Non-Violence

The violence that occurred 10 years ago on September 11^th bothers me more today than it did then. I knew what had happened was awful (I remember saying “This is, like, as bad as when JFK was killed). I was only a year out of high school though. I didn’t even know what the twin towers were. I didn’t understand how it would shape our world and change the lives of everyone on earth.

I’m finding it hard to wrap my head around the idea that someone can be so evil. Worse catastrophes have happened than 9/11. Millions of people have been killed by natural disasters, each one of them just as devastating as the other. But these terrorists, these people, did this on purpose. They wanted to kill and destroy the lives of thousands of others. Where does that hatred come from? It’s so fucking scary (and sad) to think that there are human beings out there capable of doing this.
I wasn’t happy the way some were when Osama Bin Laden was killed. I find it hard to rejoice in the death of another human being, no matter how evil the person may have been. I mean, it’s good that he is gone. It was a sad day for me though, to know that violence begets violence. Honestly, I would have preferred they captured the SOB and made him rebuild the towers by hand, by himself. Now that he’s dead, he has been freed. Maybe, by some off-chance, eventually, the evil in his heart could have been replaced with understanding, or compassion or, by God, even love?
I was filled with a sense of renewed hope in the human race when little Kienan was returned safely to his family. Whoever did take him, though obviously evil in some way, had to have had some love in his heart. Perhaps it was the plea the boy’s father made for his safe return, or maybe the guy just wanted to be rid of the kid so he didn’t end up in the slammer (for as long). Regardless, something in that man made him return that little boy unharmed.
Yoga promotes non-violence. You can take that as you like. Some believe that eating meat is violence, so they don’t. In that respect, I guess I am a violent person. Everybody is in some way, I’m sure. I suppose all we can do is try. Try to love, understand, and be compassionate towards one another. I think violence would have a very small role in our lives if we could all live like that. One can dream, right?!
I think John Lennon had it right - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-b7qaSxuZUg