DELIBERATELY DIVERSE | by Judith Pyeatt Grissom
“Deliberately Diverse” represents the individual thoughts and opinions of a group of Taylor friends who almost never completely agree about anything but are gratified by the opportunity to stimulate deliberately diverse discussions in our beloved community.
Today’s column represents the thoughts and opinions of Judith Pyeatt Grissom NOT the Taylor Press.
“For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. All these are the beginning of sorrows,” Mark 13:8, 70 AD.
Sorrowful was the foreign attack Sept. 11, 2001, and perhaps more sorrowful, the attack Jan. 6, 2021, as a group of our own citizens became marauders clamoring up the walls of our Capitol like crawling ants — wielding our own f lag as weapons, spreading hatred and excrement in their path.
Sorrowful is the anguish of Ukraine, as they are attacked by the aggressor Russia.
Sorrowful is the recent attack on Israel by Hamas, as hundreds on both sides are killed and terrorized in the wake.
Sorrowful are our own borders, strained and breaking by those fleeing their countries as they travel hundreds of miles on foot, nourished only with the bread of hope for tomorrow, for a place of peace and opportunity — a universal desire in which surely, we share and find unity.
Many want to look away from these events and return to an old isolationism which no longer can exist in this world of cyberwars and nuclear threat.
Our economy is linked with the world, and now is not the time to close our eyes and hearts to the sorrows of our world.
Diversity must find tolerance for the survival of all.
More walls, deadlier weaponry and banning knowledge have never worked in the past and dictatorships are based on power seeking more power. As Hitler taught us, if we say nothing, do nothing, then, one day it is you they come for.
Today, in our country, there is a jarring and sudden mistrust of our own agencies. We have been told not to trust our FBI, CIA, judiciary, medicine, science, education and even our libraries are under attack, reflecting society’s growing wariness and intolerance of each other. We no longer trust our friends enough to have civilized discussions regarding the important choices in our lives, as we quickly rush to limit the “others’” choices.
To what end is this path leading? When we decide to look the other way and ignore demonstrated lack of character in our leadership — believing that “our way is best” or wearing a label of “Democrat or Republican” like it was tattooed from birth on our forehead — we are participating in our own beginning of sorrows.
Let us begin the good news of opportunity that Taylor gives us all. Our city leaders are a diverse and dedicated group of good people who hear us. We have seen the downtown attract new life, new companies and new residents.
We can welcome inevitable changes as progress, finding hope in evolution. With all of the outside wars and the arguments going on between citizens, it is more important now that Taylor be the hero and the safe place for all of us, no matter our differences, and learning something from all sides, coming together and really listening to what would develop our lives, our economy and bring growth.
Defend our democracy — listen more, love more, shout less and vote!
