Profit as a motive for good or bad

So, the Washington NFL team are no longer the Redskins. And, apparently, the reason they are doing it now is not because they've seen the light about the wrongness of the name. It's profit. Other companies won't do business with them, and suddenly they change their mind.

This reminds me of something I was thinking after reading a book on racism.

One tragic part of racism was companies and politicians using racism, even feeding it, for profit. J.C. Nichols and Bob Wood, each in different ways, in Kansas City real estate for a couple examples.

And I was thinking, it's much better when companies making their choices with a profit motive make good choices... choices that respect diversity and bring people together, instead of nurturing division and hatred. Choices that foster sustainability, rather than using up resources and destroying the planet.

No, I'm not thrilled by people or companies doing good for profit. But it beats doing ill for profit.

The phrase vs. the movement

I've seen people discount the whole "Black Lives Matter movement" because they disagree with something done by people in some way associated with it, or with some goals of some of the people.

But, see, "Black lives matter", it's a simple phrase. And you don't have to agree with everything said or done by people using that set of 3 words to agree that the lives of Black people matter, and to, thus, say Black lives matter.

People are complicated, and people are varied. It's probably impossible to agree with everything that falls under the "Black Lives Matter" umbrella. Because likely different people have different ideas that conflict. But none of the real or imagined negatives discount the fact that the lives of Black people matter.

Engaging with others

A couple things got me thinking about how we talk to others.

One, a friend posted something, involving politics and religion, something I disagree with. I didn't comment. Doing so, I felt, would have required more time and thought than I had to put into it. Others who also disagreed did comment, and without bothering to put care and thought into it (it seems to me). And what struck me was the pointlessness of their comments. They weren't going to change anyone's mind, or give them something to think about. It's a comment that would push away anyone who doesn't already agree. Including the person who posted. Which, why would you do that on a friends post? What's the point?

When we speak or write, especially on matters where there's a lot of disagreement or differing viewpoints, we really need to think about who we are talking to, speak to them, not at them. And, if replying to something, think about what was said. Engage. Dialogue.

On the other hand, sometimes you do have to stand up against false statements, putdowns, harshness, and such.

I got muted for a week recently in a Facebook group I'm in (for fans of an author I like). I'm not unhappy about it. Because, I know that, on my part, I was standing up for something. And I also understand how it made sense for the admin or moderator to just do that to everyone in the conversation, rather than pick apart who was at fault.

The person, in a discussion of a detail in the books (which don't have much religious content at all, but this bit was) made a comment saying Catholics differ from Christians in something. I said Catholics are Christians. She gave a half-hearted apology but didn't really get why she was wrong in her wording.

Speak up for the truth when appropriate. When someone's listening for whom what you say might make a difference. Speak up against attacks. In particular, to the person attacked,  in support (or just more generally, in their support). To the person who said it, if they might listen, in a way that's engages them, rather than making them feel attacked.

But be willing to not say anything at all. And be prepared to listen and think, and sometimes research, before you do say something.

On "All Lives Matter"

Written by me in response to someone who was in turn responding to something commenting on "all lives matter" as a response to "Black lives matter":

It's a matter of context. Yes, all lives matter. That's why the message that black lives matter is so important. "All lives matter" as a response to "black lives matter" is dismissing the experiences of black people, and the importance of the message that their lives matter. "All lives matter" used used to mean white lives matter more than black lives is despicable.