n this difficult day, in this difficult time for the United States, it is perhaps well to ask what kind of a nation we are and what direction we want to move in. For those of you who are black—considering the evidence there evidently is that there were white people who were responsible—you can be filled with bitterness, with hatred, and a desire for revenge. We can move in that direction as a country, in great polarization—black people amongst black, white people amongst white, filled with hatred toward one another.
Or we can make an effort, as Martin Luther King did, to understand and to comprehend, and to replace that violence, that stain of bloodshed that has spread across our land, with an effort to understand with compassion and love.
For those of you who are black and are tempted to be filled with hatred and distrust at the injustice of such an act, against all white people, I can only say that I feel in my own heart the same kind of feeling. I had a member of my family killed, but he was killed by a white man. But we have to make an effort in the United States, we have to make an effort to understand, to go beyond these rather difficult times.
My favorite poet was Aeschylus. He wrote: “In our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God.”
What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence or lawlessness; but love and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country, whether they be white or they be black.
So I shall ask you tonight to return home, to say a prayer for the family of Martin Luther King, that’s true, but more importantly to say a prayer for our own country, which all of us love—a prayer for understanding and that compassion of which I spoke.
To a frog sitting in a pot of water whose temperature is being slowly raised, it feels ‘normal.’ Yet to those looking from the outside, we know the ’ new normal’ ends in death. “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing.” – Edmund Burke
To whom it my concern there may be a new president in 2021, or most likely in 2025 judging by the current group of candidates. Maybe you should be thinking of an exit strategy, so when the new president is sworn in, you won’t look around and say “what now?”
Well said Scott. All the crap that is going on right now is really nothing new. What is new is the echo chamber amplification of social media. And we do have to work really really hard to make sure that this is NOT normal. Not sure how to do that without changing the culture and locking down social media. Both pretty difficult although as the Chinese, Russians and others have proven, locking down social media may be the easier choice although it may be a difficult thing to do here.
Maybe it doesn’t feel normal, Carmen, because in the past we KNEW it wasn’t normal instead of “educated” people running around babbling, “IS THIS THE NEW NORMAL????” after about fifteen minutes of history have passed. GEEZ, people! Get a grip, grow a mind, then a spine.
This goes out to everybody give us the name of a candidate you like and why? No hate no anger, just something positive and a good reason why we should vote for them. Not being Trump is not a reason, that would be an excuse.
braindead Premium Member about 5 years ago
Scott, the Treason, the massive corruption, and the mass shootings are new.
But you knew that.
.
#TraitorTrump
sergioandrade Premium Member about 5 years ago
“It’s all so depressingly familiar.”
Cheapskate0 about 5 years ago
Winslow ‘s on a roll this week!
kaffekup about 5 years ago
Because this is freakin’ 2019, not 1919, or 1819, or 1719, or 1019.
We’re supposed to be better than this but now!
RobinHood about 5 years ago
n this difficult day, in this difficult time for the United States, it is perhaps well to ask what kind of a nation we are and what direction we want to move in. For those of you who are black—considering the evidence there evidently is that there were white people who were responsible—you can be filled with bitterness, with hatred, and a desire for revenge. We can move in that direction as a country, in great polarization—black people amongst black, white people amongst white, filled with hatred toward one another.
Or we can make an effort, as Martin Luther King did, to understand and to comprehend, and to replace that violence, that stain of bloodshed that has spread across our land, with an effort to understand with compassion and love.
For those of you who are black and are tempted to be filled with hatred and distrust at the injustice of such an act, against all white people, I can only say that I feel in my own heart the same kind of feeling. I had a member of my family killed, but he was killed by a white man. But we have to make an effort in the United States, we have to make an effort to understand, to go beyond these rather difficult times.
My favorite poet was Aeschylus. He wrote: “In our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God.”
What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence or lawlessness; but love and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country, whether they be white or they be black.
So I shall ask you tonight to return home, to say a prayer for the family of Martin Luther King, that’s true, but more importantly to say a prayer for our own country, which all of us love—a prayer for understanding and that compassion of which I spoke.
We can do well in this
Bruce1253 about 5 years ago
To a frog sitting in a pot of water whose temperature is being slowly raised, it feels ‘normal.’ Yet to those looking from the outside, we know the ’ new normal’ ends in death. “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing.” – Edmund Burke
RobinHood about 5 years ago
To whom it my concern there may be a new president in 2021, or most likely in 2025 judging by the current group of candidates. Maybe you should be thinking of an exit strategy, so when the new president is sworn in, you won’t look around and say “what now?”
Loopy Frogger Premium Member about 5 years ago
Well said Scott. All the crap that is going on right now is really nothing new. What is new is the echo chamber amplification of social media. And we do have to work really really hard to make sure that this is NOT normal. Not sure how to do that without changing the culture and locking down social media. Both pretty difficult although as the Chinese, Russians and others have proven, locking down social media may be the easier choice although it may be a difficult thing to do here.
dogday Premium Member about 5 years ago
Maybe it doesn’t feel normal, Carmen, because in the past we KNEW it wasn’t normal instead of “educated” people running around babbling, “IS THIS THE NEW NORMAL????” after about fifteen minutes of history have passed. GEEZ, people! Get a grip, grow a mind, then a spine.
RobinHood about 5 years ago
You’re caught in the Internet
You think it’s such a great asset
You’re wrong , wrong, wrong
All that fiber optic gear
Still cannot take away the fear
Like and island song
Jimmy Buffett – Novelist, Poet, Philosopher
RobinHood about 5 years ago
This goes out to everybody give us the name of a candidate you like and why? No hate no anger, just something positive and a good reason why we should vote for them. Not being Trump is not a reason, that would be an excuse.