Today's essay by Laura is calling from within me a much-needed response. I resonate deeply with what she feels in her heart -- but am not ready to make my own heart-felt statement about the the political situation. I don't think that I'll be ready until I take up the challenge implicit in the first paragraph of her post:

I can't quite find it in me to write in a fact-based way right now--even though that's what we think we all need to do, take an unflinching look at the facts about what's happening to people as a result of these policies.

I feel called to take up such a way of writing -- though frankly, I don't know whether I'm up for the task. I know how I feel about what's happening but I can't say that the feelings are sufficiently grounded in a careful, critical examination of the facts. Not that I have any illusion that I can get to the bottom of things because things are complex -- and because people are out to spin things for their own interests, to obfuscate the truth.

I suppose that another reason I'm not ready to publicly claim and make my own what I feel is that I want to sort out for myself why I believe what I do. More to point, is my belief the way it is only because those around me believe likewise? I need to hear fully the viewpoints of intelligent, thoughtful people of integrity who see the world differently from the way I do.

I may be just dense and slow and unwilling to accept what is obvious. Don't know yet. I also don't know what I'll be writing next on this topic. We'll have to see.