A few weeks ago, I went to get some blood work done. Like many medical offices and businesses, the check in process is now handled via a touch pad where you enter your information. I found it easy and pretty straight forward. While waiting, a big screen displayed my place in line and an approximate wait time. I thought the system was easy, efficient, and a definite improvement. However, an older woman who sat in the socially distanced chair beside mine wasn’t at all happy. In fact, she was unnerved enough to look my way and comment that she hates all these changes. I confirmed that there are in fact a lot of changes coming our way pretty fast and that it’s sometimes difficult to keep up. And then she expressed how she hated the changes and how she wished it would all just stop. I tried to empathize and point out how that many of these new ways have actually improved our lives.
In that moment, I was reminded that change is very difficult for a large segment of the human population. They see change on a continuum ranging from inconvenience to a life-altering threat. However, I happen to be one of those people who is excited by change and innovation. That doesn’t mean I love every change, but I’m not opposed to change because I tend to imagine greater efficiencies or new doors of opportunity. I find change akin to the eagerness I feel when opening a gift to discover the treasure inside. Admittedly, some treasures turn out to be better than others. These days, change is rapid with innovations in language that reflect changes in culture, social awareness, and technology. And those technological innovations create changes in how we work, shop, and interact socially. I’ve noticed that many of my fellow baby boomers are somewhat resistant to change. It takes us a while understand the rapid influx of new systems, new technologies, and new social norms.
In fact, my husband is definitely one of the slower adopters, especially when it comes to social changes regarding human sexuality and sexual orientation. He struggles every time he sees a transgender person on television. He has a physical reaction when he sees same sex affectionate behaviors. After many conversations with him on the topic and numerous interactions with some of my students over the years, the best I’ve been able to expect from him is respectful behavior. My husband is the type of person who won’t even try food that he didn’t grow up eating. I have to assist him with new technology because he is often too impatient to bother learning how to use it. In so many ways, I feel he is missing out, but the rapidly changing world causes him stress and anxiety, not anticipation for new experiences that might be enjoyable.
My husband’s resistance to change helps me understand why so many Americans embraced Trump. Like my husband struggles to embrace new foods, new technologies, and transgender and gay people as full members of society, Trump supporters were unprepared to see people of color and LGBTQ people in positions power. Trump promised to turn back the clock for change-resistant Baby Boomers and Silent Generation folks who reject the changing times that make them feel powerless and left behind. The changing demographics and outspokenness of people who were previously hidden and silent now appear before them at every turn and they find it unsettling, even repulsive.
Obama was a wake-up call that social progress was here. When you think about all the changes such as climate change, same-sex marriage, gender fluidity, female sexual empowerment, a “Me Too Movement” that exposed the prevalence of unchecked male sexual misconduct against women, and Title IX reforms that insists on female equity in education and sports, it’s easy to understand why some older people are simply overwhelmed. Even some Generation X people are distressed by the notion that the values of their parents and ministers are being overrun by the masses of “godless” Americans they see on television and in the movies.
I get that change is hard for some people. But not all change is bad, nor does every change affect us. It is our responsibility as those who see the opportunities for inclusion, equity, and improvements in these changes to have sensitive conversations with our resistant friends and family members about the changes, employing our empathy, understanding, and patience. We can ask them how same-sex marriage impacts their heterosexual marriage and listen to their response before pointing out elements of our constitution that grant everyone the right to life, liberty, and the pursue happiness. We can listen to their complaints about pronouns and gently remind them of how much they, too, want to be respected for their identity. We can talk about climate science and why changes in how we interact with the environment is consequential to the livability of the planet. We can ask those Christians among us who embraced Trumpism for examples from the Bible where Jesus asked His followers to harm others to make them comply to their values and beliefs. Our best chance to bridge the divide that is tearing our nation apart is to listen with empathy and respectfully share our own perspective.
Change is inevitable. It has always been a part of the human experience. Our job as citizens is to elect and then insist that our lawmakers and governors adhere to the basic precepts of our Constitution that grant us the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and that they pass laws that acknowledge the truth that all humans are created equal. We must insist that they acknowledge that we are guaranteed freedom of religion and that there is no state religion. It is our duty as citizens to not only vote for candidates who will uphold these principles but to petition the government and leaders when they try to violate them.
With this new, almost evenly divided Congress and Senate, I plan to take every opportunity to reach out to our representatives via email, written letter, or phone call to let them know that I expect them to adhere to enact laws that protect lives and that adhere to the principles in our Constitution that give us the freedom to live and love as we see fit so long as we do no harm to others. I will let them know that I value dignity and justice for everyone and that equal protection the law is a priority for me. I will let them know that although I am a Christian, evangelism is not the job of the state. I will let them know that I value integrity and allegiance to the nation, not a lawless political bully and that I will hold them accountable for their actions moving forward.
The opportunity I see with historically different mid-term election, makes me excited about the opportunity to encourage lawmakers to address issues like immigration reform, climate change, crime, and truth in information in the public square. These are issues where we share common concerns and so if we join forces as citizens and insist, I anticipate a robust debate that can result in the enactment of changes that benefit the nation moving forward.