How Easily a Paradigm Can Shift

It was the weekend of 18 January 2019, and I was intending to watch the ‘Mother’s March for Life’ in Washington DC live.  What I saw, instead upset me very much!  I was angry that a bunch of high school kids had blocked the path of a Native American who was on his way to pray for the country he loved. 

The Native American was not put off but continued to beat his hand-held drum!  And one kid just stood there with an awkward grin on his face but did not move out of the way.

The news commentator ‘framed’ the situation as it unfolded, easily condemning these MAGA-hat-wearing kids.  Over the next day or two, it seemed the media vitriol grew.  I watched as the poor Native American was interviewed.  He was even a Veteran and it was just so disrespectful to see young kids being so rude.

As the truth began to trickle out ever so slowly, those who cared to watch discovered there had been an earlier disruption.  Some outlandish name-calling at the kids had been going on by a group calling themselves the Black Israelites.  The language these adults used was totally unacceptable in any circle. 

The Native American was not all he said he was, and the kids were just high school kids waiting for their bus to pick them up after participating in the March for Life.   Eventually, the hatred toward the kids grew into death threats and they had to close their school. 

I was stunned -- but certainly not surprised -- at how easily I saw what I was 'supposed' to see.  But it hurt me to imagine, I had been fooled.  

Experiencing this paradigm shift reminded me of a workshop I attended, led by Francis A. Schaeffer called ‘How Should We Then Live?’ (1976!) 

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8qMi_VIuX4

I pulled the book down from my shelf and re-read some of the chapters.  It was painful to see how vulnerable I am -- we all are -- to what the media chooses to show me/ us and tell me/ us of events.