2 Corinthians 1:4 --who comforteth us in all our affliction, that we may be
able to comfort them that are in any affliction, through the comfort wherewith
we ourselves are comforted of God.
Well, the grandest Inauguration I have ever heard of is behind us. We survived. I’d like to bring up something different for those that didn’t weep, salute or beamed with pride over our new President. You saw the lovefest going on and didn’t get it. No problem. Here’s what happened. They were celebrating HOPE. When you perceive that your life has been in darkness a long time or that your country has been then this Inauguration represented change. Hope is powerful. It is usually followed by love and faith. Regardless of how you feel about President Obama personally, politically or racially you need to understand the human condition of those millions that love/like him. They are as American as you. This is an admonition to those that communicate.
We who blog, Tweet*, and podcast may want to be more careful with our words. If you consider yourself a teacher, trainer, activist or a thought leader, one wrong tweet for example can damage your credibility and future effectiveness. If you offend your audience, they will tune you out. If your mission for example is to promote the rights of gun owners, you do a disservice to the cause if you make comments that show the red side of your neck. When God made me a pastor, comforting others became a part of my spiritual DNA. I know I am right on this one. I don’t want you to miss this. If the shoe fits…
I know of one case in particular where a pro-gun young woman was extremely offended and insulted because she like most African American women I know, absolutely love, President Obama. Comments sent to her and that she read from her online “friends” in the gun movement hurt her to the point where she unplugged from several podcast and stopped her own. The damage done is greater than it seems on the outside. Diversity is a strength few understand. There can be no United States without first being a US. I read some pretty negative Twitter comments during the Inauguration that I know influence people. There is a season for everything. Know when to shut up. Mahatma Ghandi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. won significant struggles with nonviolence. By shaming their oppressors they expended less energy and resources to win for us all. Don’t give the opposition proof that you are not nice. You do know that stuff you post on the ‘net stays forever right? If you want to save our right to keep and bear arms, respect the rights of others. You have the right to say(tweet, post, podcast) whatever you want but I don’t have to respect you for it.
*A tweet is a 140 character mini-blog posted on the website Twitter.
We who blog, Tweet*, and podcast may want to be more careful with our words. If you consider yourself a teacher, trainer, activist or a thought leader, one wrong tweet for example can damage your credibility and future effectiveness. If you offend your audience, they will tune you out. If your mission for example is to promote the rights of gun owners, you do a disservice to the cause if you make comments that show the red side of your neck. When God made me a pastor, comforting others became a part of my spiritual DNA. I know I am right on this one. I don’t want you to miss this. If the shoe fits…
I know of one case in particular where a pro-gun young woman was extremely offended and insulted because she like most African American women I know, absolutely love, President Obama. Comments sent to her and that she read from her online “friends” in the gun movement hurt her to the point where she unplugged from several podcast and stopped her own. The damage done is greater than it seems on the outside. Diversity is a strength few understand. There can be no United States without first being a US. I read some pretty negative Twitter comments during the Inauguration that I know influence people. There is a season for everything. Know when to shut up. Mahatma Ghandi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. won significant struggles with nonviolence. By shaming their oppressors they expended less energy and resources to win for us all. Don’t give the opposition proof that you are not nice. You do know that stuff you post on the ‘net stays forever right? If you want to save our right to keep and bear arms, respect the rights of others. You have the right to say(tweet, post, podcast) whatever you want but I don’t have to respect you for it.
*A tweet is a 140 character mini-blog posted on the website Twitter.
3 comments:
I believe that you are "right on target" with your view that "our" President is beloved by many because of what he represents - change, hope, and unity. He also affirms, to many, that America is a place where anybody can lead and even be President.
Ironically, many of my students in my gun safety training classes voted for him. Partly, I believe because he is African American. Many are shocked to learn that he is anti-gun. Comments, I hear, is that he will be too busy worrying about the economy to take on the issue of guns. I disagree.
As a gun owner, I am concerned about his position on the Second Amendment. I have made my opinion known to many far and wide. I blog, I write articles, and I tweet. I choose my words carefully to not attack him personally but only to draw attention to any of his policies that threaten gun ownership in my beloved country.
I also do not attack his supporters. However, I do reserve the right to engage them in debate and if no ground is won I reserve the right to agree to disagree.
Great post Kenn. You are spot on. Before the election I did try to enlighten anyone who would listen on the anti gun history of President Obama in an effort to sway any who cared about the right to keep & bear arms to vote for anyone a little less anti freedom.
Now that the election is over the only thing we can do is contact our representatives and ask that they not put any anti gun legislation on his desk, because he would surely sign it. Making nasty comments would just lower ourselves to the same level as the anti Bush folks who have been making nasty comments about him for years, even stooping to make fun of him as he left his office on Inauguration Day by singing the na na na na, bye bye song.
We should all respect the office of President, even if we don't respect his or her Political viewpoints or the direction he or she wants to take our Country.
By the way, I know the pro gun young woman you are speaking of, and I certainly miss her podcasts. I just sent her an e-mail letting her know how much she is missed in our community. I hope she may one day return as her voice is sorely missed.
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