Tree of Life
Another. I just don't get it. The only thing appropriate about this is that it's more horrifying than anything I can think of that's associated with Halloween.
Michael Myers? Freddy Krueger? Jason Voorhees? None of them hold a candle to the evil that permeates our society.
For this week I asked about who you would vote for among the past presidents, with the intent to write a fictional debate for them.
In light of the events of Saturday morning in Pittsburgh, I instead wonder what those presidents would have thought of those events.
Obviously, there's no way of knowing for sure how most of the previous presidents would react. But I would like to think that each and every one of them would condemn the actions of the gunman, while sending condolences to the families of the victims.
Almost all of them, with the exception of Jefferson and Lincoln, were proclaimed Christians, and would surely be appalled at attacking someone in a house of worship, regardless of their religious affiliation.
There are conflicting reports of Washington's views on the Jewish population, though they seem to lean towards tolerance, at least according to what little research I made.
Teddy also seemed to have an affinity with the Jewish population, making a marked effort against their discrimination, and even being the first president to appoint a Jewish cabinet member.
On the other hand, Teddy's cousin Franklin turned a blind eye to Europe's plight during World War II until we were pulled into the fray on December 7, 1941. Even then, FDR turned away Jewish refugees from Europe, fearing they were Nazi spies. That's not to mention his policy of putting Japanese-Americans in internment camps. Tolerance of other peoples was not high on his priority list, and the treatment of them is hauntingly reminiscent of what is happening in today's society.
Reagan had a good relationship with the nation of Israel, and famously deplored the Soviet Union, not least for their treatment of its Jews. His history as an actor and union leader no doubt contributed to his affinity with the pro-Israel community.
Out of all the most popular past presidents (according to this poll), only one has actually been able to, and has, responded to the shooting. In a tweet posted on Saturday, Obama has called on the nation to 'fight the rise of anti-Semitism and hateful rhetoric against those who' are different.
That last says it more clearly than I ever could.
Much can be said about a person based on how they present themselves in the good times; a great deal more can be said when the same person faces bad times.
Do we react with fear and anger, or do we react with tolerance and love? One thing is certain: fire cannot put out fire. Eventually, the whole world just burns.
My heart goes out the victims and their families in Pittsburgh. Ha'makom yenahem etkhem betokh she'ar avelei Tziyonvi'Yerushalayim.
Thanks to Kelsey, Jennifer, John, Allison, and Aaron for guiding me to some deeper insight on men much admired in our American history.
For next week, go vote if you haven't done it already. Let's end this cycle of hatred together. Vote for the people who will do the greatest good for all people, not just yourself.
This week starts NaNoWriMo. I will try to continue making my regular posts, and I may ask for a direction to where my story will go. Keep your eyes open.