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May. 12th, 2004 01:43 pmI've been semi-avoiding the news a lot lately and semi-avoiding various internet communities because the news is just so hard and to a great extent I just want to hide under the covers until it all goes away.
But I have been doing some thinking. I have a hope. Probably a vain and naive hope, but nevertheless I am just a naturally optimistic sort of person. Even though I also have plenty of cynicism. I'm a cynical optimist.
Anyway, here's my hope (and prayer). Perhaps sometime in the hopefully-not-too-distant future, we'll look back on the prisoner abuse and the beheading as the turning point in events. I'm wondering if perhaps the Al Queada executioners made a gross miscalculation when they carried out that murder. I've listened to a couple of news updates on NPR today and the sort of "man on the street" reaction that the reporter passed on has been revulsion and dismay at the act and that people would do something like that in the name of Islam. My hope is that in the wake of these prisoner abuses on one side and heinous murders on the other, what we'll see is the good, strong, people of integrity stepping up on both sides to make things right. I think we're probably still at a tipping point where things could go down to unmitigated disaster or real triumph. I don't care about politics anymore. I care about humanity seeing the greater good prevail for all involved. It's probably just wishful thinking, but I believe that there's still opportunity to turn this situation around.
I have fears and trepidation about the future. Because even if I believe there is still the opportunity to make things better, it's a distinct possibility that things will go horribly, horribly wrong(er). I remind myself that humanity has passed through some unimaginably dark, horrifying times in it's history, and somehow come out the other side of it. I have to believe that we will find a way through this one too. I have to.
In the meantime, I may be doing a lot of hiding under the covers.
But I have been doing some thinking. I have a hope. Probably a vain and naive hope, but nevertheless I am just a naturally optimistic sort of person. Even though I also have plenty of cynicism. I'm a cynical optimist.
Anyway, here's my hope (and prayer). Perhaps sometime in the hopefully-not-too-distant future, we'll look back on the prisoner abuse and the beheading as the turning point in events. I'm wondering if perhaps the Al Queada executioners made a gross miscalculation when they carried out that murder. I've listened to a couple of news updates on NPR today and the sort of "man on the street" reaction that the reporter passed on has been revulsion and dismay at the act and that people would do something like that in the name of Islam. My hope is that in the wake of these prisoner abuses on one side and heinous murders on the other, what we'll see is the good, strong, people of integrity stepping up on both sides to make things right. I think we're probably still at a tipping point where things could go down to unmitigated disaster or real triumph. I don't care about politics anymore. I care about humanity seeing the greater good prevail for all involved. It's probably just wishful thinking, but I believe that there's still opportunity to turn this situation around.
I have fears and trepidation about the future. Because even if I believe there is still the opportunity to make things better, it's a distinct possibility that things will go horribly, horribly wrong(er). I remind myself that humanity has passed through some unimaginably dark, horrifying times in it's history, and somehow come out the other side of it. I have to believe that we will find a way through this one too. I have to.
In the meantime, I may be doing a lot of hiding under the covers.