Uganda's ambassador to the United States leaned over the podium and nearly shouted at us students, enthusiasm shining in his eyes. His finger pointed at us and declared, “There is an ancient African proverb that says, ‘When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.’”
At the University of Utah that day, we were to learn about civil war conflicts in Africa, but as he gave a rousing talk about conflict and what it takes to rid societies of it, my mind and heart were impressed that this applied to all areas of life — marriages, raising children, friendships, businesses ... the list goes on. I admit that I didn’t understand the proverb immediately, but he explained it to this extent: “When you see two elephants fighting, these large animals stomp and beat the ground with their feet, consumed in their actions, and when they are done the grass is in ruin.” Where there is conflict, there is always suffering grass.
Lately, with the hostile, divisive political rhetoric and actions found in both extremes of our country’s body politic, I have been wondering, “What is the grass that suffers?” What are those innocent blades of green, smashed, and left with a damaged future? A few come to mind: the majority of the American people and their views, as they are overwhelmed by the shouting of the extreme minority. They suffer when their voices are explained away as illegitimate because, as extremism goes, those who are not extreme can only be traitors, soft or wishy-washy.
American children are the grass that suffers. What future are we leaving them when we won’t work together? What are we teaching them when we refuse to interact in healthy ways, express opinions respectfully and find mutual ground where we can come up with solutions?
Democratic institutions are the grass that suffers. Extremism in politics, and especially hostility, divisive rhetoric and conspiracy theories without any founding or reasonable evidence, undermine democratic institutions, such as the judiciary. Without democratic institutions, we have no law and order.
The Constitution of the United States is the grass that suffers. How? Through the undermining and weakening of democratic institutions. The Constitution only has power if the democratic institutions are seen as legitimate. The Founding Fathers knew this, and Condoleezza Rice expounded on this in her most recent book. For example, if the judiciary is viewed as illegitimate, then Article 3 of the U.S. Constitution might as well be crossed out.
American life is the grass that suffers. The simple fact is this: It is stressful to live in a country torn by political extremes and intemperate voices shouting in every media outlet and social media feed. This is inefficient, destructive and stressful to the individual citizens, the economy, democratic institutions, justice, public integrity and morality. Then the self-fulfilling prophecies continue.
We are all the grass that suffers when our political sphere looks the way it does today. But each of us can be an elephant too. Seemingly innocent actions like political squabbles on social media that use disrespectful or hostile language certainly injure grass. That doesn’t mean we can’t debate, bounce ideas off each other and participate in dialogue about current events and philosophies. It also doesn’t mean we should always agree with each other's views or be apathetic. We can do all of this with respect and civility. But it’s the angry stomping of the feet, the tearing at the ground while calling each other names or insulting people we don’t even know — that is the spirit of causticity that kills the grass.
In all of your actions, whether they be in the home, workplace or elsewhere, when conflict appears, ask yourself, "What is the grass that suffers?" Only when that thought arises can the grass hope to be spared.