New Zealand

My heart goes out to the families of the 49 people brutally massacred in two New Zealand mosques yesterday.  And to the greater Muslim community everywhere, who must be sharing this pain very deeply. And to the people of New Zealand, who surely feel the way we do when this horror strikes in the U.S. on an all too frequent basis--sad, afraid, and ashamed.

In spite of all my listening, I still cannot understand is why radicals on the hard fringes of any spectrum of belief feel they need to kill innocent people to make their point. I guess if someone is hurting and alone and desperate for meaning in life and power over something, anything, then maybe spreading pain and hate is a way to process that. I try really hard to understand the perspectives of others because I think it's a prerequisite for addressing our differences, and maybe I can imagine the individual motivations of a sick person, but I struggle to wrap my head around how mass-murder is supposed to further anyone's cause.  It enrages radicals on the other side. And then how will the cycle of violence ever end?

Probably only in the long term through all of us who care about these issues promoting understanding, respect, inclusion, justice, human dignity, and love.  Wherever and whenever we can.  As loudly and calmly and bravely as we can.

And because no one person can understand what it's like to be all the other people, that means we'll need to be ok with doing this in our own sometimes awkward, but hopefully always sincere, kind of way.  And keep listening and learning, and get better at it, and make mistakes and then try again. And know that it will be a life-long journey.

One that I personally am committed to.

peace,
Ingrid