No Scapegoating
Dear Killooleet families, friends, and alumni,
Just like you, we are watching the alarming rise of hate speech and hateful actions; the dismantling of decades of hard-won protections for workers, people of color, women asserting control of their own bodies, members of the LGBTQ+ community, undocumented people, and others; the unprecedented increase in the influence of money and those who have the most of it; attacks on science and the deliberate use of outright lies, misinformation, and fear.
We believe that we need to stand up for the values that are at the core of the Killooleet community. Camp has always been designed to encourage and support everyone in becoming their best selves, which we believe happens in a community where we work intentionally to reduce everyone's need to defend themselves. A community that is more diverse is a stronger community. A community that is more inclusive is a stronger community. A community that is more equitable is a stronger community.
Decades ago, recognizing that often our human desires to feel good about ourselves can be expressed in ways that boost us at the expense of others, John and Ellie Seeger established the "camp sins," calling our attention to behaviors that are tempting to fall into but that undermine the foundations of community. Former campers know them well:
No scapegoating
No put downs
No rudeness
No breaking group concentration
It is discouraging but not surprising to see all of these techniques deliberately employed by those who seem intent on the destruction of the sense of community that thrives on equality (no money at camp! and no hidden candy!), welcoming everyone, and finding ways to enjoy and appreciate our differences as well as our similarities.
What is to be done, when we are told that we can do nothing? For starters, we can still come together and build communities in which we continue to assert that all are welcome, that all have value, and that all contribute. As we often say on the shores of the Killooleet lake, for thousands of years people have built fires in the darkness and gathered to share and to tell stories. So, build connections, reach out to each other, sing songs, create artwork, share food, tackle the projects together that you can tackle. Help your neighbors. Build communities. Tell your stories, and listen to the stories of others. Stand up. We are not alone, we are not powerless. All of it counts.
In these times we have a stronger appreciation of the vision, the determination, and the courage of those who came before us and fought for a more just and more compassionate world. And in these times it is our turn to carry on this legacy for those who will come after us. This is what we will strive to do at Killooleet. Please, take your part of the campfire with you and keep it burning. All of it matters.
Yours in community,
Kate and Dean
