Grieving resistance into being

Many of us have been watching the world and carrying grief. I've known times when I have let this grief surface and times when I've just lived around it with a politically driven hope that love, integrity, equity and justice will prevail.

Today (6 November 2024), grief cannot be contained. Many knew this day was coming, yet some kept it away from immediate sight and sentiment. I couldn’t bear to be alone, so WhatsApp messages were frantically sent to others to bear witness, share each others' grief and search for answers about how the shadow side of humanity appears to be winning. Generously, family, friends, colleagues, and comrades responded with views on why this happened. These included: "Politicians do not understand the real soul-wounds and needs of the people (e.g. working-class men), leaving space for toxic populism to thrive; Fascism is on the rise globally (https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/surging-far-right-europe-austria-anti-immigration-rcna173398); The central thread in liberal constitutionalism propagates individual self-interest, making money, profits and being rich; The fear of a global recession; The post covid political and cultural polarisation that has left little room for co-operation, compromise and a bipartisan movement to grow."

While recognising the validity of these arguments, my heart and soul need more. Out of compassion for myself and the need for reconciliation with this reality, I allowed myself to slip into the depths of sadness, sorrow and pain for all that is not right in the world. This grief was about all who are forced to live with the tyranny of right-wing fascism, discrimination, violence, and dehumanisation. I consciously use the word "fascism", embracing the truth of what was said by a dear colleague and friend in response to my earlier morning text message.

This grieving feels indulgent, esoteric, new-agey, and lacking political substance. What real difference does this grieving make? Is the grief just a self-serving amelioration of feelings of bystanding, helplessness or guilt? How does one not stand by meekly or unproductively turn away from the world's ills? The answer comes in parts from inside me and from others.

At this moment, I accept that the dark force of Trumpism is rising, but I won't admit that this shadow will kill the light in me, in you and in all of us who inhabit Earth! In trying to make sense of what the American people have chosen, a wise niece, in response to my text message, stated that this day is happening because there is "not enough self-love on this planet". Simple but profound. I tested her statement on my tongue, mind, and body.

If we truly love and honour ourselves, would hatred, greed, misogyny, racism, and killing find resonance with the love of self and others that exists in our hearts? A heart that genuinely loves itself and holds the light will not quickly generate or play host to the dark. A truly self-loving heart would allow one to recognise and name all that is incongruent with this love of self and others. Here, I am not talking about a love of self, driven by individualism, a disconnect from others, neoliberalism, self-interest or narcissism.

This realisation is perhaps the beginning of deepening my understanding and appreciation of advocates' message of "love as a hermeneutic of social change" (Sandoval, 2000). Also referred to as radical love as a force for change, Paulo Freire, Joe Kincheloe, and Jesús Gómez (Pato) have also been proponents (Gómez & Jiménez, 2018). In the past, these teachings have been challenging to embody. Instead, I have approached it with scepticism and cynicism, reckoning that this response to injustice is too simplistic. I have often uttered to myself, "Please do not speak of love as a force for change when people are dying, bleeding and being physically and psychologically brutalised!"

But today, radical love took on a new meaning. A meaning that is a protection against succumbing to the dark.  This love can be a form of activism, protest, resistance, and a tool. We can be activists, resistors, and freedom fighters who use love as armoury. In response to an earlier post, a dear and wise professor responded to the call that "We choose and use the strength, courage, and wisdom inside us to fight for more light, humanity, care, and well-being in the world!” He added: "And, and, and love."

This love sits in community and critical conversation with other sociopolitical and economic woes, analyses and activism that cannot be ignored. But the question about love remains pertinent.