About a boy named Stephen, whom I went to Mrs. Mule's (pronounced 'mule-LAY') third grade class with, in Meadowlark Elementary School in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Stephen had the experience of living as a Jewish person in an ocean of Mormons. I had the parallel experience of being immersed in an ocean of people who were just like me, and finding my peace occasionally interrupted by people who lived differently, like Stephen.
Stephen swore. He swore like a merchant marine. In some instances, he used words I'd never yet heard. It was shocking. He wouldn't stop.
Mrs. Mule had the great idea that we should have a courtroom in our little third grade classroom, where we could 'sue' each other, like real courts. I'm sure she had good intentions, by introducing us to a simplified version of the legal system. But we used that courtroom for one purpose only - to punish Stephen for swearing.
It seemed like he was hauled into court by someone every week, and most of the time, it was for swearing on the playground. I remember watching him, because I wanted to sue him too, because everyone wanted to sue someone, and Stephen was a convenient target.
The arrogance of being a member of a privileged group, a large group that holds power, is a very seductive thing, but it's a seduction I should have resisted.
What I didn't realize at the time, was that this same dynamic, this attempting to legislate and criminalize another group of people because they believe differently, was happening in the real courts as well:
I post this video, not because I agree with what the protestor did, but because what was happening in this video illustrates the same dynamic that happened in my third-grade class. It displays the natural arrogance of the group in power, and it's the natural result of what happens when you try to legislate ideas and morals.
It can't be done. All it does is drive the idea underground, until that moment when it springs forth again with added power and force.
So now the tables are turning. Those who were once in power are not...but has anything changed? I wish it would, but it hasn't.
If it had, there wouldn't be reports going to our legislative leaders, pressing for those no longer in power to be made illegal because of what they believe.
But they'll learn. They'll learn the lesson they once forced others to learn.
We can't legislate away beliefs. Even trying to imprison or kill beliefs doesn't work.
Rome tried with the early Christians. Hitler tried with Jews and homosexuals. African-Americans overcame slavery and years of racial injustice, and are still doing so. The Hutu tried with the Tutsi. Missouri's government tried to eradicate fellow Christians in the 1800s, because they believed differently and didn't want slavery. ISIS is currently attempting to eradicate the Syrians.
It won't work.
Because if you don't believe in God, or even if you don't believe in karma, we can believe in the tides of power that rise and fall, like ocean tides that roll in and then roll out again.
Those on the minority side will rise again one day. Those currently in the majority will taste life in the minority once again. And when we do, hopefully it will be with some humility, as the Ghanian people recently did when the practice of their religion was banned temporarily by the government.
When your turn comes to be in the majority, remember that.
Stephen, wherever you are today, please know that I'm very sorry for what we did to you back then in Mrs. Mule's class. If I had social skills back then, I would have tried talking to you and getting to know you as a person before I yanked you into third-grade court for swearing all the time, because it was us against you and we just wanted to make you go away.
I didn't realize what was happening.
I do now.
You can close a mouth...but you can't close a heart...
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