How a rabbi and an evangelical pastor are fighting white supremacy together – USA TODAY
Posted By admin on January 1, 2022
We cannot let manipulators and extremists continue their self-serving battle at the expense of the majority.
Tom Krattenmaker| Opinion contributor
Congressmen team up to listen amid heightened political polarization
Reps. Dean Phillips (D-MN) and Dusty Johnson (R-SD) team up amid heighten political polarization to listen and problem solve with their constituents.
Jessica Koscielniak, USA TODAY
Depressed by the mutual contempt in which the two Americas hold one another? By the gloom hanging over what is supposed to be a season of light?
I certainly am. But I am lifted by the story of Rabbi Rachel Schmelkin and evangelical pastor Tom Breeden and the work theyve been doing together since the infamous "Unite the Right" rally violated their city of Charlottesville, Virginia, in August 2017.
Rather than running for the shelter of like-minded liberals as she was tempted to do, Schmelkin has thrown herself into the work of reducing identity-based violence and hate. She has found a ready partner in Breedenwho, contrary to oversimplified notions about evangelicals, shares her commitment to restoring decency to public life.
Cute story, we might think, but not widely applicable. We would be wrong. Despite what the division-mongers tell us (because their strategies depend on it) research shows that Americans are not hopelessly divided. Given a few more incentives and a larger share of the spotlight, what we share could upstage what separates us.
Opinions in your inbox: Get a digest of our takes on current events every day
Schmelkin was new in her rabbinate atCongregation Beth Israel when white nationalists rampaged through the city with torches and vile chants like Jews will not replace us.As she recently told Religion News Service, The Unite the Right rally was the most terrifying experience of my entire life. I had never seen extremism like that up close, and I never feared for my safety as a Jewish person. It changed me.
When theOne America Movementinvited her to join a clergy group that included evangelical pastors, Schmelkin initially balked. Now shes glad she assented.
Im not going to sit down with someone who wants to harm me. But there are people with whom I can sit down, even though I might feel uncomfortable, she said.
When Breeden was invited to join the group, he, too, was reluctant.Ina profile on the One America website, Breeden said:At first I was a little suspicious. Most of the clergy groups that I had experienced were not a great use of time, but Im so glad I gave this one a shot!
Breeden who, like Schmelkin, now works for the One America Movement elaborated in an email exchange with me: Ive seen the effects of toxic polarization up close. Its tearing apart communities, and churches arent exempt from the damage. Ive also personally experienced the possibility of the alternative. Im motivated to do this work because Ive seen first-hand that it can be done, and I want other people to have hope in a better future than our divisions threaten.
Nice thought, you might say. But surely, those extremists on the other side have to be stopped before they destroy our communities and country.
Its true the zealots are out there, and you see them portrayed daily on Fox News, MSNBCand the like. But data showthey are not representative of the people and ideas on the other side of the divide, whichever side youre on.
Polling by the group More in Commonfinds that on many of the issues that divide Democrats and Republicans, people have a grossly distorted idea of what the other side believes.
For instance, Republicans in the study estimate that fewer than half of Democrats disagree that "most police are bad people." In truth, 85%of Dems reject that sweeping condemnation of police.
On immigration, Democrats estimate that only about half of Republicans agree that properly controlled immigration is good for America. The reality: More than 75%of Republicans hold that positive view of orderly immigration.
Overall, the research finds, there is a massive gap between our perception of extreme views in the other party and theactualprevalence of such views.It would be tragic beyond measure if the country gave up on our noble experiment in democracy and fell into some kind of civil war based on each sides misunderstanding of what it is up against.
Not to be nave. There are real differences between liberal and conservative America, and our ways of responding to those differences are not equally loathsome. Only one party is pushing lies about the validity of the 2020 presidential election and enacting legislation that threatens fair voting.
But its also true that regardless of the ground we occupy, we all carry around false ideas about the everyday people on the other side, and our own public citizenship is based, in large part, on those false notions.
Given the tremendous force propelling conflict and division the degree to which all the incentives and algorithms seem to favor toxic polarization havent we reached the point where resistance is futile? Where its too late to stop the runaway train?
Not yet. But to slow it down and steer it away from the cliff, everyday citizens willhave to jump off and use our combined weight to turn our public life in a better direction.
We cannot let the manipulators and extremists on both sides continue their self-serving battle at the expense of, and against the wishes of, the non-extremists who constitute the majority.
That starts with all of us correcting our understanding of who our supposed enemies are and discovering that they are, on the whole,notour enemies. We can do that only by getting to know each other better.
Tom Krattenmaker,amember of USA TODAYs Board of Contributors, writes on religion and values in public life and directs communications at Yale Divinity School. He is the author of Confessions of a Secular Jesus Follower. Follow him on Twitter:@krattenmaker
See the original post here:
How a rabbi and an evangelical pastor are fighting white supremacy together - USA TODAY
- Protesters hound homophobic rabbi in Tel Aviv amid uproar over religious group - The Times of Israel - September 22nd, 2023
- From a Rabbi to my Catholic friends: We must confront what Pope Pius XII knew about the Holocaust. - America: The Jesuit Review - September 22nd, 2023
- Final probe into prominent German Reform rabbi affirms abuse of power allegations - The Times of Israel - September 22nd, 2023
- On my umpteenth trip to Uman, I finally visited Rabbi Nachmans grave - The Times of Israel - September 22nd, 2023
- Golf with Rabbi Dave | Entertainment | theunion.com - The Union - September 22nd, 2023
- Remembering Rabbi Matthew H. Simon, zl - Jewish Federation of Greater Washington - September 22nd, 2023
- The Rabbi and the Rock - Relevant Radio - September 22nd, 2023
- Temple Institute Rabbi: 'Jews came from all of Israel to blow the ... - Arutz Sheva - September 22nd, 2023
- Rangers Rabbi Matondo dreaming of chance to be involved in Europa League run - Yahoo News UK - September 22nd, 2023
- Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch on the parshah: Cowering in fear - Arutz Sheva - September 22nd, 2023
- Judah ha-Nasi - Wikipedia - August 30th, 2023
- Rabbi who lied to, had sex with several women to have detention extended - The Jerusalem Post - August 30th, 2023
- Israeli rabbi fired by yeshiva after he catfished dozens of women on secular dating apps - The Jewish Chronicle - August 30th, 2023
- Married Israeli rabbi used aliases to lure women on dating apps - The Times - August 30th, 2023
- An Actual Rabbi's Thoughts on Rabbi Rebecca From 'You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah' - Alma - August 30th, 2023
- Rabbi Steve Leder on why good people do bad things - Spectrum News 1 - August 30th, 2023
- An American rabbi answers her congregants question: Why do they hate us? - The Times of Israel - August 30th, 2023
- Rabbi Aaron Marsh is a new face at the East Meadow Beth-El ... - liherald.com - August 30th, 2023
- A Kansas City rabbi publishes a new book on embracing 'everyday ... - KCUR - August 30th, 2023
- Young Rabbi Attacked in Crown Heights; Action Still Wasn't Taken - COLlive - August 30th, 2023
- The Time Rabbi Hodakov Apologized to the Rebbe - COLlive - August 30th, 2023
- Before MLK told us he had a dream, a Newark rabbi advised us not to remain silent | Opinion - NJ.com - August 30th, 2023
- Local rabbi, cantorial soloist want to help you stop on Shabbat ... - Jewish News of Greater Phoenix - August 30th, 2023
- York gets first rabbi since community decimated by infamous 1190 pogrom - The Times of Israel - August 8th, 2023
- Spokesman for Hebron: Rabbi Kook resurrected the holy city - Arutz Sheva - August 8th, 2023
- Fade in the Water and Jamie Foxxs Apology With Rabbi Dr. Ari Lamm - The Ringer - August 8th, 2023
- New Discovery/Max reality show 'Survive the Raft' features a Messianic 'rabbi' who says 'I'm Jewish, too' - St. Louis Jewish Light - August 8th, 2023
- New US reality show features a Messianic rabbi who says Im Jewish, too - The Times of Israel - August 8th, 2023
- History-making trans rabbi wants young people to find joy and ... - PinkNews - August 8th, 2023
- Rabbi Pinto in a heartrending talk from his sickbed: "I was between life - The Jerusalem Post - August 8th, 2023
- Tree of Life rabbi says community can begin to heal after shooter sentenced - The Times of Israel - August 8th, 2023
- Rescuing a Rabbi in Buchenwald - International Fellowship of Christians and Jews - August 8th, 2023
- Leon Black's failed rabbi father Eli killed himself in 1975 after trying to bribe Honduras to lower the banana - Daily Mail - August 8th, 2023
- Return of the Wild West Rabbi - Chabad.org - August 8th, 2023
- Rabbi speaks out on being last person to see murdered 14-year-old - New York Post - August 8th, 2023
- Why this rabbi isnt celebrating (or dismissing) the latest Trump indictments - Forward - August 8th, 2023
- Meet the Hampstead rabbi who will do anything for others - The Jewish Chronicle - July 28th, 2023
- Rabbi Harold Kushner: In appreciation of Conservative Judaisms Prince of the Pen - The Times of Israel - July 28th, 2023
- Executive recruiter offers tips on rabbi recruiting - opinion - The Jerusalem Post - July 26th, 2023
- Rabbi Steve Leder on the ongoing protests in Israel - Spectrum News 1 - July 26th, 2023
- Rabbi Shimshon Rafael Hirrsch on the parasha: Why study Torah? - Arutz Sheva - July 26th, 2023
- Blur Share New Songs The Rabbi and The Swan: Stream - Consequence - July 26th, 2023
- Rabbi Yosef Goldberg, 92, Elder Chabad Chassid in Boro Park, Brooklyn - Had many interactions with the Rebbe and ... - Chabad.org - July 24th, 2023
- In remote Tasmania, Jews welcome a rare visit from a former Israeli chief rabbi - The Times of Israel - July 24th, 2023
- Rabbi Yehudah Glick: Peace and agreements are the order of the hour - Arutz Sheva - July 24th, 2023
- Blur Share 2 More New Songs, The Rabbi and The Swan: Listen - Pitchfork - July 24th, 2023
- Listen to two new Blur songs, 'The Rabbi' and 'The Swan' - NME - July 24th, 2023
- Rabbi Pinto on the Division in Israeli Society: "The Torah is the Only T - The Jerusalem Post - July 24th, 2023
- I have a crush on my rabbi. Is it OK to ask him out? - Forward - July 24th, 2023
- Cleveland rabbi punished for stealing university groups Palestinian banner - The Times of Israel - July 24th, 2023
- Rabbinical court bans Berlin rabbi accused of sexual misconduct from authority roles - The Times of Israel - July 24th, 2023
- Rabbi Yehudah Glick: 'Peace and agreements are the order of the ... - Arutz Sheva - July 24th, 2023
- Ukraine Recognizes Chief Rabbi For 'acts Of Heroism In Defending ... - i24NEWS - July 24th, 2023
- Manchester Shul Honors Rabbi and Rebbetzin With New Torah - COLlive - July 24th, 2023
- Rabbi: The trial for the Pittsburgh synagogue shooter is almost over. I still have more questions than answers - CNN - July 14th, 2023
- Preserving the timeless legacy of UK's revered Rabbi Lord Sacks - Ynetnews - July 14th, 2023
- Western Wall rabbi: 'No force in the world can destroy our sacred scriptures' - Arutz Sheva - July 14th, 2023
- 'Who's better than the rabbi?' - When Trump asked for 'a little prayer' - Arutz Sheva - July 14th, 2023
- Bronx rabbi ushers in the next generation of female rabbis - Spectrum News NY1 - July 14th, 2023
- Rabbi: The trial for the Pittsburgh synagogue is almost over. I still have more questions than answers - Yahoo News - July 14th, 2023
- Rabbis of LA | Rabbi Josh Knobel: From the Barracks to the Bima - Jewish Journal - July 14th, 2023
- Israel's Chief Rabbi: 'Horrified to hear of intention to burn Torah scroll' - Arutz Sheva - July 14th, 2023
- Why I, a Rabbi from Lakewood, Visited the Ohel on Gimmel Tammuz - Anash.org - Good News - July 14th, 2023
- Rabbi Shimshon Refael Hirsch on the Parsha: The human face of ... - Arutz Sheva - July 14th, 2023
- Rabbi Kook and the workers' kitchen during the Nine Days - Arutz Sheva - July 14th, 2023
- Rabbi Aryeh Spero, champion of Judeo-Christian heritage, dies ... - July 2nd, 2023
- New Jersey rabbi to hang in Washington - The Times of Israel - July 2nd, 2023
- Rabbi Steve Leder focuses on 'the simple pleasures of life' - Spectrum News 1 - July 2nd, 2023
- Why was Joseph Hertz the greatest chief rabbi? - The Jewish Chronicle - July 2nd, 2023
- Famed rabbi pleas with 'friend' Roseanne Barr to 'speak the truth' on Holocaust - New York Post - June 29th, 2023
- Congregation Beth Shalom in Naperville introduces first new rabbi in 15 years - Naperville Community Television (NCTV17) - June 29th, 2023
- A Bisl Torah - The Rabbi, The Dreamer - Jewish Journal - June 29th, 2023
- New Jersey rabbi to hang in Washington - The Jewish Standard - June 29th, 2023
- Rabbi Marcus Carr recognized for a lifetime of service and helping those in need for decades in the Nations - EIN News - June 29th, 2023
- congregation of reform judaism rabbi retiring after 26 years - News 13 Orlando - June 29th, 2023
- The Reform Rabbi Who Influenced Modern Orthodoxy - Jewish Link of New Jersey - June 29th, 2023
- Charleston rabbi resigns, leaving South Carolina over anti-LGBTQ legislation - The Times of Israel - June 29th, 2023
- Kentucky rabbi: The media is using Jews as a "scapegoat" for the ... - Yid Info - June 29th, 2023
- The Rabbi's son who created 'Prom' magazine and St. Louis ... - St. Louis Jewish Light - June 29th, 2023
- Staten Island rabbi named to NYCs first Jewish Advisory Council; he expects hate crimes to be focus - SILive.com - June 29th, 2023
Comments