Mastodon

An Activist’s Valentine: Love is Stronger and Braver than Hate

Feb 14, 2024 | PDA News

Use the Power of Love and Charity to Overcome Policies Derived from Hatred and Fear

 

Tank300.jpgDonald Trump’s—and by extension, his wholly owned subsidiary, the current Republican Party—power is founded and built on fear and resentment: of the unknown other, of the present, of the future, of government that is not helping people, of the idea that life and society are a zero-sum game. From these emotions spring hatred. Merriam-Webster defines “hate” as “intense hostility and aversion usually deriving from fear, anger, or sense of injury.”

Now, I am going to be blunt here. It takes more courage to act from a place of love than to hate. Think Ghandi, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Mother Theresa, Malala Yousafzai. Think about Harriet Tubman leading enslaved people to freedom in the north; townspeople in Amsterdam and elsewhere hiding their Jewish neighbors from Nazi persecution and execution; the student who faced down tanks at Tianamen Square; the Jane Collective providing women with safe options for abortion before Roe v. Wade.

Hatred is derived from misinformation, prejudice, insecurity, and fear. It is more difficult to face violence with non-violence, to speak out amid threats and harassment, to persuade and open a dialog rather than shout and curse.

At PDA, we strive to act out of love and optimism for the future of everyone and the planet. We put ourselves and our organization on the front lines to secure healthcare for all and a livable planet, eliminate food and housing insecurity, enable government by and for the people, and advance diplomatic solutions to armed conflict. We work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365/6 days a year.

We can’t do it without your help. Volunteer and donate now, for all of us, today and tomorrow, in the name of Love.

In love and action,

Debra Schrishuhn for the PDA National Team

0 Comments

Mastodon