the weakness of fear

Force does not work the way its advocates seem to think it does. It does not, for example, reveal to the victim the strength of his adversary. On the contrary, it reveals the weakness, even the panic of his adversary.

                                                   James Baldwin

The so-called paradox of freedom is the argument that freedom in the sense of absence of any constraining control must lead to very great restraint, since it makes the bully free to enslave the meek.

                                                   Karl Popper

The forces of progress clash with those of reaction. The religion of blood and war is face to face with that of peace.”

                                                   Winston Churchill

Authority without wisdom is like a heavy axe without an edge, fitter to bruise than polish

                                                   Anne Bradstreet

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this morning my walking

turned to pacing

my pondering turned

into internal ranting

I am tired of the emotional terrorism

of the Nazi flags

of signs bearing the ghost of Auschwitz

Arbeit Mach Frei my ass

of the guns

this soul is wounded by those who

reflecting their own internal weakness

must carry their weapons of intimidation

this heart is driven, bleeding

down the gravel roads

which wind amidst the trees

and towering mountains

I carry all the miseries of human kind

the stark fear of those who know

their frailty cannot resist this virus

the distress of those

who watch their businesses, they dreams, crumpling

I barely know this restless pacing person

for this kind of passion is rare, and

clashes with my carefully cultivated calmness

and yet

the selfishness cuts like a sword through my ease

bringing dis-ease

I cannot simply ignore

I see the shouting faces and I want to shout back

I want those weak souls hiding behind their guns and flags

To just leave

Parts of me want to understand

But parts of me want to not just resist, but rout

Those who wear essential selfishness like armor

My angry heart threatens to overwhelm

My kinder heart

There is no resolution

no safety for the aged and ill

no meaningful resistance to this selfishness

and yet I know

this is not a time to quit

For I can still feel the trembling of the vulnerable

bullied by these who have no compassion

Or understanding

And I want to comfort them, and protect them

And I know

deep in my heart

that my feet must take me down the path

of compassion and empathy

toward acts of kindness

and generosity

to words that comfort rather than harm

I must move to overcome

the weakness of fear

even when that weakness looks like intimidation

with the strength of love

(this will not be easy)

do not overcome evil with evil

we are told

but overcome evil with good

in this time

there is indeed, no other way