Us…Them…where are We?

It may or may not have escaped your attention, but I live in Arizona. So perhaps it won’t come as a surprise to you that I have very strong feelings about the issue of illegal immigration and the discussions surrounding it in our state. What might surprise you is that I don’t have a firm opinion and I’m not going to tell you where I stand personally on the issue of SB 1070. It would just be adding more emotion—as that’s all I have that I’m sure of. I am not sure whose facts to trust. I’ve grown skeptical of all statistics I hear, as both sides have manipulated data to fit their means and promulgated dramatic scenarios that have swept everyone so far from the center of reason I’m not when or if common ground can be found. If it is, I’m sure you will not hear of its discovery in any news reports.

Here’s what I want to ask leaders and to challenge the leadership instincts in each of us…whether you’re in Arizona, or Timbuktu. I’d like to raise awareness of the kind of language and reasoning  we apply when we’re discussing “these times” and the corresponding current issues of contention. We all look for another side—a “them” to blame for our issues. Illegal immigrants are somehow to blame for everything in Arizona from long waits in emergency rooms to poor education. Oops…let my feelings slip out a bit…my apologies. In business, we blame the internet, those nasty bloggers, the competition, the union, the economy, foreign nations, our nation, this generation, the last generation, poor nutrition, bad parenting, Democrats, Republicans, the Middle East or “Back East” (from whence all ill winds blow, if you’re a mid-west or westerner)….

What if we stop, take a page out of my Dad’s leadership handbook , and find something WE can DO together. Can we find something on which we agree? We usually do well saving children. Many of us have them. All of us were one. Is that where we can begin? How can we find the us…the we that transcends race, ethnicity, religion, politics and reminds us of our mutual humanity? Where are we?

I don’t have any answers. Fewer of them than opinions from me today…who knew this day would come to the Bloomin’ Blog. So friends, let me know what you think the answers may be. Let us go forth and plant some good seeds today.

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