Our Dilemma

I looked up the definition of Dilemma this week:  "A situation requiring a choice between equally undesirable alternatives."  That makes sense, but then I wondered about our current situation:

• Where the country is equally divided;
• Each side excludes the other in discussions and decisions; and
• We don't listen to or engage in other perspectives.

America finds itself at a crossroads... and possibly, a dilemma... but how do we view the equally undesirable alternatives?

Are you being heard?
(Photo: "No Kings" Rally, San Diego - Larry Gardepie)

I experienced this Crossroads in two different ways this past week:

• I attended San Diego's "No Kings" March (attended by over 60,000 people).
• I posted a politician's speech on my Facebook page.

(I posted the speech not because I agreed with all of it, but the person presented an interesting perspective of what is happening nationally.)

What values do you believe in?
(Photo: Liberty and Justice for All - Larry Gardepie)

Why are these representative of the crossroads we are facing?

• For the march:  it was peaceful; people wanted to belong; opinions mattered.
• For the online post:  some responses were attacks; discussion shut down.

One online comment even recited the Pledge of Allegiance, emphasizing that the United States is a Republic (not a Democracy) and is "One Nation Under God" (Christian).  

Reviewing our almost 250-year history, it can be said that:

• We are a "Republic" AND we are a "Representative Democracy."
• We have freedom to express our religious views.
• "One Nation Under God" in the Pledge and "In God We Trust" on our money weren't officially adopted until the Eisenhower years (1954 and 1956). 

Can we include everyone?
(Photo:  Aerial View of No Kings March, San Diego - Larry Gardepie)

As our country changes and evolves, maybe we need to define Our Dilemma.  It seems that:

• We no longer relate to one another;
• We have lost the elasticity to consider more than two options; and,
• We focus on EITHER-OR thinking rather than BOTH-AND.

If this is true, then we might consider the following questions this week:

• Am I willing to engage in peaceful dialogue?
• Can I seek to understand other perspectives?
• How do I move beyond a "choice between equally undesirable alternatives" to choices of Possibility, Potential, and Opportunity?

These questions are BOTH individual... AND... collective.  Will I (and we) choose to reflect on and share our responses?

Larry Gardepie

Dialogue San Diego Consulting