Humanity strays from compassion

 This Sunday morning, just before going to church and listening once again to what Jesus taught, this short news account hit me like a ton of bricks!

A video has surfaced showing a U.S. helicopter crew member in Afghanistan singing “Bye-Bye Miss America Pie” before blasting a group of Afghan men, who may or may not be doing anything illegal, with a Hellfire missile, after which survivors scatter.  Most chilling:  The blithe “nice” said after the hit.

How far have we, as a society of assumed reasonable and compassionate human beings, strayed from the teachings of the world’s many great spiritual leaders down through the ages?

Our young people are trained to kill.

Our national leaders continue those horrific drone attacks killing many innocent women and children.

Our members of Congress fight each other ‘tooth and nail’ on issues rather than arriving at reasonable and helpful compromises.  Bullying is a national problem.  U.S. engagement in wars is so commonplace the American public just glances at casualty lists without emotion.

The young military dead are highly honored while many young peace-advocates are ridiculed and reviled.  To speak out for peace, love, compromise and compassion is to be labled “weak” and “unrealistic” while to speak out for confrontation, slandering the other guy, fighting and feuding is considered “strong” and “realistic”.

The blithe “nice” speaks volumes to me about the level of love being expressed within the race of man.

Bob McClellan,

Polson