Not Everything is Political

Last updated on: August 31, 2020 at 4:43 pm by Jennifer Fitz

Not Everything is Political 2020-08-31T16:43:33-05:00 Jennifer Fitz

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Today I was alarmed to find myself needing write this.

So let me explain something, again, about Southern culture: We honor the dead.

To my knowledge there is one, single, possibly-valid argument for maintaining Confederate memorials, and it is that regardless of their sins, it is good to remember our forebears and honor their virtues. If you are an old-school Republican governor of one the reddest of the red-states, a state so certain to swing for Trump that MAGA hats just are here, and you are old enough to have been a student at the time your university was protesting federally-mandated desegregation, it is possible you believe, you truly believe, that the dead deserve to be honored even if their politics are not in vogue with the present winds that hold aloft your political kite.

Or maybe you are just a heartless political hack, but you were raised to act right.

Or maybe it is tactically expedient for you to act right, because you are watching our democracy implode and you really don’t feel like calling up the National Guard again.

Regardless. This is my message today, directed to American citizens who still have an inkling of the virtues on which this republic was founded: It’s okay to reach across the aisle and show a bit of decency on the untimely death of a much-loved son or daughter of your own state.

You can do that.

You can be kind to people whose politics are not your own.

It is not necessary for your every act to be ruled by an ideological purity test.

Maybe if we tried more of that, we wouldn’t have quite so many cities burning just now?

Photo: American Eagle with E Pluribus Unum on a silver dollar, Public Domain.

PS: The South is terrible and backwards, please stay away or you’ll get shot by hornet-sharks or something.

Previous Post

August 27, 2020

Quit Feeding the Rhetoric of "Fear"

Next Post

September 8, 2020 Stepping Off the Political Fear-Mobile

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Books Catechesis Catholic Q&A Chastity Church Craziness Come See Me Talk Disability & Chronic Illness Economics Evangelization Facepalm Forgiveness Good Things History Homeschooling Human Rights It's All Catholic Listen to Me Survey Series Liturgical Living Marriage Modesty Not Satire. But almost. Rant-o-Rama Sacred Art & Music Satire South Carolina Spark Clutter Stick that Corner Suffering Thinking Topics Writing Stuff

Select a Month September 2026 July 2026 June 2026 January 2026 December 2025 September 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 November 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 May 2019 April 2019 February 2019 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What is the seventh commandment?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Thou shall not commit adultery. Thou shalt not murder. Thou shall have no other gods before me. Thou shall not covet.