Sri Lanka
It sickens and saddens my heart to hear of any group that believes that by murdering groups of people they can make a political point and back it up with influence and fear. It never proves anything but that they are monsters, with no respect for life, not even their own. Killing to make a point only makes the point that you can and will kill. As far as persuasion-it is a total and utter failure.
That being said, none of that helps or comforts the victims, both those who are alive and injured or dead and survived by grieving family members. I will not offer the ineffective “thoughts and prayers” mantra that is muttered by so many when there is nothing else to say. Instead I vow to combat hate. I will call it, I will confront intolerance. When I hear it, I will no longer turn a deaf ear and let others live in their comfortable hate filled reality. Instead, I will tell them that is what they are choosing.
It is easy for some people to excuse mass killing of people who are different. I always found some sick bit of humor listening to others twist themselves up trying to draw the differences into stark relief. I think they were mostly grateful it was not them, that they had escaped being targeted. But their words spoke poorly of their respect for human life.
Instead of spinning in helpless panic, I think we need to face the reality that hate has been weaponized on all sides and we are living in an armed and militant time. The only way to win is to stop all extremism, to defang the monster, to promote unity, truth, and cooperation. To see ourselves in every strike and to emphasize our common factors, all those traits that make us human, rational, educated, and caring need to be in focus.
So of course I am sympathetic to all those in shock, in mourning, struck by grief and surprise. But instead of a hollow sentiment, I am going to recognize hate and attempt to help diffuse it.