Polarisation and Putting Christ back into Christmas
Our Justice Lead, Emma Temple, shares some thoughts on the divisions highlighted by the recent “Putting Christ back into Christmas” rally…
This month’s rally claiming to “put Christ back in Christmas” has once again revealed the thinly veiled tensions at the edges of our communities. Even during what should be a festive season, we are aware that polarisation is on the rise, and many people are feeling more and more anxious about our shared life in the UK. In our own Leeds Sanctuary communities, we have been hearing from people who are scared for their safety as they hear about attacks fuelled by racist and transphobic rhetoric.
In the background of this, the Leeds Craftivists have been exploring the links between racial justice and climate justice. We have been learning about the unfair impact of climate breakdown on racially minoritised communities; how countries in the Global South are already living in disastrous weather events, and communities here are paying the price. Claude Hendrickson shared with us the unseen impact it can have on people living in this country when communities with family links around the world are worried or sending money to relatives experiencing hurricanes, flooding, drought, etc. This Autumn, Storm Melissa devastated communities in Jamaica, and affected people in this country with family links to the Caribbean in ways that the rest of us simply don’t see.
As weather becomes more extreme, and resources become more scarce, it won’t only be our neighbours who are affected - migration and the number of people seeking asylum is likely to increase, and in our current state of climate emergency, we in the Global North must urgently become more resilient and more aware of the debt we owe to our global neighbours.
It can be easy to feel helpless in the face of rising polarisation. At Leeds Sanctuary we want to help people in Leeds feel empowered to act about the issues in our communities that concern us. So here are some very simply steps you can take to start to counter polarisation in our communities…
Stay grounded – we respond better when we are calm, and our nervous systems are at rest. Learning techniques like Mindfulness, and knowing about our own defence mechanisms using tools like The Enneagram, can help us respond positively even in the face of fundamental disagreements, and work out how to de-escalate confrontations rather than responding with more division.
Get to know your local community – we can’t change what we don’t understand. Getting outside of your bubble and meeting people you don’t know is a great way to start to build community cohesion and really hear the problems that people are facing. You’d be welcome at any of our communities, and you could learn some local history at a Sketch Walk.
Improve local resources – polarisation happens when people are scared. If we think there is a scarcity of resources, we will resort to scape-goating and an un-generous mindset. By campaigning to improve things like schools, hospitals, and local infrastructure, we will show that there can be enough for everyone to thrive. It’s not local communities vs migrants – it’s all of us vs greed. A great place to start are our Social Justice Lunches – in January we’ll be exploring how we can create a public transport system that will improve life for everyone in Leeds.
Finally, it’s more important than ever that we speak up for Global Solidarity. The Leeds Craftivists have big plans for a creative awareness campaign in the new year… get involved to find out more!