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I didn't know what to do with the question; not so much in real-time, because we started to talk about how important the heart is to how one meets the world; but because I thought at the time there was something more to the question, at least I wanted to try to make something more of it. What happens to love when the heart is damaged? What happens to love when the heart is replaced?
I've been mulling this over in my mind ever since the boy asked me the question, and it occurred to me that America's heart has been replaced and in thinking about this it occurred to me that the answer to Finn's question is "yes, if you're given a new heart, you end up loving something else".
America's founders, and in fact Americans for the first 200 years of our country's existence developed and protected a deep love of freedom; of liberty; of opportunity; of possibility; of hope (not withstanding the many dark periods of our history, our national narrative still rings out with hope). Our hearts beat strong with the promise of tomorrow and our belief that each of us controls at least some part of that tomorrow; has an opportunity to realize at least some small part of that promise.
"The only sense of community we now have is one of shared fear or anxiety." These words from Bishop Frank Griswold, the spiritual leader of the Episcopal Church in the US.
It seems that through a combination of media sensationalism and cynical political manipulation, we've replaced America's heart of promise and faith with a heart of fear. We've replaced our culture of belief in ourselves and our shared future with a creeping fear of the unknown. Where once America embraced new arrivals at her shores, she now fears immigration and immigrants. The unnatural focus on terrorism has turned America inward; disconnecting us from the larger world; excusing egregious acts of barbarism abroad and fascism here at home in the name of safety and security and fear.
Our heart has been transplanted. Where once a heart of strength and hope beat soundly in America's breast, our leaders in politics and the media have transplanted a heart of fear; a black heart of xenophobia; an anxious heart filled with dread. To what end did this transplant take place? To assuage our anxiety over that heinous act of barbarism known as 9/11? Or more likely to grasp more firmly on to the levers of power and control; to weaken our democracy and our freedom and our will to be one people and one nation under God, indivisible, offering truth and justice to all who find hope in our Lady of Liberty's welcoming call.
We've ceased to love those ideals on which our country was founded and instead by reason of our transplanted heart of fear we've come to love... what? The empty pretense of righteous strength that excuses the deaths of 50 times more Iraqis than Americans who perished in 9/11? The false bravado that excuses torture and rape and murder in the name of peace and security?
"Dad, if the doctors give you a new heart, do you love someone else?"
"Yes, son, it appears as though sadly... you do."
"Dad, if the doctors give you a new heart, do you love someone else?"
Bio:
43 year old father of 3. I've lived and worked throughout the US, EU and South America. Presently splitting my time between Seattle, WA and Vancouver, BC. I've seen America and American politics from inside and out. There is a better way, but it will take courage, committment and focus.Why I joined Unity08:
My 6 year old asked me the other day "Dad, if the doctor gives you a new heart, do you love someone else?". I was proud of the question he asked because he's been thinking about the nature of love; an important thing to consider in these trying times.I didn't know what to do with the question; not so much in real-time, because we started to talk about how important the heart is to how one meets the world; but because I thought at the time there was something more to the question, at least I wanted to try to make something more of it. What happens to love when the heart is damaged? What happens to love when the heart is replaced?
I've been mulling this over in my mind ever since the boy asked me the question, and it occurred to me that America's heart has been replaced and in thinking about this it occurred to me that the answer to Finn's question is "yes, if you're given a new heart, you end up loving something else".
America's founders, and in fact Americans for the first 200 years of our country's existence developed and protected a deep love of freedom; of liberty; of opportunity; of possibility; of hope (not withstanding the many dark periods of our history, our national narrative still rings out with hope). Our hearts beat strong with the promise of tomorrow and our belief that each of us controls at least some part of that tomorrow; has an opportunity to realize at least some small part of that promise.
"The only sense of community we now have is one of shared fear or anxiety." These words from Bishop Frank Griswold, the spiritual leader of the Episcopal Church in the US.
It seems that through a combination of media sensationalism and cynical political manipulation, we've replaced America's heart of promise and faith with a heart of fear. We've replaced our culture of belief in ourselves and our shared future with a creeping fear of the unknown. Where once America embraced new arrivals at her shores, she now fears immigration and immigrants. The unnatural focus on terrorism has turned America inward; disconnecting us from the larger world; excusing egregious acts of barbarism abroad and fascism here at home in the name of safety and security and fear.
Our heart has been transplanted. Where once a heart of strength and hope beat soundly in America's breast, our leaders in politics and the media have transplanted a heart of fear; a black heart of xenophobia; an anxious heart filled with dread. To what end did this transplant take place? To assuage our anxiety over that heinous act of barbarism known as 9/11? Or more likely to grasp more firmly on to the levers of power and control; to weaken our democracy and our freedom and our will to be one people and one nation under God, indivisible, offering truth and justice to all who find hope in our Lady of Liberty's welcoming call.
We've ceased to love those ideals on which our country was founded and instead by reason of our transplanted heart of fear we've come to love... what? The empty pretense of righteous strength that excuses the deaths of 50 times more Iraqis than Americans who perished in 9/11? The false bravado that excuses torture and rape and murder in the name of peace and security?
"Dad, if the doctors give you a new heart, do you love someone else?"
"Yes, son, it appears as though sadly... you do."
City: Vashon
State: WA
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