Be Inclusive: Unity Is Not Sentimental

The following journal entry is part one of Issue 019: The Trailhead—Leadership for American Unity. You can read the introduction to the series here.

I. Two Americas

“We live in two Americas,” LeBron James said at a news conference on January 7, 2021. “And a prime example of that was yesterday.”

Reading the differing narratives about American history as told by Hillsdale College and the 1619 Project makes his point a difficult one to argue against. 

And it’s those same divergent narratives to which Abraham Lincoln referred in 1864 in a speech given in Baltimore:

“The world has never had a good definition of the word liberty, and the American people, just now, are much in want of one. We all declare for liberty; but in using the same word we do not all mean the same thing. With some the word liberty may mean for each man to do as he pleases with himself, and the product of his labor; while with others the same word may mean for some men to do as they please with other men, and the product of other men's labor. Here are two, not only different, but incompatible things, called by the same name, liberty. And it follows that each of the things is, by the respective parties, called by two different and incompatible names--liberty and tyranny.

“The shepherd drives the wolf from the sheep's throat, for which the sheep thanks the shepherd as his liberator, while the wolf denounces him for the same act, as the destroyer of liberty, especially as the sheep was a black one. Plainly, the sheep and the wolf are not agreed upon a definition of the word liberty; and precisely the same difference prevails to-day among us human creatures, even in the North, and all professing to love liberty. Hence we behold the process by which thousands are daily passing from under the yoke of bondage hailed by some as the advance of liberty, and bewailed by others as the destruction of all liberty. Recently, as it seems, the people of Maryland have been doing something to define liberty, and thanks to them that, in what they have done, the wolf's dictionary has been repudiated.”

Our generation’s calling is to heal this divide—finally—and create a culture, even if a sub-culture, where understanding what unity is and why it matters is central to the American mind. To do that, we need more than a union of states; we need a shared narrative about who we are as a people.

II. We need a shared narrative.

Considering the words of Abraham Lincoln and the historical truth to which he was referring, leadership for American unity includes telling a shared narrative about who “we the people” really are, what we stand for, and what we will leave behind for the next generation. In the same way that “Join, or Die” was one of America’s earliest political cartoons, we need each other regardless of differing views, geographic locations, and regional interests.

A shared narrative happens organically when we actively include multiple points of view. Logically, there can only be one reality; a differing view can only be a threat to ours when our version of reality intentionally excludes portions of the truth.

Unity therefore is not sameness, conformity, or codependency. And it is not a sentimental feeling of togetherness. As Henri Nouwen wrote in Reaching Out, sentimentality is related to violence, because they both find their source in the illusion of immortality.

“Our human relationships easily become subject to violence and destruction when we treat our own and other people’s lives as properties to be defended or conquered and not as gifts to be received. We often see in the center of an intimate relationship the seeds of violence.” (p. 119)

Unity is not a sentimental celebration that helps us feel good while we treat the other side as if they are the problem. Rather, the desire for unity changes us so that we don’t see the other side as the problem; we see that the problem is viewing human life as property to be defended or conquered, which is the essence of disunity.

III.  An inclusive faith: What we really desire is the kingdom of God.

Viewing our lives as gifts to be received reveals that being inclusive finds its source not only in American founding ideals, but also at a deeper level, in an inclusive faith made possible by the love that God has for us. And it’s reconnecting with that love, and doing life with that love as our source, that all of humanity ultimately desires. Once we realize this, we can at least on a foundational level include everyone.

To deepen your perspective on human desire, read The Weight of Glory by C.S. Lewis, Desiring God by John Piper, and Desire: The Journey We Must Take to Find the Life God Offers by John Eldredge, and for perspective on an inclusive faith read The Universal Christ by Richard Rohr.

Because we are all children of God who desire life in the kingdom of God at our core, even when we don’t realize this, inclusivity must be key to any definition of unity and therefore freedom. Additionally, human conflict is rooted in a desire for inclusive connection and “humanity’s endless capacity for self-rejection,” as Richard Rohr remembers Henri Nouwen saying to him privately about sin. When we sense conflict that might erupt into disunity, we can continually work towards or hope for reciprocal human connections.

As followers of Christ, we know that it’s relational freedom, not simply political or economic freedom, that is what we desire most, and what we have been given:

“Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you.” Galatians 5, The Message

“A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.” Romans 8, The Message

The brutal tyranny of sin and death is the worst form of tyranny because it separates us from each other, and to be inclusive means we shouldn’t, as children of God, scapegoat and hate people as if we are not part of the same problem. Instead being inclusive means experiencing pain as part of our solidarity with humanity.

When relationships are not reciprocal or when they become abusive—especially by those with power or authority over us and in leadership positions—unity does not require us to stay in them, because unity in that context does not exist. In an abusive context, or when a follower behaves unethically, the relationship is not inclusive, grounded in wisdom, or creative. Leaving then becomes the first step towards healing and makes future unity possible. And it’s the job of the leader or person in power, or the person who behaved unethically, to pursue restoration.

As leaders, when we hear critical or demeaning feedback, it’s our job not to feel threatened, even when the words spoken come as a shock from our friends, peers, and people of faith in our church. This is not easy and will change the dynamic of the friendship, but when we remember that it’s our job to include them and advocate for them, we can listen and try to promote their well-being in the way that we respond.

IV.  Inclusive community is the role of Congress in American government.

 “We are sent hither to consult, not to contend, with each other.”

-Benjamin Franklin

In the context of leadership for American unity, Congress and local legislative bodies are designed for inclusive community building. Issues aren’t divisive; people are. Immigration, abortion, guns, climate change, taxes, healthcare, and energy production are not inherently divisive issues. We as people divide over these issues because we choose to do so. We can choose unity, too.

Compromise doesn’t mean all sides lose something and no one is satisfied; it means we consult with each other long enough to create something new, a new solution that might last hundreds of years—like two legislative bodies in one Congress, with both equal and proportional representation instead of choosing between the two—and without spending decades fighting about it every election cycle.

Being inclusive means to ask questions, to listen to and incorporate others’ viewpoints to create a shared historical narrative and shared solutions. It means listening to the voices of those we have historically marginalized so that we can find the path to wisdom. It means that conservatives and liberals must recognize the real-life experiences that shape the other side’s views. The next post will cover fear in greater length, but politically, we need not fear being taken advantage of, because we have endless opportunities to course correct, to check and balance us from too quickly adopting popular positions that might lead to personal or national destruction. And that is the beauty of the container of the US Constitution and self-government in which we can create a culture of inclusive community.

Finally, our willingness to be inclusive often hinges on what we think wisdom means. The second action that defines unity—stay grounded in wisdom—is the subject of the next journal entry.

Issue 019: The Trailhead—Leadership for American Unity is a companion series to Liberatus Volume One, and both were made possible by the many contributors to and creators of Liberatus over the last seven years. To inspire American unity in your community, get a copy of Volume One, share it with your friends, family, and colleagues, give directly to the mission by donating or setting up a recurring contribution as a Liberatus Advocate, or help lead our country to unity by applying to join the Liberatus Leadership Council.

The Mission: To create a culture of American unity for the next generation by producing content, experiences, and leaders that inspire it today. Our goal is to publish a high-quality, biannual illustrated journal and to give 20% of the funds received for copies ordered on the Liberatus website to partner organizations* creating a culture of American unity across the United States.

HOW DO YOU CREATE A CULTURE OF UNITY?

If you have professional experience in American politics or government, you can add your ideas to the series. To get started writing to inspire unity and work with us to reach the goal of biannual publication of illustrated journals, apply to join the Liberatus Leadership Council.

Mission: Inspire American Unity

Create a culture of American unity for the next generation by producing content, experiences, and leaders that inspire it today.

Journal Entry #124

ISSUE 019: THE TRAILHEAD—LEADERSHIP FOR AMERICAN UNITY, PART 1

Continue reading part two