I’ve both heard and said, “Oh, for the love… Stay in your lane.”
Because we’ve all witnessed the audacity… even been on the receiving end. Like the successful CEO who belittles teachers (because, you know, “I went to school”). Or people who think they know more about medicine than nurses. The politician who finds fault and fraud in every philanthropic endeavor. The cocky professional who says, “It can’t be that hard” to a diligent and talented worker in an entirely different field. The random shopper who schools you on how to “handle” your hungry, autistic child.
The thing is, though, that for quite a while, I’ve struggled with a somewhat prickly conversation I had with an inspirational. spiritual influencer who enjoys a significant on-line and in-person platform. Turns out, it was a conversation about lanes.
I asked why they had not spoken up about the atrocities that are becoming normal – and normalized, the U.S.-enabled genocide of Palestinians, and the behavior of a President who brags about sexual assault, all the time claiming a strong faith and holding a Bible upside down for a photo shoot. Their answer? They are “staying obedient to [their] personal call.” An answer I’m guessing was considered sufficient reason to not speak out against the government and those in charge. As in I have thoughts and opinions, but I limit myself to the job God gave me.
In other words, “I’m staying in my lane.”
At the time of this conversation, the nation had already experienced the hellish decisions of DOGE, more than plenty of ICE, flat out lies to and contempt for Congress, and a president who said, “Why do I have to repent or ask for forgiveness, if I am not making mistakes?” Of course, the conversation was more complicated and included other issues worthy of discussion.
But that “calling” part kept hanging around, haunting me.
That was then.
Now it’s today. And yesterday, when I heard that “Omaha Police Department school resource officers have carried a device called GLOVE — Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter — on their belts at middle and high schools for more than a year,” my heart broke into more pieces than usual.
And something in me shifted.
When I learned that it’s evidently ok to shock children into compliance…
…and realized the world really does – with many good reasons – consider the U.S. just another untrustworthy bully…
…and read that we have erected over 150 detention centers (closer to 400) that can “house” 70,000 individuals of whatever status ICE agents spin the wheel to assign…
…and we are bulldozing the earth.
The list goes on. As I sat with these and other unimaginable realities we witness and endure, with no end in sight, I finally zeroed in on what I’ve been avoiding, wrestling with, and clarifying for months. A messy end to my struggle with “It’s not my job.”
It’s time for me to speak up. Clearly. Directly. Boldly.
So…
IF YOU ARE A PERSON OF INFLUENCE – online and/or in-person – and have chosen to stay publicly silent about the current mess we’re in, I will conclude that it is because:
- You allow other people to filter the news for you, so you don’t know.
- The realities haven’t impacted your life – yet.
- You care more about protecting your brand or sphere of influence than your neighbors.
- You are comfortable letting others veer out of their lanes, speak out, and take the risks of losing standing, followers, influence, and success for the sake of justice and mercy.
- You really don’t care.
…or… - God help us all, you voted for and support the cruelty and chaos.
If you have built up significant influence and followers and presence, and you choose to hide behind “it’s not my calling/my job/my lane/my concern” – well, then …
Well, I guess now we know.
Take good care of yourselves and your neighbors and the strangers who fear for their lives. We are in this together, whether we voted for it or not.
And to you and yours…
Nancy Burton Wolfe 