Phil Dillon of Another Man's Meat has said what I have felt but did not take the time to put into words. Good thing I didn't because he has said it so eloquently had I attempted the words his post would have made me look bad.
He titled the post, "The Center Must Hold"
Phil shows a concern about the criticism by both religious and political zealots over the Katrina disaster. - God is punishing the U.S. because of Yada, yada, yada... - Bush did not sign the Kyoto Treaty so Yada, yada, yada...
Phil is on vacation but he left us with a wonderful post. If he can access the internet he may visit the blogosphere before he gets back home but doesn't plan on it.
First we are shown through the forgotten/often ignored second half of the story of Jonah that Man should be concerned for man and not put his selfish interests first. Jonah cared more about a plant than he cared about a city full of people. Are there any people around us today like that?
Then Phil tells us of another vacation he was on when tragedy struck America. He shares some of his reaction to 9-11 and sees the similarities not in the cause but in the effect.
I felt the following paragraph to be poignant.
I understand the anger and the frustration that comes at tragic times like these. I felt the same frustration and helplessness four years ago that feel now. But I believe the appropriate way to express that anger and frustration now is to pray and to give. The time for criticism will come later. The time to cleanse ourselves of personal or political sins will come later. When that day dawns we can convene commissions and we can hold prayer meetings. We can find out what we should have done logistically or spiritually. We can fix bridges and buildings, we can build homes and businesses, we can mend lives, and we can, if necessary, repent. But this is not the time for the looters of our national fabric to gain a foothold. There is far too much work to do now and we who occupy the center must hold. We've given and we've prayed, but more will be required of us. We must not allow the extremists to carry the day!
As the great philosopher Rodney King once said, "Can't we all just get along?"
prying1 sez, "At least for a couple of weeks?"prying1
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