Uncomfortable Irony

Friends,

It almost seems like the gods of the universe must be amused by the ironies of life in the United States right now. The timing of the funeral honoring the humanitarian nobility of Jimmy Carter, for example, was in stark contrast to the simultaneous ignobility of a criminal felony sentencing of a vain-glorious braggart president-elect. And the annual MLK, Jr., recognition events on January 20 honoring the courageous and prophetic life and ministry of Martin Luther King, Jr., will coincide with the Trump inauguration and adds another noteworthy irony. And somewhat related, it is ironic that all our vaunted technologies that send up multiple space missions cannot stop the tragic ravages of multiple wildfires that sweep through some of the wealthiest and otherwise well protected communities in California. Nature ultimately rules. 

Although it is difficult to define irony, one of the definitions is “the incongruity between the actual result of a sequence of events or accounts and the normal or expected result.” Mark Twain once defined humor as "the ability to see the incongruities of life and to tolerate them is to laugh.” Combining the two quotes I get an uncomfortable feeling that in terms of irony what is happening now in our country is a kind of joke on us. And it isn't really tolerable or funny. The down side of irony is that it can also be very sobering because it exposes and embarrasses our vulnerability and weakness. It is therefore one of the ways the social critic can expose the hubris and arrogance of a person or an inconsistent situation. And at some level irony even evokes a kind of sympathy for the loss of control and false arrogance it uncovers. In some classic theatrical performances of tragedy the irony is that the audience is aware of the tragic fate of the hero, but the hero is not aware. (I wonder how much Trump is fully aware of - or would care about - the ironic difference between him and Carter that the rest of us clearly see.) Although it may be somewhat amusing to look down upon the ironies of the contemporary comparisons of Trump with Carter and MLK, Jr., it actually gives little satisfaction or solace as we deal uncomfortably with the historical reality we are facing.

The positive side, however, is that irony may enable us to better emphasize the difference between our ideals and our failure to achieve them, between what we know is fair and good and our inclination to deny the realities before us. At best, we can use our sensitivity to irony to help motivate us to to change. I was quite inspired, for example, by how the comparison between Carter and Trump served to actually highlight the character of Carter who was eulogized as someone who vowed to “hold the truth, obey the law, and keep the peace,” quite a different description we would assign to the character of Trump. And my son, who lives in D.C., said he suddenly decided he wanted to personally join in the honoring of Carter as he lay in state at the Capital. So on a wintry night he arrived at 11pm for an anticipated brief time only to be surprised that the line of people waiting to view Carter was still blocks long, and it took more than two hours to actually get in. In spite of the hardship, people stuck it out for what my son surmised was ultimately a tribute to the core cultural belief that “being a good person matters.”

So as we prepare for the Trump administration next week we will also be aware of the spiritual and personal inspiration of Jimmy Carter and Martin Luther King, Jr., as a reminder that the American people have a more noble legacy to hold exemplified in Carter’s life-long commitment and a shared responsibility for each other and our world at large. All of us along the political and class spectrum know in our heart that “character matters,” that we are capable of - and long for - a commitment to the “force more powerful” of kindness, nonviolence and advancing our sense of morality and ethics toward serving the common good of all. 

In terms of compassionate care for each other, I am aware tonight of the vast disruption of the lives of the thousands of people in California as they now must attempt to reestablish their lives after the devastating fires. And I think of even more thousands of people who are volunteering their time, sending money and supplies, and offering prayers out of solidarity for everyone affected by the fires. I find it somehow very reassuring how people spontaneously respond when others are in crisis. I want to believe we are thus capable as a nation of achieving a universal level of care and concern on a more substantial basis such as comprehensive health care. Under Carter and King’s leadership we had made progress in support of the poor, and we must continue to work toward building on that legacy. Out of the ashes of the California fires, and an anticipated rejection of the in-sensitivities of the Trump administration, may we then promote a renewed commitment to expand the vision of implementing policies that provide for the welfare of all. Yes, we have a considerable challenge ahead of us for the next several years before we may be able to do so, but the goal of creating a more compassionate, “beloved community” is indeed a vision we must continue to sustain. 

Peace,
Tom