Those who do nothing in the face of evil are nothing less than accomplices to the evildoers - and today, I sadly must count myself among them.
While walking back to my car after a well-deserved treat this weekend, I happened upon a mother and her four young daughters (ranging from 4-ish to 14). While I was still 10 yards away or so, I saw a woman pass them, and ugly look on her face, and as I drew closer I heard the ending of a vitriolic tirade against them all. The woman, to her credit, let it roll off her and didn't respond. The girls looked shocked, and some were near tears.
And while I felt in my bones that this was wrong and horrible, it took me so long to process what I could possibly say to them, that they'd already moved out of my area.
I wish that I'd run after them, even if just to say that I was sorry for what had happened to them, and to assure them that not everyone wishes horrific things upon them - indeed, I hope for the best for those girls and their family. But I know it's all too common that we hear these things, and do nothing in the face of abject and inexcusable hatred.
Hours later, my heart still writhes within me at my inaction. So many words have crossed my mind, positive and negative, that I can't really know where to begin.
Wishing death upon any person, especially on small children, is abhorrent.
There are few people in this world that deserve those thoughts pointed at them, but if the main reason you wish them gone/dead/erased is because they are different, you should understand that I will never agree with you and will always regard you as lesser.
It takes great courage to face a world full of hatred and be yourself, especially in a season where the particular brand of "You" can be the stimulus that causes the violence of others to fall on you. These girls are being raised by men and women who are teaching them the value of bravery and of faith, and thus creating a generation who are braver than you or I could ever imagine being.
I do not fear those who are different, who believe something other than me, or who see this world differently. I expect there always to be someone who doesn't understand my point of view, as there will always be for each of you. While I fully believe that my point of view is right (based on the little I know right now), there are many out there who disagree - and that's ok.
For those of you who cannot accept that fact in your lives, you will always be scared and angry, and will never know relief. And I pity you.
For those of you who wish death upon innocents and children - may the full burden of shame fall upon you.
If you count yourself a Christian - your hatred is the reason that they may never know the love of Christ.
If you count yourself a person of any other walk of faith - the hatred you pour out is in contradiction to your teachings, almost without exception, and you are as guilty as the worst of the extremists who spout vitriol towards those they don't understand.
If you count yourself a human - the fate of a child is the fate of our future. Wishing horror upon them because you refuse to see that they are also human is a waste of your life.
Unless you know someone personally, you cannot claim to know their inner workings. Just as each of us would claim that we are not what the statistics say of our race/religion/gender/orientation/etc, so would they.
Each human is unique, but in an effort to excuse our apathy towards the suffering of others, we demand to be counted as special, while shoving those we don't have contact with into comfortable categories that justify our selfishness.
Selfishness is easy. Pure selfishness* makes us unworthy.
Kindness begets kindness - the more you pour into the world, the more likely you are to help make it a better place.
Hatred begets hatred - the more you pour into the world, the more likely you are to make it a worse place.
And I, for one, think that there is enough hatred in the world.
*Selfishness can preserve your life, I understand that - I know it is needed to a degree to make your life better. But if it's the driving influence in your life, then you need to revisit your viewpoint. You aren't the center of the universe.
