Halloween

Or is that hollow-een?

The times are scary. They match the calendar. Only we are not laughing.

Rallies are staged. Supporters are curried. The speaker soaks it in. feels good. Fields his complaints. Gets more support. He feels good. He thinks he is leading, governing.

Not. Of course, this is not leadership. This is not governance, either. It is one-sided. It is not uniting disparate thoughts and feelings. The rhythm of these shows masks an inability to manage the important tasks. They mislead the already ill-informed.

Yes, their feelings of inability, feebleness, powerlessness are uplifted. The reactions follow: blame, rage, agitation. The need to lash out if only to yell or jump up and down. They are doing something to vent their frustrations.

We hope they keep it there and not take it outside to spill over in other activities of their lives.

A mind unsettled and twisted may take action. The bomber did. So too the muggers and beaters and slashers. Angry at their situation. Angry at their powerlessness. The draw to mob action grows.

A synagogue is attacked; 11 dead; several critically injured; lives shattered as much as the peace is broken. It is a long-lasting result. A horror. The product of terrorism – foreign or domestic.

We are London, Paris, Bangladesh, Beirut or a Syrian village. Violence. Mayhem. Ugly behavior that demeans human life, humanity.

We reject these results, these conditions erupting from anger. It is life we hope to govern.

The how and where-for of governance is tried and true in so many places, societies and history. We know what works; what doesn’t. Openness of process slows us down but makes for buy-in and support.

In the midst of all this chaos are the responders to the horrors. They put pieces together, save lives, help the maimed, remove the dead for their families to grieve over. They find the culprits and put their harm far from the public. They bring peace to a neighborhood if but temporarily.

The governing role is left to their bosses, their professional servants of the people, and their elected leaders who serve the public. These are the ones with the duty to determine a way forward.

A way forward to what? To sustainable peace? To civility? to solutions of problems that have brought us to chaos? Do they understand this? Do they know how to proceed? Do they have help from us, the governed? Are we able to advise and consent to them?

How ready are we to listen and learn what the problems are? And their causation? And possible solutions? And the comfort we have or not with all these considerations?

The work is right there, isn’t it? It is the hardest part to do. To think deeply about what matters and do something about it. No; not easy at all. But it still needs doing.

What can we do to help?

October 31, 2018