Dear Editor: Putting People Into Boxes

Dear Editor,

I want to talk about the proverbial elephant in the room. The most recent debacle in our quaint little burg of Whitehall proves how much this "elephant" needs to be confronted and maybe even run out of town. Don't worry; I won't point fingers or name names, as I'm sure I don't need to. The problem, as I see it, is that every individual, not just in this town but in the world at large, has their own particular (peculiar?) version of "the Box." Depending on the individual's sensibilities, if you don't fit into their peculiar box, you might be beating your head against a brick wall, or worse.

I just read Aaron Flint's article about this latest debacle. One item that stood out to me was when the author listed as one of the reasons he thought Whitehall Schools made the right call in censoring this "woke" play was that, among other things, it advocated (my word) questioning God. Speaking of problems, putting God in a box has been one of my most significant issues with organized religion. Yes, this IS my issue, although I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who takes issue with the concept.

Not only do the majority of organized religions put God in a box, but they thus advocate putting each other in boxes! "If you don't act as I believe you should, I will oppose you!" There are different ways of putting each other in boxes, but this example will suffice for the sake of space. We are all different, with differing beliefs and ways of looking at and doing things. It is childish & egoic to think that anyone else should fit into our box, yet here we are!

As I stated earlier, putting God in a box has been one of my biggest issues with organized religion. The play "I Don't Want To Talk About It," which is at the heart of this latest debacle, from my perspective anyway, is mainly, even wholly, about how the protagonists (the teenagers) cope with authority figures (parents, teachers, etc.) trying to make them fit into their box.

The author of the article/podcast in question named specific other notable themes, but the underlying theme is something we are all guilty of. Whether it's standardized testing in our schools or cliques in our social clubs, society has taught us that a certain level of sameness is required for civilized life. If you dare to be different, you might find yourself on the outside looking in (at the very least). God forbid you try to change the dimensions of the box; ostracization might be the least of your worries!

We all need to do more than talk about this issue, even though we may not want to. Talking it out is a good start, but it IS only a start. If we wish to grow, we must embrace the changes that foster growth. More importantly, we must all put aside our egos and realize our perception of the box is not the only one that fits any situation!

CHARLES HADDON SHANK

Whitehall, Montana