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Buddhism and Family Separations at the Border

I attended an interfaith prayer vigil recently.  It was organized by Jeffrey Boudon, a campus minister, and a nonprofit organization called Inter-Religious Task Force, which does human rights work in South America

The purpose of the vigil was to show solidarity with asylum-seekers at the southern border, and advocate for the reunification of migrant families.

We sang songs, we did chants, and I joined with other faith leaders in giving blessings/ talks during the proceedings.    

That being said, this prayer vigil was very different from previous events that I've attended.  It had counter-protesters.  


A group of three men walked up to our group early in the event carrying cameras and signs that said things like, "Trump, build that wall!"  Occasionally, they would shout things in an attempt to disrupt the service, and they circled our prayer circle, standing uncomfortably close to people at times before walking away.

A small group of attendees broke off from the circle at one point, and turned themselves into human shields; standing between us and the counter-protesters.  No one told them to do that, but it was an incredibly brave, kind thing to do.  It allowed the rest of us to focus fully on the proceedings.

In a perfect world, that would've been the part where my heart overflowed with love and compassion.  But that's not what happened.  My initial feelings weren't kind, they were angry.  My train of thought was less, "love and compassion" and more, "Are they seriously protesting a prayer vigil?!"

But that's the thing about wearing robes; it's not about you.  


It's about the 2,600 years of Buddhist tradition that you represent.  It's about letting go of the shallow, reactionary parts of yourself, and learning to embody the Buddhadharma even when it's hard; especially when it's hard.

So, after the service I walked over to the Trump-supporters.  I looked each of them in the eyes, shook their hands, and thanked them for coming.  We talked for several minutes, and the conversation was very cordial.

They asked me about my robes, and how I became a Buddhist teacher.  One of them was dressed as a crusader knight, so I asked him about where he got his armor.  I tried to practice deep listening, and pay close attention to what they were feeling.

We agreed that the situation is incredibly messy, with no easy solutions.  We also agreed that family separations are inhumane.  At the end of our conversation we all shook hands.  "God bless you," one of the men said to me as I looked him in the eyes.  "Same to you," I responded before walking away.

I don't have a solution for what's happening on the border.  


As a former Marine, I understand that countries need strong borders.  But if I were an asylum-seeker, fleeing violence and bloodshed, I'd hope desperately that someone would give me a chance at a better life; even if I showed up at their doorstep unannounced.

So, my focus is on showing as much empathy and compassion as I can; on holding space and speaking out for people who suffer under the weight of a broken immigration system.  In the absence of clear solutions, I can do that.



Upcoming Events:

Annual Day of Meditation:  Meditation groups from all over the country will meditate at the same time and live stream the practice on Facebook!  I'll be partnering with my friends at The Tattooed Buddha to lead the Cleveland, OH meditation, which will take place 6/30 in Willard Park/ Free Stamp Plaza at 4:30pm.  You can RSVP to the Cleveland meditation by clicking here.


The Official Animal Rights March | Columbus, OH:  The march started in 2016 in London with 2,500 participants.  And it grew to 5,000 participants by 2017.  This year, I will participate in the Columbus, OH portion of the march, and deliver a Dharma talk afterwards.  You can RSVP for the event by clicking here.

Buddhism and Family Separations at the Border

Comments

  1. This attempt at disruption was facilitated by extreme Right Wing Trumpist cultists. He's the only president to be elevated to Messiah status by the willfully ignorant.
    As to solutions, I'm stuck.

    ReplyDelete
  2. An excellent reminder. These times present many opportunities for us to rededicate ourselves to dharma when it's incredibly difficult to not give in to frustration and anger. Thank you for your work!

    ReplyDelete

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