Free speech is a fundamental element of democracy and is protected by the First Amendment. Maybe “protected” is too strong, considering recent events. In our second episode of the Hurricane series, we examine the link between confidence, belonging, and free speech.
Research has confirmed a strong connection between free speech, belonging, and confidence. Recent studies reveal that free speech encourages genuine participation, which enhances a sense of belonging and boosts participants’ confidence. Conversely, when speech is limited, our sense of belonging drops, and without that feeling of belonging, confidence also decreases.
When free speech is seen as threatened or insecure, people feel less confident speaking out. This is especially true for those in less powerful groups. It lowers their confidence in expressing themselves or participating. When people feel less safe or able to express themselves, they may feel excluded or marginalized. In other words, they feel less like they belong.
Belonging and confidence are essential for democratic participation, mental health, and social trust. People who feel they belong are more likely to trust institutions and feel confident in sharing their opinions. Conversely, when free speech is upheld or perceived as upheld, the environment becomes more open to a diversity of ideas, allowing people from different backgrounds to share their views, which promotes belonging and increases confidence.
This week in our companion book, Hai lands a job at a fast-casual restaurant in East Gladness known as HomeMarket. He finds the job by reconnecting with his cousin Sony, who also works there. Hai learns that Sony hopes to post bail for his mother and Hai’s aunt, Kim, who is in jail for arson.
HomeMarket becomes more than just a job for Hai. It turns into a place where he finds a sense of belonging. Hai’s boss, Big Jean, known as BJ, has a personality that blends toughness and ambition with nurturing care. Alongside his coworkers Maureen, Wayne, and Russia, they create a kind of “found family” for Hai as he starts to feel more accepted at work. His job becomes a way of holding on, of establishing a place in his world beyond his grief, caretaker duties, and feelings of limbo.
Meanwhile, Grazina’s dementia episodes become more frequent and intense. Hai begins actively helping her through them. Many of Grazina’s episodes take her back to her childhood when Russia invaded Lithuania, so Hai joins Grazina in pretend gunfights as Sergeant Pepper.
Along the way, we learn more about Hai’s relationship with his mother, his past, his hopes and frustrations, and the burden he’s carrying in terms of losses, responsibilities, and debts, both literal and emotional.
Belonging is a central theme in scripture, especially in the New Testament. In a lengthy monologue known as the Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew, Jesus begins his teaching by describing those who belong to God’s kingdom. The spiritually poor, those who mourn, the humble, people whose greatest desire is to do what God requires, the merciful, the pure in heart, those who work for peace, individuals who are persecuted because they do what God requires, and those whom people insult, persecute, and lie about because they are His followers.
Jesus doesn’t tell us to pursue these attributes, but rather that God will support us when others come after us. He seems to be describing us when we’re feeling vulnerable and like outsiders. We also feel like we have to be cautious with our words, so we don’t become the next target ourselves.
And He says things like the Kingdom of heaven belongs to us, and God will comfort us. Jesus also says that we will receive what God has promised, and we’ll be fully satisfied. We’ll see God and be His children. If this isn’t belonging, I don’t know what is.
The truth is that we all belong to God and, therefore, to one another. The cruelty, lies, and divisiveness that confront us almost daily aren’t coming from God. Nor is God only on our side. There is enough room in heaven for everyone. And while the pathway is found in scripture, God is the creator of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
We sometimes disagree on what scripture means. But we should agree that any valid interpretation is based on love for God and others, even when we disagree.
Luke writes about a time when Jesus’ closest followers came to Him complaining that he and a couple others from their community witnessed a person, not in their group, performing acts of kindness for others, and using the name of Jesus as their authority. This is one of those really important lessons that can be easier to hear than it is to put into practice. The idea that none of us have a monopoly on kindness. “Don’t stop him,” Jesus said, “Whoever is not against you is for you.”
Do not try to stop him because whoever is not against you is for you.
Luke 9:49-50
The numbers of issues that we face as a nation, and as a world, are overwhelming. We need leaders who are smart enough to realize that they aren’t smart enough, capable enough, or powerful enough to be our savior.
We already have a Savior, who is Christ, our Lord. A Savior who lived among ordinary people and invited those same ordinary people to join Him in His mission to bring heaven to earth. These included minimum wage workers, entrepreneurs, smart people, not-so-smart people, enthusiastic people, less enthusiastic people, reliable people, and not-so-reliable people.
We’re all invited to help save the world from itself. But we need to be able to speak out and connect with each other, knowing that we likely won’t agree on most things. Still, none of us have a monopoly on good ideas, and there’s more than one way to accomplish something.
We owe this to each other and to ourselves, and also to our children and grandchildren. It’s not about reclaiming our country or our world but working toward the future we desire. A future with heaven on earth.
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Pastor Tommy
Our companion book for this series: Ocean Vuong. The Emperor of Gladness. NY: Penguin Press, 2025.