Building on common ground

We are prejudiced, of course, but we were deeply heartened to see the generous turnout for a run/walk Sunday set up to help raise money for the treatment of Times Leader Executive Editor Joe Soprano, who is fighting esophageal cancer. More than 150 people came, and the event raised more than $18,000.

Not bad for an idea that Joe’s niece admitted initially scared her, quipping that her biggest fear was a repeat of Michael Scott’s “Race for a Cure” for rabies, one of the many absurdly funny episodes of “The Office.” She understandably worried it would draw “a few friends and family.”

Of course, one of the jokes for the TV show was that, if caught in time, rabies already has a cure, or at least can be completely stopped if treatment is provided between exposure and the time the infection becomes fully established. The same cannot be said for cancers, esophageal or otherwise. We’ve made tremendous gains in survival rates, but “cure” is always a term with an asterisk: There remains a risk the disease will return, even after many years.

We concede our prejudice in seeing the success of “Joe’s Early Bird 5K Run (and 1-mile walk),” But there were several other recent examples of how generous and supportive people can be for others. “Paint the Planet Pink” held the annual 5K run and the Gentlemen’s Dash Saturday.

Formerly known as “Paint Pittston Pink,” this space has praised the organization behind these and other events that have now raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for cancer research (we confess we’re undecided about re-branding the program to expand beyond Pittston, but that’s a debate for the future).

The day before that, CASA of Wyoming Valley held its annual fundraiser at the Westmoreland Club. Like Paint Pittston Pink, we have lauded the Court Appointed Special Advocates program for the invaluable service provided to children, typically abused or neglected, who end up in the foster care program, assuring they have an adult’s consistent support throughout the journey.

And we’ll mention one more upcoming opportunity, the Brewsterhout Rooftop Party set for Oct. 4 to raise money for the Osterhout Library and its many community services.

These sorts of “help us help others” affairs go on year-round through many agencies and for many good causes. And we regularly point to them as worthy of support in their own right. But collectively, we think they serve as examples of something we need to remember more urgently these days. We get a little more passionate about this with each example of divisive political rhetoric and truly destructive behavior made in the name of some pure, warped ideologies.

We are a country of rich diversity, more than any other nation. We have successfully — though often painfully — proven that the best progress, the greatest things that humans accomplish, are done by setting aside differences to focus on what needs doing and compromising to get it done.

In an election year when people have been emboldened to threaten politicians and election workers, when we hear of envelopes with suspicious powder being sent to election offices, when we learn of efforts to explode or burn contents of ballot drop boxes, it becomes increasingly vital to remember basics of history.

Profiting by promoting divisions and tribalism is a guaranteed lost cause in the long term. Feeding hate and fear leads to isolation and ruin. Embracing violence in the name of changing a democracy kills democracy. And believing we can stand alone in this interconnected world assures those who learn to unite will someday defeat us.

In the success of Joe’s run, or Paint the Planet Pink, or the volunteer-fed CASA program, we keep seeing how much more we can build when building on common ground.