Okay . . . I lied on Monday when I said what I was about to say applied to nobody I was currently in contact with. I didn’t do so purposefully, but not long after I had posted that I realized I had lied nevertheless . . . as soon as I looked at myself in the mirror.
Yeah . . .
I want to say up front that what I’m about to say applies to nobody I am currently in contact with, but sometimes the only thing you can do is look at somebody and hope against hope that they don’t mess up their children too much.
(I was going to post this yesterday, but then a bit of news broke that gave me pause. After giving it some thought, I decided that I still stand by what I’m about to post, but I’m also going to acknowledge what I read in the news.)
The following is an only slightly edited for clarity excerpt from one of my personal correspondences regarding recent events:
This may sound uncharacteristically hopeful of me, but I truly believe all we have to do is survive long enough for their [i.e., the up and coming generations] influence to be more strongly felt because the information IS out there, they KNOW that AND they know how to get it. Granted, there’s still a lot that could go wrong between now and then, but we both grew up in the shadow of the Apocalypse, and I’ve seen the skies darker than this . . . a LOT darker [though The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists‘ Science and Security Board disagrees], and I am not afraid.
With that said though, if you see me running, I suggest you don’t waste time asking me why because I’m going to be trying to outrun a blast radius.
In the wake of the Boston Marathon bombing, a friend of mine, hit closer to home by the event than I, expressed his wish that he could say something intelligent, empathic, or eloquent in response, but all he had was rage and despair for humanity.
So this is being done on his behalf, with deep appreciation for the inspiration from all those I’ve heard say something similar to what I’m about to say, but didn’t quite say it the way I felt needed to be said:
In times like these, it helps to consider the numbers involved. While exact details remain sketchy at this time, it is safe to say that only one or two, or at most a few, are responsible for the many victims. I think it’s also safe to say that the perpetrators want us to feel rage and despair, which is reason enough alone to not give them what they want. Even more important than that, the victims need sympathy and support, and that should be the priority.
And it is.
The actions of the few, having hurt the many, has to led to millions outpouring their sympathy and support, as is the norm in cases like these days.
Let me say that again: “As is the norm.”
It’s the norm.
Just think about that. It’s the norm, and it’s a norm that’s been demonstrated time and time again with the arrival of the Information Age!
For one moment, let us ignore the attempt at disruptive noises made by the few when most are quiet. Let us ignore the attempts to shock just so a few can vainly attempt to fill the silence, within and without, that they can not abide. When people are brought together by tragedy, any tragedy, for one moment it becomes clear that those who perpetrate horrible acts are the aberrations of humanity, not the norm.
The equation is simple: A few may hurt many, yes. But in return, uncounted millions respond with sympathy, support, and grace once they are made aware of what has happened. People don’t always instantly realize what the right thing to do is. Once they do, though, millions upon millions do it, momentarily drowning out the noise of the aberrations.
That’s not blind hope in humanity or Pollyanna faith in the power of love. Those are the numbers. Those are the facts, demonstrated time and time again.
