Always Forgive

Here's a picture for you.


I'm so glad that "everything changed." I guess I didn't realize it at the time, but what people meant by, "everything has changed," is that our core democratic values are a "quaint" relic of an idealistic past. As il Duce took up the broadcast signals of all our local stations tonight, I found myself literally cursing him and the day itself. I wished students a "Happy Patriot Day," with my tongue so far into my cheek today, I doubt anyone noticed the grim irony.

When will we have killed enough people to make up for our loss? Are 100,000 lives enough? Or do we need to kill millions? George Bush is asking us to remember that there are people out there trying to kill us. I beg of you to remember that Americans are actively involved in perpetrating or providing the conditions for the deaths of countless Muslims. Surely terrorism is unjustifiable. However, by whatever logic our President justifies his revenge politics, I would ask us to remember that we were created by a God who freely gives and freely takes away.

If we are justified by faith alone, then no matter how many "bad guys" we kill, we'll never earn our "salvation" from fear. If one takes a more Catholic approach, it is enough to question whether Rick Santorum should be excommunicated. If one believes in Karma, then I shudder at the possibilities.

If the Muslim world owed us a wergild after 9/11, they have surely paid it. If there are more terrorists waiting to do us harm, we should send law enforcement after them in a reasonable way (without asking them to track down millions of dead ends). If Iran goes "nucular," then George W. will bear a large part of the blame for refusing to negotiate.

Either you are for us or you can think your own mind. Forget 9/11. Forgive Osama bin Laden. Turn the other cheek. Go the extra mile. Pray for your enemies. Do not let the sun go down on your anger. Believe in a freely creating God who protects and sustains us.

Let's stop being @$$holes who $&!+ all over everyone else.