisons with BLM protests in the last year and how protesters were treated by the police. There was a brief moment when I wondered why all the reporting was about race rather than political ideology, but race is the political ideology of the insurrectionist and those that supported and encouraged them. What followed was a moment of realization that we have repeated the deification of the founding father in all aspects of our society. Our government was created by white men who saw everyone else as less than and now we are expected to revere them and believe that their original view was inspired. We are asked to believe that men that enslaved others and thought of women as property without rights should still be honored for their perspectives rather than admit they were men who reflected the local politics of their time. I love my country, but I do not like where it is headed. The mentality that idolized the founding fathers has been recreated over and over in our society.

The more I learn about the people and the events of January 6, the more I realize that we have been avoiding the truth our society has been hiding. The government was designed by white men, for white men and to this day is mostly governed by white men. Is it then any surprise that a significant number of Americans openly support white supremacist ideology and the associated domestic terrorism? It is all most Americans have ever known. How can anyone be surprised that the vast majority of the insurrectionists attacking the Capitol were white and predominantly male? We have taught them throughout their lives that they are superior and their wants and needs take priority.

Throughout the following days many professional organizations issued statements. Let me use the American Nurses Association (ANA) as an example because it is an organization to which I regrettably belong. ANA changed their policy and chose not to endorse a Presidential candidate for the first time in my adult life. Then they posted a condemnation of the violence and yet they supported the man that incited it. I wish it ended there, but one nurse pointed out online that the ANA has long been on the wrong side of race and gender based politics. I had not realized the ANA did not admit Black nurses until the mid 20th century or that they opposed the equal rights amendment until 1975. What I did realize is that when they revised their recent definition of nursing and in the background information they cited predominantly the same white women that historically defined the profession. They did embarrassingly little to call out racism and the impact it has on profession and the care we provide. In light of their change to the endorsement policy, which seemed designed to keep from opposing Trump, is there any question that they maintain the same ideology that got us to this point. Like those that idolize the all white, all male founding fathers the ANA seems to still idolize the all white, all female “founders” and theorists. Are we surprised they supported those that continue to endorse white supremacy and like the other rats abandoning ship now offer words of unity when they failed to speak out when it was obvious where this was headed?

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) also put out a milk toast statement that didn’t even bother to condemn the violence but rather to focus on what unites us rather than divides us. There is nothing that unites me with an insurrectionist that attempted a violent overthrow of our government. Again, why should this surprise me. The AACN has long had a hierarchy that does not represent academia, but rather the Deans. The only voting representation are deans or their equivalent of Colleges of Nursing. The Deans of US colleges of nursing are predominately White women and the leadership of the AACN throughout its history has been predominantly White women. Is it surprising that they want to focus on what units us? It is much easier than focusing on a legacy of exclusion of people of color in leadership roles. I appreciate their work in increasing diversity, but I think their statement was tone deaf.

“Anger that is motivated by compassion or a desire to correct social injustice, and does not seek to harm the other person, is a good anger that is worth having.” His Holiness the Dalai Lama

I need to acknowledge my anger and focus it toward social justice in the area of the world in which I work, nursing. In the word of Matthew Dowd, if we “really want to heal this country then the need to go through the four Rs of dealing with what they [we] have done: responsibility, regret, resolve, repair. Take responsibility. Express regret. Resolve to do better. Repair the damage they have done.” It may seem an insurmountable task to fix the racism and the racially charged politics that lead us to this day, but it is possible for each of us to have eyes to see and ears to hear. It is possible to identify the history, policy, practices, and attitudes that were designed not to be inclusive all but to prioritize some.

  • I am responsible for my own ignorance of racism and any insensitivity I have expressed even when unintentional.
  • I regret not endeavoring to learn more about the history of my profession.
  • I resolve to explore channel my anger toward social and racial justice especially within nursing.
  • I will work to repair any harm my closed eyes or uninformed actions perpetuated and being willing to hear the pain of others.

Scoop and Run: A Plan for the 4th on the National Mall

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The first time I attended the July 4th fireworks in DC it was with a friend’s family who attended every year. As we were on the metro headed to the mall she informed me that when the final volley of fireworks began to “scoop and run”. Pick up all of your stuff and run to the metro as fast as possible to be on the train that would be waiting. Otherwise, we would be stuck in the crowds for hours.

My advice to anyone attending the July 4 celebration this year is to be prepared to scoop and run. Know your exits, know where the metro is, know your way to walk across the bridge if it is too crowded and for goodness sake don’t drive. But also know where there is a safe area close to you. What shops and restaurants are open where you can get through the door and out of the crowd? Be prepared that some places in the event of mass demonstrations will go into lockdown quickly. If you are in you will stay in and if you are out you will stay out.

Events of civil unrest in cities across the United States raise awareness of injustice in our society and they appear to be on the rise. Yet, it is those moments when civil unrest occurs that we often fail to recognize the human dignity of every person. Civil unrest can lead to physical violence as it did recently in Portland. Our instinct may be to respond as we would in a disaster and seek help from police and places like the medical aid stations. However, this may be the wrong action during the unrest. Because of heightened tension between the police and the general population they may view your rapid approach as a threat rather than fear. The presence of police in the medical aid station may not be possible and even if possible, it may only attract the unrest to the area and thus be undesirable.

I doubt there will be any civil unrest at the July 4th fireworks in DC, but if I were ever going to encourage caution this would be the year. Anytime a large, nationally televised event is politicized it increases the risk of clashes. Politization may include the “baby Trump” balloon, flag burning, and white supremacists. We also know that inequalities in society, culture, and finance have resulted in civil unrest, rioting, and intentional violence throughout our history. When one group is given special privileges at an event that has always been egalatarian it increases the risk of problems.

10 tips to a safe July 4th on the National Mall

  1. Stay hydrated and be aware that there are sometimes long lines at vendors. Dehydration alters your ability to think clearly.
  2. Wear sunscreen just because I’m a nurse and we remind you of the obvious.
  3. Dress appropriately for long walks and hot weather. Running or walking shoes will be better than sandals.
  4. Bring your fanny pack first aid kit or put a small one in a bag.
  5. It is always better at large events to carry your belongings in a clear plastic tote bag so that everyone can see there is nothing of danger in it.
  6. Do not bring anything with you that could be perceived as a weapon.
  7. If you see people with weapons other than police move away as quickly as possible and notify law enforcement.
  8. Be aware of your surroundings and know where the exits are located.
  9. Do not engage people who are protesting. Even if you think you agree with them sometimes people surprise you with what offends them and when you are hot and tired your own response may even be a surprise.
  10. Be cool, be calm, be alert, be gone if trouble begins.

I hope everyone has an enjoyable July 4 and remembers that the day is a celebration of our independence. It is a time to celebrate a great nation and remember that children will be present.

Nurse Leaders’ Response to Civil Unrest requires preparation. It is a good time to go through your checklist before the events begin on July 4.

 

Saint Louis Prays for Peace

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If you are a nurse you probably remember the moment you felt the need to care for others. Nursing is more than a job for most of us. It is a vocation that we feel comes from God. Today at the prayer for peace in St. Louis one of the ministers suggested that the loss of public education and poverty results in much of the injustice that exists in our society. I could not help but wonder how many students we price out of nursing by the ever-rising tuition. How many students struggle and fail not because of inability, but because of financial barriers. And, how much inequality and injustice results from lack of access to education?

IMG_1964Standing in the shadows of where Dred Scott appealed to the justice system and found no justice, we joined together in prayer as one human family in solidarity for justice and peace. If we are to realize that prayer it requires that it result in good works and action from the whole community.

We can wonder if our prayers are heard or we can open our ears to hear. “Justice, justice you shall pursue (Deuteronomy  16:20). Are we able to recognize that many in our community are following their consciences to be civilly disobedient to an unjust law? Are we able to say what we can do to address injustice?

Whether we see justice as emanating from God or simply as fairness we should all be able to enter into a civil conversation about the issues and to do so we may need facilitators to help. I think today we meet many of those potential facilitators and they came in the form of Priests, Ministers, and Imams.

Whether the injustice your conscience calls you stand against is the use of force, escalating college tuition, health care for all, or the attack on the public school system you must stand and act. We are all called to pursue justice.

What does God want us to do? Only that we do justice.

Don’t Let Wrath and Anger Define St. Louis

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The dignity of the human being is fundamental to a moral society. We often hear that human life is under attack from abortion or the police or violent criminals, but I say human dignity and human life are under attack from wrath and anger. Last night people joined together in a desire to see social change and others joined to support friends and the community. Sadly, the night ended with civil unrest turning to violence and destruction. The morning brought out two kinds of people, those that wanted to help the Delmar Loop recover and those that wanted to throw more stones – not the ones that break windows, but the stones that break hearts, spirits, and incite further wrath and anger. Those that come to help have engaged in the community with courage. Those that throw stones have let their fear and anger control them.

 

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Broken Windows

 

We are created as social beings. How we organize ourselves and how we create and enforce laws directly impacts human life and dignity. It is time for us all (young and old, rich and poor, religious and atheist, majority and minority, liberal and conservative) to consider how the labels we assign to ourselves blind us. We all have a duty to work for the common good and we must recognize that if we fail to protect human rights we are failing in our responsibility as members of a community.

It is not necessary, nor helpful, to stand with the police and against the protestors or with protestors and against the police.  By doing so we are labeling them as one and not many. Just as there are police officers that fail in their duties there are citizens that break the trust of the community. Until we recognize and commit to fixing the breakdown in trust and the failure to be good citizens and good neighbors we can protest every day and not solve any problems. Our elected officials and police can shout from their bully pulpits about being tough on crime and not tolerate violence or property damage and will solve nothing. Indeed all that will occur is further division, further fear, and growing self-righteousness on all sides.

Broken windows are symbolic of our broken society that has lost its moral compass. We see it in the vitriolic posts on Facebook and Twitter that encourage people to hate and fear. There are far too few people willing to engage in a compassionate conversation where one is open to listening and willing to consider other perspectives. We also see it in politicians that forget that they serve the whole community and not just their base. They post things that are clearly intended to incite passions and pit groups against each other. Yet that would not work if we let go of our fears and anger.

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Today, those that love St. Louis came together in peace and love and helped the community to heal. The message of love and support should inspire us all to do better and to be better. We can begin by embracing this message and work together in a productive manner to change the rules on the use of force and address crime within our community that invariably results in confrontations with law enforcement.

It is time to let go of wrath and anger and be a city of peace and love. If you participate in the die in today let your wrath and anger die there. If you are not participating take the time pray for peace and love. Let us commit to compassionate listening today and every day.

Wrath and anger are hateful things,
yet the sinner hugs them tight.
The vengeful will suffer the LORD’s vengeance,
for he remembers their sins in detail.
Forgive your neighbor’s injustice;
then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven.
Could anyone nourish anger against another
and expect healing from the LORD?
Could anyone refuse mercy to another like himself,
can he seek pardon for his own sins?
If one who is but flesh cherishes wrath,
who will forgive his sins?
Remember your last days, set enmity aside;
remember death and decay, and cease from sin!
Think of the commandments, hate not your neighbor;
remember the Most High’s covenant, and overlook faults (Sir 27:30-28:7)

Civil Unrest in Saint Louis

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As a resident of Saint Louis, I have been shocked and appalled by the level of racism I’ve seen in this region. From people referring to “those people” talking about Jews to fear about traveling to perfectly safe areas of the city. The fear expressed by people of going into the city and interacting with African Americans was something I haven’t experienced in my lifetime even though I grew up in the rural South. This doesn’t even touch on the highly-segregated neighborhoods and churches.

Saint Louis has the potential to be one of the best cities in the country in which to live. It has nationally recognized universities, state of the art healthcare facilities, good transportation, excellent food, museums, parks, and affordable entertainment. Yet, we are rapidly being known for civil unrest rather than what should be the focus, civil rights, equality, and a new approach to law enforcement.

How we define civil unrest, how we define law enforcement, and how we define our personal roles and responsibilities impacts how we prepare and the seriousness with which we prepare. Civil unrest is “disharmony, expressive dissatisfaction and/or disagreement between members of a community, which leads to a situation of competitive aggression that may find expression as disruption of organization, conflicts, damage to property and injuries” (Kelen, Catlett, Kubit, & Hsieh, 2012). I must ask myself

  • What have I done to create a more harmonious environment?
  • What have I done to de-escalate potentially violent situations?
  • What have I done to recognize and confront racism?

The level of civil unrest in the United States had been relatively consistent until the 1960s when there was a significant increase with the onset of the Vietnam War. After the end of the war, the civil unrest declined but has been steadily increasing since 1980 (see Table 1).

Civil Unrest in the United States

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Adapted from Armstrong Economics and Wikipedia Contributors.

In the last few years, almost all the civil unrest in the United States has been related to police shootings of black males. I will never know what it feels like to be a black man that fears the police or a police officer that fears black men. I have never felt called to be a police officer, but respect those that are and can only pray that they exercise good judgment, self-restraint, and patience during times of civil unrest. It is not disloyal for an officer to recognize when a fellow officer failed the badge. I wonder what would happen if rather than standing in riot gear you all joined hands in prayer with the protestors and acknowledged their pain.

I am called to be a nurse and as such, I want all nurses to be prepared during times of civil unrest. I want you to also show good judgment, self-restraint, and compassion when discussing these issues at work. Many of those you work with have different experiences and may live in areas that are impacted. Be their strength. Be the kindness they need. Listen with their ears.

Please take the time to read Nurse Leaders’ Response to Civil Unrest in the Urban Core and let’s do all we can for our city and its citizens.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. Mt 5:9

Civil Unrest and the Role of Nursing

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The health care system must be aware of the impact civil unrest can have on the mission of providing care. We have watched, some with alarm and others with a sense of civic involvement, the incidents of civil unrest that have occurred in communities across the United States since 2014. As health care providers and administrators, we must be prepared to keep our doors open and we must know how to keep our facilities safe.

Please take the time to read

Nurse Leaders’ Response to Civil Unrest in the Urban Core

Inequalities in society, culture, and finance have resulted in civil unrest, rioting, and intentional violence throughout our history. Nowhere is this currently more apparent than in the cities of Ferguson and Baltimore. It is not the civil unrest itself, but the resulting rioting and intentional violence that can create a disaster situation. This increases the care burden of health care providers during times when the governmental structure may be overwhelmed or functioning in a less than optimal manner. Beginning with the death of Michael Brown, civil unrest over the last 2 years has necessitated a closer examination of the role nurse leaders play in preparing their staff and facilities for potential results of this civil unrest. The similarities between the results of rioting and violence and natural disaster are obvious, but the differences are significant. Without adequate preparation, providers may not offer the appropriate response. Attention to the 10 “musts” for preparedness for civil unrest will facilitate a planning process and provide for a better response and recovery when communities face these issues.