Usually I use Saturday to post a reflection about writing and its process, hoping through that rumination to unlock some secrets about my own work or to unblock the filters that periodically need cleaning out.
But I’m not in the mood to ruminate, or to make light, or to ponder the mysteries of life and the blank page.
This morning I’ve got an indescribable rage in my heart over the events in Paris.
I could say it’s a white-hot point of light in my chest, but that doesn’t explain the cold detachment I feel. Maybe it’s more like a stabbing lance of pain in my gut, but that doesn’t jive with the dull numbness all over.
One way or another, over one hundred people are dead this morning in yet another terrorist attack, and I’m just dumbstruck. My heart is breaking.
How long can we allow this to continue?
How many more sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters have to die in the name of a twisted religion before the rest of us agree that it’s time for that religion to go?
I try not to traffic in hatred and despair, because I don’t think there’s much to be gained there. But on a day like this, with over a hundred dead and the savages responsible celebrating in the streets, it’s hard. It’s really hard.
If I were the praying kind, I’d pray for Paris.
As it is, all I can do is hope that maybe our world leaders will decide that this is the line, that this is the time to drop the hammer on these stone-age degenerates once and for all.
Accidentally Inspired 
Second that!
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http://www.usar.army.mil
?
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You know, if I were younger and didn’t have a family…
Then again, I have this brother-in-law who, I hear, knows a thing or two about missiles…
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Yes, it has to end. But it’s important for people to realize that not every person who believes in this religion is a fanatic, and hate is what leads to the same senseless killing of innocents we saw yesterday. Our leader’s approaches must be calm rather than reactive.
There have to be the right words… somewhere.
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I don’t know that I agree with you, that our leaders’ reactions must be calm. I mean, they should be calm, let’s make no mistake. But let’s also not forget that we are dealing with people who would as soon shoot us down in the street (or, as evidenced yesterday, in a crowded theatre, at a soccer match, or wherever) as look at us.
Let’s be calm, but let’s also realize when we’re dealing with rabid animals and not rational human beings.
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True enough.
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Our leaders need to reply in a calm but very,very firm manner. Infer from that statement what you will.
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The words of a certain president Roosevelt come to mind. Something about words and sticks.
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With you.
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Agreed.
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I’ve frequently heard it quoted that not every Muslim is a terrorist but 99.9% of terrorists appear to be Muslim. Amidst the often hallucinatory fog of political correctness which places emphasis on not offending people no matter how offensive they themselves maybe, some people find truth in that statement.
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I recently heard a quote from Neil de Grasse Tyson, wherein he talked about how proportionally, Muslims should be racking up tons and tons of educational honors (Nobel peace prizes etc), but they aren’t; to the contrary, they represent a shamefully low percentage.
Seems relevant in light of what you’re saying.
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Just because fundementalists are angry, nasty, idiots doesn’t mean you need to tar all religion with their bigotry. I’m disappointed.
Perhaps this from John Scalzi might help explain why: http://whatever.scalzi.com/2015/11/14/paris/
Sorry, Pav, but this time I firmly disagree with you.
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As predictable as a zombie apocalypse that sooner or later someone would take offence and be ‘disappointed’.
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This thing has exposed raw nerves all around, and we’re all upset. Myz can be disappointed in me if she wants; I won’t hold it against her — or against all the kangaroos in her backyard 🙂
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Let me not nitpick; I think virtually all religion has problems. However, in this case, I’m being really specific: I’m talking about the degenerate religious nutjobs behind these and any other terrorist attacks who use their twisted take on religion (that’s what I said in my post, right?) to justify their atrocities.
I’m well aware of the things Scalzi talks about in that post, though he does say it pretty concisely. But let’s rest assured: I hold as idiotic ANY lunatic who uses religion to justify their atrocities against humanity (Westboro, KKK, fundamentalist Islamists, you name it).
Unfortunately, it seems that one of the following is the case:
a) Islam spawns a higher-than-average percentage of fundamentalists who take the religion down a path to murder and mayhem for their own ends, or
b) Islam spawns fundamentalists who do things which are more horrible by comparison to the things that fundamentalists of other factions do.
I don’t think any fundamentalist of any religion deserves the benefit of the doubt when they step out of line.
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Both points ‘A’ and ‘B’ have the ring of truth for me.
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