Girl Scouts Take the Stand of Inclusion
While on my morning walk listening to Beth and Friends, KEZ 99.9 fm, on my iHeart Radio app, disc jockey Beth played a portion of the YouTube video, below. It is a talk given by a 14 year old Girl Scout advocating a boycott of Girl Scout Cookies because they allow transgendered individuals in the troops. Beth’s response was something along the lines of “I will buy MORE cookies this year because I want to support a compassionate organization.” I agree with her. It would great for hate toward others unlike us to end in our generation.
Listening with an open heart to the full YouTube video I remember how sheltered and naive I was at her age. And, I applaud this young woman for having her voice heard and making an argument utilizing the written tenants of the Scouts. Bravo. However, the lack of understanding and compassion spoke louder than her argument. The bigger question, I believe, is not how do we extricate individuals who are different than us from our circle, but how do we let them in, and love them? Wouldn’t it be beautiful if this young lady befriended a transgendered individual before she determines they are “unsafe?”
As a metaphysician, I am called to take this sentiment inside of myself and do the inner work. Where within me do I hold hatred and exclusion? I call that forward and then invite Love to melt and transform the inner edges within my own being. It is easy to caste a stone outward, and much more difficult to go within asking, “where does this dynamic lie within me? Who and what have I left out?”
Martin Luther King, Jr. said in one of his sermons that someone has to rise above and choose love. I used to tell one of his stories on The Forgiveness Tour I undertook years ago. He spoke of an evening road trip he and his brother took. On this trip the drivers were flashing their brights at other drivers, temporarily blinding them. King’s brother got mad and wanted to flip his beams onto bright. Martin’s response was (paraphrasing) “and when will it end, after everyone is blinded? Someone must choose the high road and decide to act from love, not retribution.” He encouraged us, you and me, to be the ones to step out with a voice and behavior of love. He said “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.”
It is easy to take the sanctimonious side of “opposite” and fight against bigotry. This keeps us collectively stuck, I don’t choose to do this. Instead I wish to come from an inner space beyond “a fight” with the Presence of Love as my guide. It is my intention to take a stand for love, not one against anything. I take action to bring light to my inner darkness and I choose to send a check to the national Girl Scouts headquarters with a note, thanking them for their stance on inclusivity. Their address is Girl Scouts of the USA, 420 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10018-2798.
My blessings to You,
