“Detachment and involvement:
the artist must have both.
The link between them is compassion.”
Madeleine L’Engle
(the willet shorebird / Rosemary Beach, Fl / Julie Cook
There’s a lot to be said for disconnecting.
There’s a lot to be said for getting off the proverbial grid.
There’s a lot to be said for living in and staying in a cave.
(yes, Wally you are correct!)
And now it appears that there is a lot to be said for not even going to
the store, the mall, the post office, work, school, church, temple or mosque…
And now it seems that it’s not even safe to go to the US.
The US has several travel warnings issued against it.
Hence, staying in the cave.
However, I’m about to the point where I want to grab our Nation up by the collective collar and
give it a good shake and say, “Hey, what in the world are you thinking?!”
Because I believe the majority of this Nation has fallen off the track of civility and
sanity.
I actually read today that an NBC News contributor and former FBI assistant had actually
gone on air stating that the President’s desire to order our flags to be lowered at half-mast
was a secret signal to all the White Supremacists out there and a little nod to Hitler.
Thankfully I had already swallowed my first-morning sip of coffee, otherwise,
I’d still be cleaning off my computer screen.
The President has asked that flags be lowered at half-mast as a sign of respect to the lives
lost in the most recent mass shootings.
Presidents do that.
So if it’s not the Russians, it’s now White Supremacists and of course, there’s
always that awkward nod to Hitler.
Despite the fact that we have folks all over the airways
making all kinds of crazy accusations…that all of our troubles rest
is an obsession with guns, extremism and the president…
we readily forget that the root cause of this hyper-focus on guns,
extremism, Russians and anything else hiding under the bed,
rests in one word…evil.
But before we talk about that…while seemingly to prefer to talk about extremism,
which is the only thing our news outlets want to focus on,
we as a people really need to see the elephant sitting on our laps.
But first, I must say that I have never liked any sort of extremist group or gang or
terror organization past or present.
They make no sense.
And they serve no purpose…
The purpose only… to fill the void of loss, lacking, isolation,
emptiness, selfishness, and yes, sinfulness.
Because extremists and terrorists are just that—extreme and terrifying remnants of
our own sinfulness.
Over the top, zealots, too much, excessive, drastic, absurd, out of control, violent
and seething with distrust, hate, and loathing.
They represent simply hate, head butting more hate…
Be it…
the Klan,
the Black Panthers,
Antifa,
MS13,
Hezbollah,
ISIS,
the Taliban,
the Crips,
the Bloods,
Neo-Nazis,
Skin Heads,
Hells Angels…
on and on goes the list— complete with a plethora of global spin-offs and hybrids.
Vigilante justice, terror organizations and drug lords doing what they do…
causing havoc, murder, mayhem and feeding the ego of Satan
Evil is as evil is.
those with…
Evil intentions.
Evil desires.
Evil actions.
And isn’t that the real key here?
Evil?
Mass shootings are an evil of our times.
Sex trafficking is an evil of our times.
Drug cartels are an evil of our times.
Addiction is an evil of our times.
The Mob is an evil of our times.
MS13 and all gangs are an evil of our times.
And yet no one really wants to say, hey, let’s stop the evil…
preferring rather to say “hey, stop the guns, stop the republicans, stop
the president, stop the conservatives, stop the Christians, stop the white males
stop all males, stop the traditional family, stop plastic straws, etc…”
Rather they claim the mere fanning of the flames of hate.
And so the people cry out to the government to save them…to save us.
And that very government has only turned on itself, devouring
itself alive.
So we are left to rant, to recant, to mourn, to wonder, to pray…to??
While the families of those killed and wounded—from the past week, all the way back to Columbine…
even before.. as well as after…mourn their losses and wither in their suffering.
Hear us oh Lord…
“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
Luke 19:40
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