Who Will Triumph?

Who Will Triumph?

It is unbelievable how quickly the world seems to have turned upside-down. I go about my day and mail packages, go shopping, even watch my favorite soap opera, but when I sit down and actually think about what is happening in Wisconsin and around the country it terrifies me.

I recently spoke with a young college student -- a really sweet girl -- about the frightening situation that is growing more ugly every day. I tried to explain to her what is going on and why it is so important that young people take the difficult steps needed to learn about what is going on now and the long, hard struggles that came before it. I'm afraid she really didn't get it. I blame myself that – my words were not clear enough, not powerful enough, and not passionate enough.

I want to come up with some way of reaching people who see no reason why they need to be involved. They feel no urgency to probe, to scrutinize, to examine what is happening. People have busy lives -- I know that. Young people have school, others have jobs, others have family needs, and still others have health and financial concerns. But it is because of all of these vitally important issues in our lives that we must reexamine and rearrange our priorities and find the time to become involved.

The enormity of the crisis we are facing now cannot be denied. We must do all that we can to solve this crisis. But equally important, we must learn from what is happening. We must realize that if we care about people, really care about people, then our concern must extend beyond our own realm of security, our own safe haven. For if we close out eyes to the misfortunes and misery in the lives of those who seem so distant from us, we may also become blind to injustice and corruption as it steals silently into our own lives.

If the current chaos and turmoil going on around the country frightens and concerns you – that is good! It should frighten you. What I am hoping is that it will frighten enough people that everyone will do something. Protest! Write letters to editors! Call your elected officials! Talk to your neighbors – not just the ones who agree with you! Unless people reach beyond their safe zone these injustices and corrupt behaviors will not stop. For many of us this may be the most troubling time we have experienced.

I am certain that you have heard many times the wise saying by the Irish philosopher Edmund Burke: “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” Please do something!!!