Staying Hopeful in a Hostile World

So, this happened.  I was just threatened and verbally assaulted for my political views.  I understand that my political and justice principles are not widely shared.  This does not surprise me.  I'm so far left of "Democrat" that - until recently, anyway- Democrat and Republican looked roughly the same from my perspective.  This is not a common worldview, and it annoys people because it's hard to understand.  I'm not always crazy about it myself, truth be told.

And, let's be clear.  I do not actually care what this person thinks about me.  I do think it's weird and unsettling that he felt entitled to express his opinions about me so personally and violently.  OK, I'm trying not to care.  Real-Andrea wants everyone to think she's nice, and funny, and smart, even if they don't always agree with her.

But here's the way more important thing.  In the face of this kind of hostility, how can I stay hopeful for change?  What's to keep me from answering back with equal hostility, because I definitely do have that ability in me?  What's to keep a person from just dropping out of the fray, frightened and wounded from the anger - the very focused and fear-inducing anger?

The answer seems like a spiritual one.  Faith communities are good at helping people locate hope when all seems lost.  And God bless them for that.  Seriously.  But I don't have - or want, right now- a faith community.  Too many other things come with that community support, things that I just can't have in my life right now.  So, how might a person such as myself find hope?

In some ways, the answer is the same: community.  We are in a strange new world - one where hostility has been unleashed.  One where ferocious racism, homophobia, anti-intellectualism, and sexism can be expressed with a disturbing sense of righteousness.   One where moral fitness to lead has been utterly abdicated.  We need each other in this madness.  We need to find each other and support each other, even if (when) we disagree about the details.

Hatred can not defeat hate.  Rather, love surrounds hatred and cuts off its oxygen.  I can not  -just bloody CAN NOT- love the people who are perpetrating these travesties of injustice on this country.  It's too much.  I have to leave that for better people.  But I can lead with love.  I can do what I do from love.  I can set about creating the culture I want to live in, which really is about love.

We won't get there.  See above.  My version of the perfect culture is probably too "out there" for most people.  But that's ok.  If we change the story, leading with love, we'll prevent this strange march toward devastation that we seem to be on.

So, first, find your companions on the journey.  That's my task.