Remembrance

10 years ago, terror in Oklahoma City

Ten years ago hundreds of lives were changed forever, and we who witnessed it from afar were changed as well. I remember at the time, when there was so much speculation about foreign terrorism, that it was a home-grown job, an intuition that turned out to be right. As a result, there was a crackdown on the crazy militia types. But Oklahoma City was our first real taste of terrorism at home. There are some who may fear that it has been eclipsed by the events of 9-11. I think it's important to remember both...one due to hatred that was very much bred here, the other of a hatred bred abroad. Both show us how hate can destroy, can corrupt, can open the door to evil.

April 19th was a cursed day in the ancient Roman world; two of the worst defeats, with emperors being killed, took place on that day. Sometimes it seems this date is still cursed. It's like those whose politics of hate have consumed them use thks time as their own strange festival. Waco, Ruby Ridge, etc., etc....they became rallying cries for a particular type of hatemonger.I remember holding my breath each April 19th for several years in anticipation of trouble. Sometimes it happened; sometimes it would fall on the 20th, the birthday of Hitler and the date of the Colombine shootings. May nothing happen like this again today or any day. And may people who hate others for no reason beyond superficial differences learn to love their fellow men--or at least tolerate their existence.