Being honest with each other

Last week, Eric Holder, the nation's first African American attorney general said that our country is "a nation of cowards" and that we are afraid to discuss racial issues openly.

"If we're going to ever make progress, we're going to have to have the guts, we have to have the determination, to be honest with each other," he said.

The February 19 article that reports on Mr. Holder's speech at the Justice Department can be found at http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_11735473.

Just how gutsy do we dare to be? Called to be One was created with determined honesty in mind, and a guiding principle among the planners was to do away with "political correctness." But still, it's hard. I find it hard and I'm known for being outspoken. I've never been afraid to stand up for what I believe to be right; I've frequently shouted that "the Emperor has no clothes" when I'm in a "group think" situation and I've suffered for it.

But that's different to hurting others. As I've gotten older, I've become more concerned about hurting others through my bluntness. I know how chance remarks can cut deep and last for years—I've been on the receiving end of enough of them.

As we debriefed after the first session, one of the Planning Team remarked that it was unfortunate that none of the people who disagreed with Rene Marie's position had the guts to stand up and say so. I mentioned that I was ambivalent. That when I'd first read of her actions last year, I thought they were definitely wrong. Comparing it to my former life as an actress, I noted that if you're hired to play Lady Macbeth, you don't show up and start performing Ophelia. It would be plain wrong.

Months later, I now understand why Rene Marie took the action she did, and I applaud it. But I'm still not sure if she chose the right venue to make the point.

How to say that at a microphone in the cathedral? How to say it without being offensive? How to do it in conversation, instead of in sound bites? So I remained quiet. I had no wish to offend two such wonderful people who have done so much for civil rights. I had no stomach to risk being misunderstood and labeled.

If we are going to overcome the cowardice that Eric Holder decries, we'll all have to cut each other a little slack if our bravery seems a bit too blunt.

The upcoming sessions of Called to be One will be moderated by Lelanda Lee, a trained dialogue facilitator. The issues at stake are much too important to walk on eggshells. The conversations may make us uncomfortable, but if we remember that other people have marched and died for social justice in this country, a little discomfort doesn't seem too much to ask. I'm willing to try it. Please join me.

--Mandy M. Rigg

Beginning the democratic dialogue: What are we prepared to do?

It's not enough merely to attend and listen.  That's a beginning.  Our hope is that after you left the Cathedral on February 12th, you also continued to ponder the stories that you heard, and to consider your own story and those of your family and friends.  How has your experience of America, the beautiful, been affected by your experience of life in America . . . as you were growing up? as a student or young employee in your first jobs? as a parent and a community member?  What is it that you would like to say to us and to each other?  We invite you to use this blog to post your comments.

Getting ready for the Called to Be One segment featuring singer Rene Marie in conversation with Dr. Vincent Harding, co-founder of Veterans of Hope.

Dr. Harding introduces Rene Marie in Saint John's Episcopal Cathedral in Denver.

Rene Marie sang her arrangement of Voices of My Beautiful Country and talked about how she was inspired to compose it.  Go to her Web site at http://renemarie.com/ for a free download of the musical suite.

For a detailed commentary on the evening with Rene Marie and Dr. Harding, read pundit Jason Page's Living Archive blog at http://livingarchive.wordpress.com/2009/02/.  In it, Jason challenges us with these words:  ". . . President Obama has made the call, offered the challenge and set the table. No matter the metaphor, the conversation has begun. And with the help of the great Dr. Harding and the controversial Rene Marie, a small diverse crowd gathered in the Episcopal Cathedral to heed that challenge and experience the inspiration that is art for social change. This gathering of people were prepared to have that democratic dialogue and help to re-invent an America that is committed to healing and hearing stories. . . . Having had this experience and in sharing it with the Archive, I ask the reader and the larger audience, are we armchair political wonks and Monday morning quarterbacks? Or are we players for change, establishers of a new America? Participants in a new conversation. What are we prepared to do? How bad do we want to redeem ourselves from a violent history and forgotten soldiers of faith and change? For me, it begins with democratic dialogue. And I challenge myself, my colleagues, loved ones and adversaries to step out of our collective comfort zone of complacency. Heed our leader’s challenge and spark that dialogue where it seems most impossible."

Please consider making a donation to support the Called to Be One dialogue series, which is made possible by a generous matching grant from the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado.  Send your check payable to Saint John's Cathedral marked "Called to Be One" on the memo line to 1350 Washington Street, Denver, CO 80203 or donate by credit card by calling Canon Steward Greg Movesian at (303) 577-7711.  Your support is important and appreciated.

Voices of My Beautiful Country

"Voices of My Beautiful Country" featuring singer Rene Marie in conversation with Dr. Vincent Harding was attended by almost 300 people on Thursday evening, February 12th, at Saint John’s Cathedral. So many RSVPs had come in that plans to hold the event in Dagwell Hall were soon abandoned in favor of the larger worship space that could accommodate the crowd.  

Download for free the entire “Voices of My Beautiful Country” three movement suite composed, arranged and sung by Rene Marie at http://www.renemarie.com/. This is Rene Marie’s love song to her beautiful country, America. You can read her July 2008 statement under the News tab where Rene Marie describes how she came to create “Voices of My Beautiful Country.”

Dr. Vincent Harding’s interest in Rene Marie and her musical creation “Voices of My Beautiful Country” arises out of his lifelong commitment to a healing-centered approach to community-building that recognizes the interconnectedness of spirit, creativity and citizenship. The Veterans of Hope Project was founded by Dr. Harding and his late wife, Rosemarie Freeney Harding, as the vehicle to share that commitment. Learn more about The Veterans of Hope Project at http://www.veteransofhope.org/.

Rene Marie . . . in her own words

I was born into a family of nine in a very small town in Virginia. Music played a pivotal role in my life from the very beginning. It was at home that I learned the value of telling the story behind the music and how powerfully that story can move the listener and impact one's life. I had one year of formal piano lessons when I was nine years old and another year when I was 13. The rest of my musical ability seemed to come to me naturally. As a teenager, I sang in a band at musical functions in my neighborhood. I composed and sang my first piece in the band when I was 15. 

At the age of 18 my boyfriend and I joined a very strict religious group, got married and stopped performing in public—for good, it seemed. Four years later, I was a mother of two sons and found myself inculcating in them a love for music the same way my father had with me—by example. Many mornings I awakened them with Aaron Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man". Other times, we would 'dance' the story of Maurice Ravel's "Bolero". At night, I would compose lullabies, making up verses until they fell asleep. 

In January 1996, I was 41 and working full-time at a bank when my oldest son convinced me to start singing again. I started out singing one day a week in a smoky bar of a Ramada Inn for tips only. My husband became displeased with the amount of time I was spending with music. On the last day of 1997, he issued the ultimatum that I either stop singing or he would force me to leave our home, and I chose to leave after 23 years of marriage. Eighteen months later, I had divorced my husband, produced my first CD, quit my job at the bank and signed onto the MaxJazz label.

Between 2000 and 2004, I recorded four CDs on the MaxJazz label and have won several awards, both domestic and international, for those recordings. In 2005, I decided to make my own way, call my own shots. In 2006, I decided to work on a one-woman show. In 2007, I released "Experiment In Truth."

I have never forgotten the early lessons learned about the power of music. Today, I try to imbue that feeling of emotion into every song I write—every song I sing—every time. I am very happy to be singing today.

Dr. Vincent Harding

Professor Emeritus of Religion and Social Transformation, Iliff School of Theology, and Founder of the Veterans of Hope Project

Dr. Vincent Harding has a long history of working for peace and justice as an activist, counselor and teacher of spiritually based social activism. He and his wife, Rosemarie Freeney Harding, began their work in the Mennonite Church in Chicago in the late 1950s. They moved to Atlanta in 1960 to join with Martin Luther King, Jr. and others as reconcilers and nonviolence trainers in the Southern Freedom Movement. Dr. Harding worked as Dr. King’s speechwriter and was the first director of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Center in Atlanta. Dr. Harding has written numerous books, including Martin Luther King: The Inconvenient Hero, and he was consultant to the award-winning PBS television series, Eyes on the Prize.

Dr. Harding received his bachelor’s degree from City College of New York, a master’s from Columbia University, and a doctoral degree from the University of Chicago. Before becoming a professor at the Iliff School of Theology, Dr. Harding taught at Pendle Hill Study Center, University of Pennsylvania, Temple University and Spelman College. 

In 1997, Dr. Harding and his wife founded The Veterans of Hope Project as a multifaceted educational initiative on religion, culture and participatory democracy. The Project encourages a healing-centered approach to community-building that recognizes the interconnectedness of spirit, creativity and citizenship. Educational materials are designed to support reconciliation, nonviolence and an appreciation for the value of indigenous and folk wisdom for contemporary times. Through a video interview series with older peace and justice activists; an accompanying curriculum; workshops and training in compassionate leadership development; and a public symposium series, the Project emphasizes grassroots resources for social change from the wisdom of varied local communities. The Project documents and shares the transformative histories of “long distance runners” for peace and justice--passing on the values, faith and practices that have guided their lives and work. In March, 2004, Rosemarie Freeney Harding passed on. Dr. Harding and their daughter, Rachel, are continuing the Project's work.

Telling the Story of Us

“Telling the story of us” frequently introduces things that may be viewed differently, because we each see through our own lenses that have been formed out of our individual life experiences. Our differences are what give texture and dimension to us as we live side by side in our neighborhoods. Yet, it is difficult to value differences in others that we do not understand. Not seeing differences is equally as damaging as discriminating on the basis of differences.

We struggle with questions like: How should I respond when you say that my perceptions or my choices are wrong? What are the steps that we must take to turn our neighborhoods into communities?

One way to respond, a very first step, is to begin talking to one another, to begin hearing each other’s stories. Getting to know “the other” breaks down barriers to understanding.

Greg Movesian says, “Because of the polarization that is so prevalent in our country, we believe that this is the time to bring people together who disagree, no matter how deeply, to hear each other, to understand each other, to find a commonality in our shared humanity, even if we continue to disagree.”

It is precisely because there are deeply held feelings and strong differences in the way we perceive the world that it is important to bring controversial topics into the light of day. Then we can hear and seek to understand our sisters and brothers with open hearts. I am grateful that Saint John's Cathedral fosters dialogue in our community. There are far too few places that do this important community building work.

--Lelanda Lee