Living With Truma: The Healers, 35

Like it or not we all have to coexist, no matter how much we disagree, and no matter how much some of us must hate each other. They really ran afoul of this sad fact of life during the Cuban Revolution. Fidel's and Che's solutions were brutal, simplistic and barbaric. Taking out and shooting the opposition did nothing to advance their cause and much to bring down upon the revolution international censure and disapprobation. They really had only themselves to blame for the misfortunes they unleashed on the Cuban people, glad to be liberated from the tyranny under Batista, only to be brutalized by their new Stalinist masters and overlords. Leftwing violence and rightwing violence have kissed and screwed and my what an ugly offspring. So here we are in pluralist, democratic Canada, where diversity rules and we are all expected to respect and appreciate our differences. Unless you happen to be poor, then you get treated like garbage, because the poor are the last remaining legitimate targets for social discrimination and publicly-sanctioned ill-treatment. Well-off middle class folk can still try to chase out and keep out shabby poor folk from their lovely neighbourhoods, because they are property-owners, or, the new ruling class. And no one bats an eye because we all have to get along. So, poor-bashing home-owners completely slow and stall the process for social progress, especially if it means imperilling their property values and putting a dent in their precious house-equity. No one is going to take them out and shoot them, or not yet anyway. It would be too costly in the long run. Remember what I wrote recently? When you kill one person, however you might think they deserve it, then, really, you have murdered us all. We must never forget the essential humanity that unites us, especially if we want to move forward. I was reflecting on this today while seated in one of my favourite coffee shops, a Bean Around the World in one of the wealthier districts of Vancouver. There was a whole swarm of weekend bike warriors. You must know the kind I mean: they all dress in ridiculous tights and corporate jerseys, a la Lance Armstrong Wannabe, and you can tell right away that they almost all must work in very lucrative corporate and executive positions. Their conversation sounds often like boardroom chatter, and they all appear to be well-educated professionals. In other words, they are people who likely have not suffered a lot in life. They did well in school, academically and socially. Had good parents and strong families, always felt like they belonged socially, were able to get into the best schools, none of them has ever been homeless or poor and likely has never known what it's like to be unwanted and unwelcome. Of course, I don't know any of these people and as one of the local church signboards currently says, "The more you judge people, the less you love them." So, really, I don't know any of those guys' stories. I am still going to err on the side of assuming that they have all had it pretty good and the shine of the silver spoon has not worn off yet. But in the long run, who really can tell? And I don't know what they do in their spare time, or if any of them does volunteer work or has an interest in social justice. Some just might. I would like to be able to engage with such persons as potential allies, and not as class enemies, especially given what their collective wealth and connections could do to benefit those who need help getting housing. I have never had a conversation with any of them. Some of us smile and say hi to each other, maybe because of the novelty of acknowledging me, the resident artist. But who really can tell? Even if it is a safe bet that they have all had it pretty good, who really knows what some of them must suffer in silence? Who among them might be struggling with an addiction or with an undiagnosed mental health problem? Perhaps an impending divorce? Even First World People have problems that aren't only First World Problems. Without compromising on the issues and the truth of the matter: that we have to somehow reset the balance in this country to restore a real and authentic social and economic equality, or at least to be headed in that direction. But to also address one another with civility and respect. This conflict and frisson between classes is inevitable, but I would like to see this harnessed as a creative force that can bring strangers and class enemies together to work together for a common cause. I am going to assume here that they are not all going to be corporate psychopaths. Being human beings also belies the presence of empathy and compassion, and we have to work harder at summoning forth the better angels of our nature. It is going to take a long time. And in the meantime, there are thousands going without the basic necessities, because of wealthy people who are too stubborn and too frightened of change to want to budge or move forward. We have to engage more with these people. Any ideas?