Chaos theory is being tested to its maximum in the United States these days. The pain, confusion and social and economic disruption caused by the Trump administration is hard to imagine in a free democratic country. Yet, it is happening and shows few signs of ending. 

This week’s post continues on the theme advanced by activist and spiritual writer Richard Rohr of contemplation AND action. As noted in a recent post, action without contemplation easily becomes driven, unfocused and motivated by fear, resentment and rage. Contemplation without action falsely hopes the system will fix itself and everyone will live happily ever after.

At our recent Racial Justice Conversation on Zoom, one participant described his feeling of powerlessness over the Trump chaos as equivalent to a person addicted to alcohol or drugs. He says he prays the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous each morning. He starts with a prayer to admit to himself that his life is unmanageable because of the chaos of the Trump administration. Admitting this powerlessness over chaos allows him to pray to his Higher Power/Guiding Spirit to ask for guidance on how to respond. His application of the Twelve Steps through writing and prayer was his way of prayerfully asking: “What’s mine to do?” 

This practice is akin to another Twelve Step practice relevant to living in chaos. The spouse and/or adult children of a person who misuses alcohol or drugs also know chaos. Jobs are lost, financial insecurity can become a way of life, lies are constant; verbal abuse and sometimes physical abuse are not uncommon.  Without spiritual and emotional help, the average person becomes angry and depressed. It’s an eternal, losing battle to regain control in a hopeless situation

Lois Wilson, Anne Smith and other wives of the early A.A. members quickly saw that bitterness and resentment were not serving them well. Through their experience, the concept of detachment was developed. In How Al-Anon Works for Families and Friends of Alcoholics, readers are advised: “Simply put, detachment means to separate ourselves emotionally and spiritually from other people.” (p. 83) 

As a student and practitioner of detachment for a number of years, I appreciate that behind this definition is the big question of motive and intent. How Alanon Works goes on to explain:  if a person had the flu and missed an engagement, their partner might be disappointed, yet not angry at the ill person. Detachment would allow Americans to remain emotionally stable by ignoring the chaotic behaviors of the President while taking actions to change his policies and direction. 

An April 5 Washington Post article showed how creating chaos for so many people, and in so many ways, has resulted in a growing broad coalition against Trump and his policies. “Mass Protests across the U.S. Signals Opposition to Trump, Musk”  describes over 1300 protest demonstrations in 150 cities in all 50 states.  The planning zoom call that brought together this diverse coalition had 7,000 people register for the call and 3500 participated.  

Media of all kinds reported the packed mall in Washington, D.C. and the protest march through downtown San Diego.  Protests ranged from small towns in South Carolina to big cities like New York and San Francisco. 

To be clear, not all participants decided to attend out of a faith-based contemplation. These millions of people were like America -many and varied in faith and motivation. 

Time will tell whether such a broad coalition of frustrated and angry citizens can continue to organize and take collective action.  Here’s an incomplete list of those who came together:  federal workers losing their jobs, environmentalists dismayed by reversals of the battle against climate change, supporters of the rights of immigrants and refugees, those committed to sustaining and building on DEI and LGBTQ rights, those living with housing and food insecurity daily, and those afraid of losing their fragile economic security.

Michele Obama is fond of saying, “We go high when they go low.”  This requires us to not let anger become all-consuming and an unhealthy driver of actions. We can do that through experimenting with, and developing spiritual practices. These help us separate the crazy, chaotic behaviors from the sick people who advance them. 

This kind of attention to spiritual practices will make it more likely that a lasting coalition can successfully move America back to a deeper and more sustainable commitment to “liberty and justice for all”.