The world's a better place without him.
~Doug Roberts
By most measures, that could be said of many.
In fact there were many who said that of MLK, and yet I think today few
would admit to that today even if they felt it.
I am hopeful and relieved with this turn of events... but not
necessarily because of the specific fact of Osama Bin Laden's death, but
rather for his removal from the playing field as a charismatic mythical
iconic figure. I'm also happy it happened on Obama's watch rather than
on that of someone more easily mistaken (recognized?) for a racist
warmonger.
Bin Laden may be less of a threat to us as a Martyr than he was as a
living leader of mythical proportions. His charismatic image and
mythical elusiveness will not be easily replaced by another. But the
underlying problems still remain and in some ways may be aggravated
without him in place to focus them, causing them to go even more
underground and return to festering waiting to erupt again elsewhere.
In the light of the general populist dissension (unto overthrow) in the
middle east, this may be a much more pivotal moment in some way than it
would have been otherwise. I am hoping that we (US and the rest of the
western world) can turn from an antagonistic and threatening stance to
one of solidarity and hope with the peoples of that region.
If we can withdraw ourselves as colonizers, exploiters, invaders,
occupiers, then perhaps we can find another relationship with this large
portion of the human family. We have mostly/almost made peace with the
internal diversity of our country, I wonder if we are on the cusp of
making another small step toward world peace.
Just my $.02 thoughts for the day.
-Steve
"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not
rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy.
Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to
a night already devoid of stars."
~ Martin Luther King
Nicholas S. Thompson
Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Biology
Clark University
http://home.earthlink.net/~nickthompson/naturaldesigns/
<http://home.earthlink.net/%7Enickthompson/naturaldesigns/>
http://www.cusf.org <http://www.cusf.org/>
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--
Doug Roberts
drobe...@rti.org <mailto:drobe...@rti.org>
d...@parrot-farm.net <mailto:d...@parrot-farm.net>
505-455-7333 - Office
505-670-8195 - Cell
============================================================
FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
============================================================
FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
