David CookThe Sunday after President Donald Trump reportedly called Haiti and nations in African "s***hole countries," the Rev. John Talbird stood at the pulpit of a local Episcopal church, listening to that day's Gospel reading.
The story was about Philip, a soon-to-be-disciple, who rushes to tell his friend Nathaniel the good news: we found the Christ.
"He came from Nazareth," Philip explains.
Nathaniel is incredulous. Of all places, surely not Nazareth.
"Nazareth!" he huffs and puffs. "Can anything good come from Nazareth?"
It's a s***hole country statement. An outright dismissal. A cold shoulder insult. When presented with an idea that didn't jive or square up with the world as he saw it, Nathaniel chose a mindset of fixed prejudice instead of openness and growth.
Nazareth?
Pshaw. Nothing good can come from Nazareth.
Or, as Trump might say, Africa.
Or Haiti.
"I've been going to Haiti for 20 years," said Talbird. "We built a school there. I've been the chairman of the board of the Episcopal hospital in Leogane. I'm on the board of the Children's Nutrition Program. My daughter-in-law, who is an orthopedic surgeon, is Haitian. My granddaughter is part Haitian. If my daughter-in-law's parents had not been allowed to come to the United States, I would not have that granddaughter nor would a hospital in Maryland have her as an orthopedic surgeon."
Trump displayed such flippant hubris in dismissing an entire continent, casually insulting billions of people. His comments also showed a whitewash of history, reducing the complexities and contributions and layered geopolitical suffering of Haiti and Africa into a single, sneering dis.
So what do we do with this dis?
In the Gospel story, Philip doesn't give up on his skeptical friend.
"Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Nathaniel huffs and puffs.
"Come and see," Philip responds.
It is an invitation. An invitation to trade stereotype and prejudice for flesh-and-blood experience. An invitation for a bigger mind.
"An invitation to relationship," said Talbird.
Most trips to Haiti, Talbird invites people with him. Donors. Friends. Family. Politicians.
Come and see Haiti for yourself.
Come meet the doctor who long ago graduated from that school Talbird helped build, who now helps heal Haitians.
Come meet the women of the Children's Nutrition Program who work as monitrices, measuring the growth and nutrition of countless Haitian children.
"Come and see. Get in relationship," said Talbird. "You'll see that things are not what you think they are and not how you think they are."
This is true social medicine for reversing stereotypes and prejudice. We may have to eat crow, swallow our pride, but in return, we get truth. A broader mind.
And a better country.
It is unfair for me to only criticize Trump and his s***hole comment. When I look carefully, I see that such dismissal is found in me, too.
Like skeptical Nathaniel, many of us on the Left ask: can anything good come out of Trump and the Republican party?
The Left's repeated rejection of conservatism carries the same seed of Trump's dismissal of Africa and Nathaniel's dismissal of Christ. (Frankly, I haven't seen the Right do much better.)
"We need to develop relationships," said Talbird.
When Trump was elected, the Left gasped. How could half of America vote for him?
We should have seen the moment as an invitation of sorts. Come and see. Come and build relationships.
Yet, we have failed. One year into Trump's presidency, the Left has failed to reconcile with white, middle America, failed to repent from our "basket-of-deplorables" mindset, failed to practice a reconciling humility with pro-Trump voters.
Failed to even try.
"I have never been able to get through a conversation about an issue facing our world today without being bombarded with assumptions and stereotypes from someone 'representing' the left side of the political spectrum," one friend, a Trump voter, told me recently.
Last week, Talbird and I marched at the MLK Day annual parade; later that evening, he went home and re-read King sermons.
"He said we cannot give into fear or anger. He says hate cannot destroy hate; only love can," Talbird texted that night. "We have got to get beyond dualistic thinking we have got to articulate a third way."
Can anything good come from doing that?
Without question, yes.
David Cook writes a Sunday column and can be reached at dcook@timesfree press.com or 423-757-6329. Follow him on Facebook at DavidCookTFP.