Civil rights belong to everyone

Recently I was able to attend a presentation at the Human Rights Education Institute by a staff member of the Southern Poverty Law Center. The presenter gave a brief history of the civil rights movement and also offered a snapshot of the situation for civil rights in America currently, including some specifics about Idaho and Coeur d'Alene. She also entertained a few questions that related to current efforts on behalf of civil rights here and comparisons with some situations in the European Union. I found the presentation to be fascinating. I especially appreciated the efforts and courage of so many who stand up for the rights of others whose voices are not very loud and garner little notice.

Of special note was the presenter's description of a "hate group." A paraphrase would be something like this: a homogeneous group with a dominant and common characteristic of believing that any other person or group who does not look like them or think like them or believe like them or act like them, is worthy of disdain, exclusion, denial of access or even symbolic or actual elimination. For this writer, this description naturally led to some thoughts of both praise and criticism for our own society nationally and locally.

It is praiseworthy that our society has grown and thrived by way of faithfulness to its roots, that is to the principles underlying our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution with its Bill of Rights. Prime among these is the dominant belief in the intrinsic worth and dignity of each person regardless of surface characteristics. And prime among the implications of this belief is respect for the many varieties of free self expression.

But it is also true that some elements of our social structure have at times condoned the exclusion and even violent persecution of certain persons. And the only reason is that on the surface they appear to be different from the dominant paradigm of the time. This is clearly worthy of criticism and positive correction.

The presentation continued on with some poignant and inspiring personal stories of those who have suffered greatly just because of their surface difference; and also of those who have risen up to change the attitudes and structures that have condoned and even justified the suffering. At that point I wondered why in our American Society there ever arose a need for a correction of course; a correction away from false judgments based on distortions; a correction back to basic "civil rights" based on the truth of each person's essential dignity. After all, we are the "Land of the Free," a land with social structures built on the proposition that "...all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights ..." This is a fundamental founding principle that forms the shape and "terms" of our social contract. More than that, it forms a "covenant" between citizens and the government to which citizens have given their consent.

I realized that the reason we need to emphasize civil rights in a specific context is that we sometimes fail to be faithful to our original covenant. In fact our very beginning as a nation was clouded with a sad compromise of our fundamental founding principle. Some of the southern colonies, as a condition for signing the Declaration, insisted on the "right" two own certain persons as "property." And the apparent justification was because they are "different" and "not like us." It is amazing (and perhaps an example of divine intervention) that in spite of that kind of poisonous inner thinking the ideal of equal freedoms for all remained intact as the lynchpin for a new and free society. Throughout our history that ideal has inspired many to take the high road in defense of those with less influence and less access. And at times they have done so in spite of great opposition and potentially dire consequences. Yet each step along that way brings us all closer to congruence with our original ideal and challenges us to check our own attitudes and values.

But why do we fall short in the first place? It is probably because human nature sometimes finds the trappings of power and position too attractive and the fear of loss too threatening. When these attractions and fears combine, the resulting interpersonal behaviors can become violent or "hateful" in words or actions.

Here in Coeur d'Alene we have a great tradition of standing up for those in need of a supporting voice. As a community we have a strong place on the right side of history. And as we progress with our very important city election, I think it is important that we make extra efforts to maintain that sense of fairness and "justice for all."

The various candidates present some clear choices. And the choices we make at the polls will have long lasting effects on the administrative directions of our community. Because of this there may be some "attractions" and some "fears" that tempt us toward "name calling" or "labeling" or other methods to discredit someone as we go about our discussions. A couple of years ago our visiting scholar David Adler reminded us that such methods will only erode the worth of discourse in the public forum. He also reminded us that respectful discussion of diverse ideas gives us a much better chance for wisdom. So we do better to focus on ideas and on which set of ideas will better serve us for the long term.

I like to think of "justice" as another word for "faithfulness." Can we be faithful to our original "covenant" of inclusion for all even if not thinking or speaking or acting "like us"? If we can we will come closer to Martin Luther King's dream of a society where "Justice flows down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream." And let's not forget Abraham Lincoln's ideal of going forward "... with malice towards none and charity towards all ..."

Please take the time to learn about the issues and the candidates, and vote. Someone once said there is nothing more scary to a tyrant than an educated electorate. Wouldn't it be something if we have a 55 percent turnout? Besides election day itself on Nov. 5 at your polling place, you can vote in person at the Kootenai County Elections office at 1808 N. 3rd St. from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Their phone number is 446-1030.

William Green is a Coeur d'Alene resident.

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