I still have the attacks on Paris on my mind. I keep hearing and reading all these people who want to respond in kind. It seems sad to me to answer hate with hate and fear with fear. It's tragic that we should condemn those fleeing war to live in camps, or try to send them back to homes that no longer exist, out of fear that one of the hundreds of thousands might harbor ill will. Yes, we should stop the terrorists. But the overwhelming majority of Muslims are not terrorists and have condemned these horrible attacks.
And attacking France, saying that they somehow deserved this for daring to have a multi-cultural society, is vile. If you're a Christian, think twice before saying this to anyone. Jesus would never have said such a thing.
I sometimes wonder what I can do about this wave of hatred that's sweeping the globe, that's threatening to drown France, that's trying to swallow the US. Comic book writer Mark Evanier, and others, have posted this quote from Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets:
At some point in my life I decided, rightly or wrongly, that there are many situations in this life that I can't do much about — acts of terrorism, feelings of nationalistic prejudice, Cold War, etc. — so what I should do is concentrate on the situations that my energy can affect.
I'm just a writer, with a very small audience; Henson created characters that are loved by millions. But I know Jim Henson and I have the one thing in common: We tried, in our own way, to inspire people and make the world a little bit better. (Of course, Jim Henson did that far better than I ever could.)
Maybe the answer is for all of us to try that, to show that there is joy out there, that the world can be a better place. Maybe just...be kinder to each other. If the alternative is to let the hate and fear consume us, then bring on love and kindness.
Take care, one and all, and thank you for reading.
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