In the last year, we’ve spent a lot of time and energy on building relationships in the community. At times, it was the most difficult thing we ever did. It’s hard to be disliked for who you are. It’s hard to be dismissed for your beliefs.

But we kept going, and we stayed in those rooms, and now some of the people who were most dismissive sit at the table ready to talk about the meaning of community in a new way.

We need the relationships and the
partnerships and the alliances and the
coalition because we live in a time when
there are so many issues it’s hard to keep
track. I have two new expressions:
“The arrogance of ignorance”
“Don’t despair; prepare.”
The arrogance of ignorance means that some
people don’t know what they don’t know and
think that they know as much as any experts.
They aren’t doctors, but they think they know
everything about medicine. They aren’t generals,
but they think they know everything about war.
They aren’t diplomats, but they think they know
everything about foreign policy. They aren’t
climate scientists, but they think they know
everything about the environment.
They aren’t teachers, but they think they know
everything about education. They aren’t
obstetricians
or gynecologists, and they think they know
everything about reproductive rights. They aren’t
psychologists, but they think they know
everything about personal identity.
They go on the Internet, find a wild conspiracy
theory, and try to change the world. It feels like we
are being confronted by new threats, threats to
our health, to our freedom, to how our kids will be
taught threats we never even imagined. That’s why
we might be prone to despair.
But we can’t afford to feel overwhelmed, because
that’s a prescription for disaster. After all of the
division of the last year, this is why our community
is coming together. We all will need to do our part.
In the face of the arrogance of ignorance, don’t
despair; prepare. –Rabbi Scolni