Being in the WTC just 45 minutes beforehand, and then witnessing the aftermath daily must've been surreal. My ex-SIL was supposed to have dinner that evening on the top floor with some WTC-officed colleagues. Several of them were killed. I had been by the WTC just a few days before the '93 bombing, but nothing as close as either of you.
I am convinced that violence is embedded in our DNA. Most of us would love for there to be peace. But the reality is, we can never let our guard down. There are too many people willing to use violence to get their way.
How do we stop it? A common thread I've noticed is that this type violence almost always emanates from people who feel disenfranchised. When is the last time two LEGITIMATE democracies engaged in war? I don't recall this happening in my lifetime. I'm assuming this is in large part because voices of the people are heard in functioning democracies. As we in the US have become more polarized politically, voices are being ignored by people on the other side. It's not a surprise, therefore, that we're seeing an uptick in violence.
We have to be willing to listen to viewpoints that contradict our own. Truly listen and understand.
Powerful...the hard truth that we need to face. Thank you Terry. I will state, that while there is violence surrounding us and that it is often representative of what is inside us, that violence is drastically less than it was 100 years ago, and even less than it was 1,000 years ago. One reason for this change - is America. Before we were founded, to change leadership, required an armed revolt. The idea of a peaceful transfer of power was unheard of. That shifted the way we think. We've also shifted some cultural norms that make the response to a transgression a fist punch or a duel...however, we still have a long way to go.
Being in the WTC just 45 minutes beforehand, and then witnessing the aftermath daily must've been surreal. My ex-SIL was supposed to have dinner that evening on the top floor with some WTC-officed colleagues. Several of them were killed. I had been by the WTC just a few days before the '93 bombing, but nothing as close as either of you.
I am convinced that violence is embedded in our DNA. Most of us would love for there to be peace. But the reality is, we can never let our guard down. There are too many people willing to use violence to get their way.
How do we stop it? A common thread I've noticed is that this type violence almost always emanates from people who feel disenfranchised. When is the last time two LEGITIMATE democracies engaged in war? I don't recall this happening in my lifetime. I'm assuming this is in large part because voices of the people are heard in functioning democracies. As we in the US have become more polarized politically, voices are being ignored by people on the other side. It's not a surprise, therefore, that we're seeing an uptick in violence.
We have to be willing to listen to viewpoints that contradict our own. Truly listen and understand.
Great piece!!
Powerful...the hard truth that we need to face. Thank you Terry. I will state, that while there is violence surrounding us and that it is often representative of what is inside us, that violence is drastically less than it was 100 years ago, and even less than it was 1,000 years ago. One reason for this change - is America. Before we were founded, to change leadership, required an armed revolt. The idea of a peaceful transfer of power was unheard of. That shifted the way we think. We've also shifted some cultural norms that make the response to a transgression a fist punch or a duel...however, we still have a long way to go.
Well stated.