NSP
and Dr. King
by Stephanie Carrow
At this time of
commemorating Martin Luther King's birthday, it seems most fitting
- in fact, the perfect time - to think about the connections between the
work and vision of NSP and the path so lucidly envisioned, eloquently
articulated and courageously walked by Dr. King. In many ways, NSP is
a continuation of his work and vision.
Dr.
King's vision was both spiritual and political. He called for fellowship,
brotherhood and sisterhood, compassion, love, generosity of spirit and
justice—all for their own sake, but also because these are the most
effective and practicable means by which to secure safety, health, sustenance
and well-being for everyone—for creating a win-win world. This is
in essence the message of NSP. Its goal is to change the American cultural
and political landscape into one informed and motivated, not be fear and
greed, but by compassion, love and hope—a hope based on a belief
in our spiritual connectedness, with each other and the planet.
Far
from being a romantic and unrealistic ideal, NSP co-founder Michael Lerner—like
Dr. King before him—makes the case that this is our most realistic
approach, since no one in this world can be truly safe unless everyone
is safe. As Dr. King said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice
everywhere."
NSP
was begun as a response to the extremism of the religious and political
right and the lack of vision or cohesiveness of the secular left, and
to the pervasive paradigm of what Lerner calls the "right hand of
God"—the belief that this is an us-versus-them, win-or-lose
world, in which economic, military and political domination of others
is the only path to security. This view sees compassion and generosity
as nice ideas but not realistic. NSP, like Dr. King, advocates on behalf
of what Lerner calls the "left hand of God"—which holds
that the best path to security is through love, kindness, generosity,
compassion, respect, and a reverence for all life, human and otherwise.
Dr.
King said, "We must either learn to live together as brothers, or
we are all going to perish together as fools." The goal of NSP is
to put this holistic vision into political action. The new Fairfield County
chapter is working to change the cultural landscape through events that
will open up a dialogue about this vision within the greater community.
One of its goals also is to create a spiritual caucus within local political
parties, in order to help re-shape the political landscape.
Our next meeting is
on Monday, Feb. 5, 2007, from 7:00 - 8:30 PM in the Meetinghouse
of the Unitarian Church at 10 Lyons Plains Road in Westport. Anyone wishing
to continue in the footsteps of Dr. King, or just wanting to learn more,
is most heartily welcome.
