Important post, Antonia. Thank you. For the most part, I agree that our capacity "for both compassion and cruelty come not from any religious root but from those very centuries of suffering." I'm reading about the Middle Ages right now, however, and a great deal of cruelty and compassion did come from organized religion—us versus them. Perhaps this is because people believed they had to fight for a cause more than they trusted the transforming kindness of faith. There is no them, only us.
"Not “the government is spying on everyone” but an actual, targeted, individual tap. On your phone. Listening to your own private conversations. Now we have end-to-end encryption for the masses, and still my cousin in Moscow publicly posts her love for Ukraine and outrageously courageous critiques, calls to resist. “I can’t seem to come to my senses,” she writes. “I am still trying to find bits of optimism in myself.”"
I feel obligated to speak anyway. Back during the Iraq war I got targeted by a tap on the plain old telephone because apparently, I kept shooting my mouth off in opposition. There have been a lot of difficult surveillance issues since then.
When I was a child there was my family, for a time, where I was the abused child and I had to not say anything about it, lest I get murdered for my trouble.
This: "Poke back far enough and nearly everyone’s line has a history of suffering and oppression."
It speaks to our similarities rather than our differences. We've all been oppressed, we've all been the oppressor. That is the source from which compassion springs, if we let it.
I love that image. I don't think that I can share any of my pictures (or spill any ink, for that matter) publicly, either. There are 15 or so old pictures sitting by my couch right now. Some of them I love. Some of them are best kept as a reminder of lessons learned. Mostly, I don't think that the public commons needs any input from me. Some thoughts are best kept to the digital and actual front porch, so to speak.
Photo at the top is of the Church of the Transfiguration in Peredelkino just outside Moscow. Not sure if I'll share many more Russia photos but northwest Montana is like a vast ocean of gray and slush right now and even walking is blah.
"Half the city is fighting against the normalization of violence that is knocking on every door. War also tests us to see if we have even a touch of compassion for those sent here to murder.”"
I guess at it's most core, this is an issue of private property. Of wealth. Of something carved out. The deep seated desire to protect something/someones.
It is a very.... simplistic thing to say, but "the Russians started it" . They came into Ukraine. They launched a full scale invasion and hit civilian targets in the very first strike. It is despicable. I would argue it's not a "normalization of violence" , but rather a response to a horrible disruption.
I am horrified by the lack of leadership in the US and (most of) Europe. I will give major props to Mr Johnson and the UK parliament, showing true unity and leading out in front. The EU waited 72 hours to see if Ukraine had any resolve/resilience and then we saw the largest policy/spending shift in 75 years in a mere 72 hours. (I am also scared of any changes done during crisis as a general rule).
Important post, Antonia. Thank you. For the most part, I agree that our capacity "for both compassion and cruelty come not from any religious root but from those very centuries of suffering." I'm reading about the Middle Ages right now, however, and a great deal of cruelty and compassion did come from organized religion—us versus them. Perhaps this is because people believed they had to fight for a cause more than they trusted the transforming kindness of faith. There is no them, only us.
"Not “the government is spying on everyone” but an actual, targeted, individual tap. On your phone. Listening to your own private conversations. Now we have end-to-end encryption for the masses, and still my cousin in Moscow publicly posts her love for Ukraine and outrageously courageous critiques, calls to resist. “I can’t seem to come to my senses,” she writes. “I am still trying to find bits of optimism in myself.”"
I feel obligated to speak anyway. Back during the Iraq war I got targeted by a tap on the plain old telephone because apparently, I kept shooting my mouth off in opposition. There have been a lot of difficult surveillance issues since then.
When I was a child there was my family, for a time, where I was the abused child and I had to not say anything about it, lest I get murdered for my trouble.
So I understand that guarded feeling.
elm
i feel it right now
This was wonderful thoughtful and challenging. Some other stuff to read...ALL BY ITSELF makes this a wonderful place to read.
This: "Poke back far enough and nearly everyone’s line has a history of suffering and oppression."
It speaks to our similarities rather than our differences. We've all been oppressed, we've all been the oppressor. That is the source from which compassion springs, if we let it.
Thank you, Nia 🙏🏻❤️
I love that image. I don't think that I can share any of my pictures (or spill any ink, for that matter) publicly, either. There are 15 or so old pictures sitting by my couch right now. Some of them I love. Some of them are best kept as a reminder of lessons learned. Mostly, I don't think that the public commons needs any input from me. Some thoughts are best kept to the digital and actual front porch, so to speak.
Photo at the top is of the Church of the Transfiguration in Peredelkino just outside Moscow. Not sure if I'll share many more Russia photos but northwest Montana is like a vast ocean of gray and slush right now and even walking is blah.
"Half the city is fighting against the normalization of violence that is knocking on every door. War also tests us to see if we have even a touch of compassion for those sent here to murder.”"
It's very difficult.... I understand why one may well want to make Molotov cocktails and have a rifle close by.. ie https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2022/02/27/ukraine-conflict-tracking-use-of-cluster-munitions-in-civilian-areas/
I guess at it's most core, this is an issue of private property. Of wealth. Of something carved out. The deep seated desire to protect something/someones.
It is a very.... simplistic thing to say, but "the Russians started it" . They came into Ukraine. They launched a full scale invasion and hit civilian targets in the very first strike. It is despicable. I would argue it's not a "normalization of violence" , but rather a response to a horrible disruption.
I am horrified by the lack of leadership in the US and (most of) Europe. I will give major props to Mr Johnson and the UK parliament, showing true unity and leading out in front. The EU waited 72 hours to see if Ukraine had any resolve/resilience and then we saw the largest policy/spending shift in 75 years in a mere 72 hours. (I am also scared of any changes done during crisis as a general rule).
War on the continent.... absolutely horrid.