Remembering Human Dignity at the Lincoln Memorial
My son, Hudson, and I spent last weekend monument and museum hopping in Washington, D.C. Each place teemed with activity as we all are coming out of our COVID-19 shells to travel again. Late Saturday afternoon, we sat on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial as people flocked up and down. Scooters darted across the granite landing. Decked-out high school students posed for prom pictures. Fascinated visitors deferred to each other so everyone could have a chance to snap pictures of the scene.
As we stared across the Reflecting Pool toward the Washington Monument, I noticed that the crowds reflected the diversity of our nation. All ages, colors, religions, and socioeconomic statuses — all gazing in awe and excitement. A spell, of sorts, united everyone in reverence and joy.
It was a beautiful scene, especially since it played out below President Lincoln’s call for “malice toward none; with charity for all” inscribed on the wall and upon the steps where Dr. King called for a faith “to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood.”
But then, a thought jarred me from the peaceful moment. It occurred to me that another kind of diversity was likely present too, lurking beneath the surface — one that, if visible, would have sparked tension and dampened moods.
Political allegiance.
I wondered, what would the scene have looked like if everyone had donned a shirt indicating their vote last November? Or what if we had bubbles over our heads showing the logos of our favorite news sources? Instead of seeing fellow Americans enjoying a monument to our nation’s painful progress, would we see others as unAmerican, narrow-minded, or even dangerous? Would we forget the common humanity of each other?
My own answers to these questions unsettled me.
Social media squabbles and media diets that affirm our viewpoints create caricatures of “the other side” that rob them of their humanity. Increasingly, we surround ourselves with people who look and think like we do. We ascribe bad motives to the other “team” while assuming the best motives in ours. And, the social isolation of the pandemic has magnified our ability to label and dehumanize “them.”
Real and important differences exist — differences that can’t be overlooked in the name of keeping the peace. But if we are to move toward genuine unity, we must do the work of peacemaking rather than just peacekeeping. That’s a long journey of hard work, the first steps of which are humility and a commitment to human dignity.
King and Lincoln experienced conflict between Americans far beyond what most of us experience today. Their aspirational vision of America sought to hold us accountable to the promises in our founding documents, which ultimately led to their assassinations. We are still bearing the consequences of their murders today. And yet, the fact that our nation made progress toward equality through their leadership is a testament to their insistence on the inherent dignity of fellow human beings, even their enemies.
For that progress to continue today, we must remember their vision and see that dignity in others all the time, not just when we’re snapping pictures in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
*This article first appeared on my Medium page. When I launched Southbound on Substack in fall 2021, I migrated this story over to Southbound.