Is Silence Really Golden?

This week’s blog post was supposed to be about communication. Rather than talking about how to make your year-end report more effective, I want to talk about something else that has been on my mind. It concerns how those of us living in the U.S. talk to each other.

There a few things that have happened recently that have me so contemplative.

Where I live, I have seen two versions of Trump flags that I find disturbing. One said “F--- Biden” – this one was posted a mile from a local elementary school. The other, flown from a truck for all to see, had the same words but had an * with the words “And all the people who voted for him.”

I live close to an area where a US House representative recently likened wearing masks to the star Nazis forced Jews to wear.

Last weekend, I attended a funeral. Afterward, a long-time family friend made a comment to the table I was sitting with. The word “snowflake” caught my attention. He was complaining (or maybe bragging) about being blocked from FaceBook for sharing a meme that depicted Nancy Pelosi sitting next to her father – Adolf Hitler.

Without thinking, I looked at him and said clearly, “That is terrible.” I did not yell; I was not ugly. But I was firm. He seemed dumbfounded. He defended himself saying he only shared it, he did not create it. “That is terrible,” I repeated. He looked at me in shock. Like no one had ever called him on this behavior before. Maybe he won’t ever talk to me again. I don’t know.

But here is what I do know. We have to speak up. We can’t sit in silence when faced with injustice of any kind. We can debate all day long about policy and that is a good thing. But name-calling and dangerous and damaging rhetoric has got to stop.

I saw a newscast last week where a reporter was in Rome, Georgia interviewing people about that certain Georgia representative. People were afraid to speak up against her.

I get it. As a woman, and a woman raised in the South, I have been socialized to be silent. Or at least not be too “loud” I wish I had a dollar for every time I was told I was opinionated.

But silence has consequences. History teaches that. So, I am going on a journey to learn how we talk to those with whom we disagree. I am admittedly nervous. We live in a scary world right now. But what choice do we have? Silence is not one of my gifts.

Want to come along with me?

Take care friends.

Ann

P.S. Have you checked out my podcast yet? Please do. #Community conversation is what it’s all about.