A “Path” To Healing

As I rode the subway home, I remembered the tone and content

of responses I had gotten from my article, "The
Path" To A Warped Collective Memory. The
article seemed to tap into the polarized political climate in our country.

On Monday night, David Black, the Executive Director of the
Jewish Community Center of Manhattan allowed himself to become "confused." 

Black had encountered "the other" during a screening of Just Vision's powerful new
documentary film, Encounter Point,
which reveals several efforts of Israeli and Palestinian grassroots leaders to
build peace and reconciliation through non-violent action. 

No matter what side of the 58 year Arab/Israeli conflict viewers
identify with, "Encounter Point" stretches and challenges viewers' understandings
of the conflict and the possibilities for peace by sharing the stories of Palestinians
and Israelis who have suffered and are working for peace.  

So, Black stood next to me during the Q & A time.  He was visibly shaken when he raised his hand,
took the microphone, and confessed to the Jewish Community Center audience that
he was "confused" by what he saw.  It's a
rare thing to be able to listen to the stories and the thinking of "the
other."  It challenges assumptions and
entrenched worldviews.  Black vowed to
make regular Israeli/Arab and Jewish/Palestinian dialogues a part of the program
schedule at the center.

I got to thinking…

That's what we need between Republicans and Democrats /
progressives and conservatives.  We need
regular dialogues.

As I rode the subway home, I remembered the tone and content
of responses I had gotten from my article, "The
Path" To A Warped Collective Memory, about the inappropriateness of "The Path To 9/11," an ABC miniseries
about the years leading up to 9/11.  The
article seemed to tap into the polarized political climate in our country. 

Late that night, I posted a comment with a request to have a
real conversation about a couple of specific questions. 

Tuesday morning, I read two responses from "Azchas" and "Orangeirish"
and God checked me.  In the middle of
reading their entries, I caught myself in a defensive posture – for no real
reason.  I was just bracing for the slam
or undermining jab or minimization I knew was coming.   Then I
heard God say to me, "Listen." 

I took a breath, let go, and listened.  And what I heard were two people earnestly
wrestling with what they saw in the television movie and approaching the
conversation with trust, vulnerability and honesty.

I was humbled. 

"Azchas" and "Orangeirish" shared that they believed both
sides were culpable for what happened on 9/11 and it's time to stop pointing
fingers and begin owning our shared responsibility. 

I agree, but I would add one thing:

In the world of international reconciliation and justice a
common understanding is that for nations to heal from civil conflict and trauma
all sides must eventually be brought to the table.  Their voices must be heard and their stories
must be considered as the public's collective memory of history is formed –
otherwise the nation ends up with disparate historical accounts that entrench
opposing sides in their own worldview.

It doesn't seem like it's enough to just blame all.  To heal and form a shared sense of our
history, we must listen to all.

I think that's what disappointed me most about "The Path to
9/11."   It wasn't the details.  It was the fact that the first effort to make
the 9/11 history accessible to the public was done in a partisan way that
barred whole segments of people from the development process.  It was the partisan nature
of the consultants chosen to work on the film.  It was the act of barring the three key
Democratic players from previewing the film.  It was the fact that The 9/11
Commission Report was not a partisan document, nor was its process a
partisan one.  Yet, the film didn't
adhere to that spirit.  And finally, it
was the reality that the director is an evangelical Christian who founded The
Film Institute (TFI), an auxiliary branch of YWAM and "The Path to 9/11"
was apparently a TFI
project.  So, it was an evangelical
Christian organization that was responsible for the politically partisan
character of this important project.

And I'm left again grieving the missed opportunities …

• to build bridges not reinforce divides …

• to get a more accurate account by utilizing
  bi-partisan consultants rather than entrenching the public's views of "the
  other" by seeking out only one party's perspective …

• And finally, to use a process that furthers America's
  healing not one that divides us further.

Politically entrenched America (and Christian America)
could learn a lot from people in "Encounter Point."  Listening to "the other" is a powerful thing.