Taking down the army, from Woodmoor Village Zendo

Below is an open letter to the President from some members of Calvin College. President Bush was scheduled to deliver the commencement address this past Sunday. First however, take a look at a paragraph from President Bush’s remarks:

“…All these organizations promote the spirit of community and help us acquire the “habits of heart” that are so vital to a free society. And because one of the deepest values of our country is compassion, we must never turn away from any citizen who feels isolated from the opportunities of America. Our faith-based and community groups provide the armies of compassion that help people who wonder if the American Dream is meant for them. These armies of compassion are the great engines of social change, they serve individual and local needs, and they have been found at the front of every great movement in American history.”

The progression makes me cringe. Apparently, the speechwriter has read Robert Bellah et al Habits of the Heart. Here we go with martial metaphors again. I think the use of “armies of compassion” is unfortunate and ill-advised. I think those metaphors do give us conceptual maps that shape and direct our thinking. More directly, it connects the militaristic bent of this administration with the concept of compassion, and opens and direct the mind to our military as an army of compassion. It reinforces this administration’s support for faith-based organizations (even if these are not always so compassionate). It then uses a different metaphor, that of engine, to connect these groups and social change. I’ll buy some of this. Various groups do work to motivate social change, and various movements in the U.S. were motivated by religious yearning. The key word is some. The social change engendered ended up being for the common good, not for only a religious few — and such can be the prophetic voice of religion, it can highlight failures in our moral imagination and vision. But it is not the only force that can do that, and we need to relearn how to translate faith claims into public morality.

I disagree with those who claim that this usage, “armies of compassion,” is “merely” casual and benign. That somehow these connections are less powerful than we think, only standard and old usage. Not so my friends. Not so. Lots of good work on metaphor out there to check out that will challenge that thinking. And no, armies are not engines of compassion.

Anyway, here’s the letter that some members of Calvin College published previous to Mr. Bush arriving.

An Open Letter to the President of the United States of America, George W. Bush

On May 21, 2005, you will give the commencement address at Calvin College. We, the undersigned, respect your office, and we join the college in welcoming you to our campus. Like you, we recognize the importance of religious commitment in American political life.

We seek open and honest dialogue about the Christian faith and how it is best expressed in the political sphere. While recognizing God as sovereign over individuals and institutions alike, we understand that no single political position should be identified with God’s will, and we are conscious that this applies to our own views as well as those of others. At the same time we see conflicts between our understanding of what Christians are called to do and many of the policies of your administration.

As Christians we are called to be peacemakers and to initiate war only as a last resort. We believe your administration has launched an unjust and unjustified war in Iraq.

As Christians we are called to lift up the hungry and impoverished. We believe your administration has taken actions that favor the wealthy of our society and burden the poor.

As Christians we are called to actions characterized by love, gentleness, and concern for the most vulnerable among us. We believe your administration has fostered intolerance and divisiveness and has often failed to listen to those with whom it disagrees.

As Christians we are called to be caretakers of God’s good creation. We believe your environmental policies have harmed creation and have not promoted long-term stewardship of our natural environment.

Our passion for these matters arises out of the Christian faith that we share with you. We ask you, Mr. President, to re-examine your policies in light of our God-given duty to pursue justice with mercy, and we pray for wisdom for you and all world leaders.

–Concerned faculty, staff, and emeriti of Calvin College