Editordude: This is the first entry in our Rag writing contest, a contest asking writers to express ‘What the nation’s 250 anniversary means today … living under Trump.’ Our panel of judges will determine the winner after the July 4th weekend; the contest runs until then and is open to anyone living in the City or County of San Diego. The winning essay will be awarded $100.00. (All entries will be published anonymously. Applicants should email us the essay to obragblog@gmail.com)
By Anonymous #1
“The arc of the universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Philosophers, reformers and leaders often talk trajectory, making reference to progress like the kind seen in comforting movements of an arc. A line following that unfamiliar path ultimately expected to bend in the proper direction. So very appealing a concept – geometrically speaking. A simple shape reassuringly capable of reflecting empirical truths.
Most of us have previously encountered the above famous quote, long attributed to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, who included it in a 1956 speech addressing the Montgomery Bus Boycott. However, the original concept came from 19th century Unitarian minister and abolitionist Theodore Parker. In an 1853 sermon, Parker stated…”I do not pretend to understand the moral universe; the arc is a long one, my eye reaches but little ways…But from what I see I am sure it bends toward justice.”
Dr. King’s quote was a favorite of President Barack Obama, who modified it a bit by saying…”The arc does not bend on its own; it bends because we pull it the direction of justice.” His interpretation emphasizes not just historical forces, but an appeal to active participation, advocacy and human effort in order to ensure the arc’s proper movement.
Referring to a moral arc eventually bending in the right direction has served as great comfort and inspiration in our nation’s history, especially when circumstances looked alarming. The reference reminds us that our society is expected to continue to move forward in the future. Our two hundred and fifty year history serves as proof. Yet, there exists a once safe assumption we can always depend on such an axiom within the context of an upright, moral national orientation.
So what happens, you may ask, when the universe emits a dark turbulent energy powerful enough to shove everything sideways, disrupting our usual angle of scrutiny?
Such is the situation we find ourselves in this anniversary moment. The trajectory we assumed to be following – despite the occasional interruptions and pauses – appears to have been thrust into reverse, knocking us all for a loop.
Whether it’s our current president’s handling of immigration issues, his efforts to set back progress long made on civil rights, his attacks on journalists, his pardoning of January 6 insurrectionists, the ugly narcissism, or his grotesque name calling at anyone perceived as an enemy, the average American citizen cannot be blamed for thinking the comforting concept of a moral arc’s inevitable direction may be flawed.
After all, the proverbial guardrails appear in the process of being dismantled, the opposition weakened, separation of powers subverted, and divisiveness exploited as a vicious political tool.
I believe this bleak situation requires us to return to President Obama’s take on the concept. The dependence on passive, historical forces is a luxury we can no longer afford.
So what can we do? We as individuals can react by frequently reaching out with a helping hand, offering food, advice, protection – in other words, morsels of hope – to all living things in need, thus minimizing the imbalance thrust upon us. Perhaps this type of action will inspire others to do the same, or more.
Yes, I’m calling for small steps indeed, but the sheer volume of so many people participating in this endeavor may be just enough to keep our collective heads above turbulent waters until the country’s baseline has been re-leveled. Actively reaching out can at least keep apathy and helplessness at bay, two important elements which the dark force depends upon for success.
Though delivered from an awkward, slanted position within the context of our society’s fracturing norms, this supportive human gesture will still take place against nature’s backdrop, oftentimes involving blue skies and wispy white clouds, reminding us that more positive days – marked by a noble movement in the desired direction of justice – continue to lie appealingly ahead for our country.
