Good Evening and Congratulations Graduates of Tulane’s School of Social Work and Disaster Leadership Programs, 2015!
I would like to thank my hosts, the faculty and staff of Tulane’s School of Social Work. I have been so privileged to work with them and you over the past two years and they have made me feel so welcome as siblings in spirit. I feel a special bond with you, as I have been able to meet and work with many of you over the last few years. Well, let us exhale and enjoy. I’d like you to take a moment--revel in the intellectual and psychic challenges that you have faced and surmounted. I’d like you to think of “you” on the first day of your graduate study. And then, in your mind, glide forward through the courses, internships and externships, meetings with peers, faculty and staff, think about the friends you have made, and the skills that you have secured. You are now equipped with tremendous knowledge and skills. Take a moment and review the professional and community member that you have become. Now remember why you decided to become a social worker or a professional in disaster leadership. Perhaps over the course of your studies and experiences your reasons have changed, perhaps expanded, but I am guessing that at the core of your reasons is your desire for improving the lives of individuals and communities. Perhaps you have a passion to see people heal from individual and collective trauma. Perhaps you have a drive to see individuals and communities fulfill and continue to exceed their potential. We are so very glad that you have arrived at this point. We have been waiting for you.
You have arrived in a world that desperately needs you. To my social workers and those in disaster leadership, you have arrived to realities that fall far short of our societal expectations and aspirations. Whether it’s our own country-- in spaces like Charleston, Ferguson, Baltimore, or around the world--Paris, Beirut, Raqqa, the West Bank or other “hot spots around the globe,” frustrated and frightened, folks are calling to respond to violence with more violence. Presidential candidates and dangerous demagogues are calling for turning parts of the Middle East into glass, arguing for the militarization of American police systems, and for resorting to unbelievable Fascist ideas like asking different religious groups to publicly register. Our irrational anxiety and our hyperbolic responses are encouraging us to sacrifice our nation’s principal and foundational values related to freedom and diversity. To respond to these challenges, people often use military solutions and call for more “boots on the ground.” SMDH!
The phrase “boots on the ground” is all too familiar and it exists as our default solution. Often, “boots on the ground” results in destruction, debilitation, and devastation. “Boots on the ground,” means subduing, eliminating, or extinguishing the problem or worse, people. “Boots on the ground” in national instances of chronic and immediate disaster often means the militarization of recovery efforts, martial law, and viewing community members expressing distress and devastation as enemies, criminals, and those to be suspicious of. We put “boots on the ground” in times of crisis as a measure of triage to restore the local or the global power dynamics. Under the guise of efficiency, of equity, but actually from anxiety and preserving inequity, we sanction unspeakable violence against humans-men, women, and children. “Boots on the ground” often turns out to be boots in the backs and on the necks of our global and local sisters and brothers of families that have fractured. Yes, we start off with the best of intentions, but frustration forces us quickly to lift up xenophobia, racism, sexism, homophobia, ethnocentrism, and ultimately to deploy Draconian measures. Now please do not misunderstand my remarks. I am no naïf. I understand, though I am dismayed, that at times the military and more specifically, strikes, seems to be our only option. Because of time constraints and deep ideological disconnects resulting in the deaths of thousands requires sharp responses. And let me be explicitly clear, I appreciate the service and sacrifice made by our families in the military branches AND I wonder about and aspire to a world when the military becomes redefined and instead, principally involves itself in collaborative peace building and disaster recovery efforts. When family members of our soldiers won’t spend months angst ridden about that “knock on the door” and, instead, can look with comfort to the skies knowing that their loved one is engaged in non-violent peace. When casualties of war created by boots on the ground movements refer to peace, healing, and cohesion.
When I was writing these words, I received word about another shooting in our country and in our world and I hear repeatedly in response inflammatory rhetoric coupled with demands for more “boots on the ground” which will only result in more violence and marginalization. I lower my head in confusion and in contemplation, wondering about this great world I love, and how and why we get it so wrong. How instead of understanding, compassion, and empathy, we marginalize and blame victimized individuals or groups as “mentally ill” or “ideological extremists.” But I cannot help thinking that in addition to trying to identify motives for mass destruction and murder, are these the phrases that excuse us from the difficult work of healing our local and global communities?
What if we reframed armies as not offensive entities but defensive entities who defended peace and healing? What if these new armies laid down their life ending weapons of destruction and instead developed life-yielding and expanding tools for change and peace? What if armies were from and for the people and we viewed each other as all part of the same local and global communities—replete with magnificent different cultural beliefs, values, and goals? What if in these new armies, we cast aside the demand for dominant beliefs and resources; instead, we bore responsibility to address their anxieties, fears and pains? What if we understand “the Other” as one of “Us” in need of compassion and assistance? I think I am speaking to just such an army of peace.
Imagine if we redefined the phrase “boots on the ground?” What if boots on the ground no longer meant military incursion, intervention, or violence resulting in the destruction of homes and infrastructure and the death of our community members? Think if we exercised even just a tad bit of foresight? What if we actually paid attention to the earliest distress cues and warnings and or even better, anticipate community and individual challenges? What if “boots on the ground,” meant more than the traditional military issue boots covered in the mud and dust and devastation of violence? What if new “boots on the ground” meant the thunderous sound of heels marching in step toward establishing peace, promoting healing, and fulfilling justice? What if boots on the ground looked like the shoes you are presently wearing? Aren’t these the types of footwear we need to enter our communities and conduct important life sustaining work?
Why am I inspired to think of reframing phrases like “boots on the ground?” Well, in part, it is because I am a historian specializing in US. I have trained a scholar’s eye on the ways in which Americans, across time and space, have dealt with stress, conflict, and difference. In most cases, we briefly try conversational persuasion and then quickly move to more brutal forms to achieve our goals. The traditional definition of boots on the ground has not and does not work. I challenge you to demonstrate how contemporary demonstrations of boots on the ground has been effective at maintaining and sustaining its mission of establishing peace. Look at the knots our current politicians have created by defaulting to the reductive and simplistic notions of “boots on the ground.” Violence begets violence—of that traditional military strategy-- I am sure. Ours is a nation built on continuous competition, war, and violence. From within and outside our borders, those who fail to subscribe to dominating ideas based on identities; are viewed as enemies to deal with. How did we get here? The phenomenal disconnect between what we hail as our national ideologies with its aspirations of equality, equity, diversity, and happiness, and our reality is nothing short of astonishing.
Its as if our aspirations always seem out of reach and then I wonder if its because the path that leads to using traditional “boots on the ground” forks away from the destinies of equity and equality. And so I am inspired to push for the exploration and discovery of new boots capable of treading new paths. I come to you with a new reveille, individually and collectively, to hear a different definition of boots on the ground and join the army of your profession and your passion to carve out these competing peaceful and healing paths.
In the last few days, weeks, months and years, as an educator/activist and as a citizen of this world, countless times I have lowered my head, fallen down to my knees completely in disbelief and gob smacked, whispering to myself if anything I have done mattered or whether my generation has failed; has broken its covenant to heal the world with previous generations; those who came before us, who dedicated and sacrificed their lives for freedom, for healing, and for peace. And then in moments like these, I have the privilege to find myself flanked by multitudes of new soldiers for peace, healing, disaster recovery, and conflict resolution. As I look across this room, scanning the audience, feeling the room; I am so very encouraged. I see and feel tremendous possibility and potential. Your energy, intelligence, and passion are exactly the ammunition we need to heal the world, deal with chronic and short-term disasters, and resolve conflicts. Who is better equipped intellectually, physically, and spiritually? No one. You, who are trained and called to this work. It is time. You must now assume your rightful place; replacing and standing on the shoulders of giants—those who came before you, who worked so diligently, and with strength, courage, and innovation; those who are fatigued, retired, or have passed on.
I challenge you to become this army of peace advocates, of community healers, and individuals who empower others. You are the Army of our national and global aspirations. Your mission is to follow your moral and intellectual compasses and work towards social change and development, social cohesion and the empowerment and liberation of people. Embedded in your work are principles of social justice, human rights, collective responsibility and respect for diversities.” Sound familiar? It should.
To fulfill your mission of boots on the ground, what tools of peace you must carry? First and foremost, you must recall and apply the knowledge and skills that you have acquired over the past several years. In spaces of great challenge, and darkness, turn on your headlamp and remember, reflect, and resurrect these skills and knowledge. Do not forget to equip yourselves with compassion--the ability to have concern for the sufferings or disadvantages of others. You must use empathy- the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. When faced with fear and confusion, avoid “hard strike tactics.” Instead remember how much you value differences and how important differences are in our richly diverse societies. When lost, rely on the trajectories of faith and belief that change can happen. Pace yourself to ensure that you have the stamina to make it so. Know that with progress, retrenchment often follows and therefore keep your heads up, chests forward and march on. You must work in concert and collaboration with each other. I think we have plenty of historical and contemporary examples of failure where “savior” mentalities or dismissing the experience, expertise, and ideas of those most impacted by society’s many challenges. Meaningfully and compassionately listen to gather all of the intelligence is also important.
And so my dear newly minted soldiers for peace, welcome to this effort to heal our community members and solve the complex and complicated problems facing our societies. Your professors, supervisors, mentors, and peers applaud your hard work. We are sad to see you leave Tulane but we know, with confidence and hope, that you are ready to put “boots on the ground” and begin this new venture as you join the rest of us to make positive change, present countermeasures to toxic actions and policies, and accomplish the mission that you have chosen, trained for, and been called to. What that I hear? I hear the swelling sound of the next regiment of peaceful boots on the ground. The social workers who are brave, smart, empathic, confident, and capable of interrupting and healing injustice and inequity. We have been waiting for you. Congratulations!