days_unfolding

And in an attack this well-planned and executed the tentacles of involvement, and passion, may extend deep and wide. There will always be someone left to seek retaliation on retaliation. I'm not speaking against taking physical action in response to this horror, but I believe we must face the fact that yesterday's events represent the most current, and dramatic, example of a world-wide malaise which we humans fail to recognize as essentially a symptom of our benighted worldview and the way we deal with each other. Let's not forget Hiroshima and Dresden and the escalating culture of violence that we as a society have helped to create in the latter half of the past century...our hands are not entirely clean in this matter. It's not different because these are "our" innocent victims. In the minds of the perpetrators no doubt these too were considered justified acts of war on a corrupt and evil society.

Let's all resolve to STOP IT here and now! To stop our own thoughts, attitudes, and actions that might lead to further escalation of this madness in the world. To explore ANY honorable avenue to resolve our differences rather than to resort to further violence. We are now so inextricably interconnected, and the components of nuclear and biological, not to mention "low-tech", terror have become so pervasive and portable, we fail to do so at our extreme peril...and at the peril of the world's children.

"An eye for an eye" is a bankrupt philosophy that will not lead to peace.