O Oracle,

Political parties are now endorsing candidates in non-partisan local elections. Should we be concerned?

Dear concerned community member,

In response to your query, the Oracle has provided her wisdom through the “two of gold”:

two of gold

in the beginning, one mortal made a home
in a body of their own, a living temple into
which they poured waves of lavender light,
sage smoke, & seashells.

then, finding another human mosque with whom
to accelerate into the dance of electric eels &
other aurelian animals, they rise into a brilliant
crescendo, holding, then concluding with a
controlled collapse into the sacred silence.

But what does it mean? Our governing bodies have different structures and were once separate. Our bipartisan system has pitted one party against the other. Some people run with the big R when they aren’t an elephant. Somebody once thought separation of church and state was important, but it happened because those who suddenly had the power had the memory of being without.

I think it’s important here to note the metaphor of the temple and the mosque. Very decidedly non-Christian sites of worship. People who are not in the majority coming into themselves, and then dancing with the other. The two opposing forces meet in conflict, and merge, and become something else entirely.

This may not be a popular opinion, but if a candidate in a bipartisan race accepts and advertises the endorsement from a party, are they not simply showing us who they are? What in this world isn’t bipartisan? If they are unable to seek and win support from people of all political persuasions, it shows us quite a lot. Then we can vote with our eyes open.

As for a practice to embed this clear seeing in ourselves, let us turn to our rituals:

rituals & rites

take ecstasy, in pharmaceutical or organic form.
strip down to your undergarments in a lover’s
living room on a school night. dance in the dark
to the boss’s “dancing in the dark.” this gun’s for
hire.

We’re all moving through shadow. It’s hard to see clearly when the light of clarity is not shining upon the questions that plague our community. Let’s bare ourselves to each other. Let’s dance freely, not worrying if we are moving the ways that others want and expect us to.

To speak plainly, and not rely overly on metaphor, none of us knows what the consequence of our actions will be. Not elected officials, not voters. We are all muddling through the darkness. Let’s be honest about who we are. Democrat, Republican, something else. The political spectrum is a circle, not a line. Let’s all move together for something better. When we are in one room, dancing, maybe we can recognize each other’s humanity.

Make your arms, your strength, an offering to the rest of us, to help us find a way through. Because I don’t know about y’all, but I wake up in the evening, with nothing to say, and I come home in the morning, feeling the very same way. Do you? If so, let’s be a horde that dances up to the parties and the nonpartisan elections and demand that they accept our spark. Start a fire.