Truth to Power III

Matthew 25:26 – “His master answered him, saying, “You wicked and lazy slave! You knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I did not scatter?”

I’m staying on this verse, because I want to continue talking about power and speaking truth to power. One thing to remember about speaking truth to power, there will be push-back, as the master’s response here demonstrates. However, speaking our truth empowers us, individually and collectively. Powerful people know this and work to quash such free speech. Those who speak out in this administration are fired. We need look no further than Gordon Sondland or Alexander Vindman. In fact, when the plane bringing passengers from a cruise liner on which 14 passengers tested positive for the corona virus landed, it was met by federal workers without protective gear or safety training. When a  “high-ranking whistleblower complained to superiors[, they were] given the choice of being reassigned or being fired.” The administration doesn’t want this information getting out to the public. Donald knows that if we don’t know the truth, we lose power to hold him accountable.

That’s why Pence is in charge of corona virus messaging; because Donald can’t handle people speaking the truth. In reality, he knows on some level how incompetent the response is, and he doesn’t want to hear it. The stock market is dropping because of investors’ fears of how Donald is handling this. He doesn’t want to hear that either. He blames it on the news media or the Democrats.

Dr. King was correct when he wrote that, “We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.” We can easily switch ‘freedom’ to ‘power,’ and the sentence still makes sense. Those with power never give it up voluntarily. It must be taken from them by those who have less power. 

We might say, well, I’m such a little fish. That is one way to look at it. However, this view portrays us as powerless – little fish. It doesn’t matter who we are, we have some power. You are probably reading this on some sort of computer – phone, laptop, or desktop. You have the power to email your representatives. As I said in my last post, it is so difficult to get up the courage to speak, especially if you been pushed down your entire life, but speaking up is empowering to the speaker. That act alone grows power in the world. That self-empowerment can be built on.

The theologian Starhawk famously made a distinction between ‘power over,’ which is how we normally envision power, and ‘power from within.’ Wonder Woman demonstrates this by continually uplifting girls and women, reminding them of the power they already have. She also demonstrates the concept of ‘power with’ by working with others to solve the problems she faces. Like Wonder Woman, we have more power together than alone. Working with other like-minded people doesn’t just maintain and increase power, it multiplies it. 

Of course, not everyone will listen. All who speak out experience being ignored or being resisted at one time or another. We should be prepared for backlash when we speak out. It may be mild or violent, but it will almost certainly come. Especially if we keep at it. Self-care and having people to support us in that moment are helpful tools that empower us to keep us going when we are attacked.

What issue is on your heart today? Who needs to hear your thoughts about it? Can you email that person if calling is too uncomfortable? Who’s protesting in your area? Do you agree? Can you join the protest or offer other assistance? There are many ways to exercise the power we have. Let’s speak out on behalf of truth and justice today. It’s not only the right thing to do, it’s empowering.

US Capital Switchboard (if you don’t know who your rep or sen are): 202-224-2131

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