“Please don’t be ……….”

Posted on by David Gaddis by

Yesterday I was captivated by Twitter, before CNN, Fox, MSNBC could create a single bold headline saying “more to follow” on their respective web sites my Twitter feed was filling as fast as I could refresh with posts from the Boston Marathon. News of the explosion hit my desk in SW Kansas just minutes maybe seconds after the actual event. Yes I was following the event at work, some guys here tuned their computers to the Masters Tournament, there was at least one radio tuned to a baseball game. Me, I was following a couple of people running the Boston Marathon. The first place guys sprinted to the end a couple of hours earlier, my “friends” had not yet. Between the ups and downs of the wheat market and the mostly down in Gold I watched for posts, refreshing my screen every few minutes, so I knew very early of the news.

I wasn’t there, none of my family either, and my “friends” that were there are electronic, virtual friends, whose posts I am sure go to hundreds if not thousands of others.  So I can’t offer much in the way of comfort, wisdom, or special insight to the events in Boston.. What I can speak to are my initial and subsequent thoughts and feelings. I was riveted to the story, how could anyone hurt unsuspecting people in such a violent manner?

For some strange reason I made the connection between the events in Boston and old western movies where the violent coward shot his unsuspecting enemy in the back. The movies were clear that brave men faced their enemies, that cowards did violence to the innocent.

Like many I was captivated by the story, pictures, and heroism from Boston. One post on Twitter caught my attention, it was not a picture of smoke, blood, or tragedy, nor a lengthy tribute to the actions of heros. Just four simple words. These four words were contained in the thoughts that filled the remainder of my day and evening. It was likely the quote I last thought of before going to sleep. I know it was the first thought I had this morning, just four words.

The original tweet, retweeted 100’s of times yesterday, was made by a Libyan woman and said

“Please don’t be Muslim”

We don’t know yet the skin color of the person or persons responsible, we don’t know their religious thoughts if any, their political agenda, we don’t know if this tragedy was home grown as with the Oklahoma City bombing or was foreign sponsored. Pro-gun, pro-life, anti-gay, anti-government, and anti-tax protestors are also among the limitless motives.

 “Please don’t be one of us.” is the paraphrase that I woke to this morning. So many times those protesting for things I agree with, do it in ways that require me to condemn them and separate myself from their cause. I find myself all too often echoing this Libyan woman, “Please don’t claim to be Christian”, “Pro-life”, “Pro Gun”, “White” or “Libertarian”.

If and when we know your face, I promise I won’t see you as a protestor, I won’t see you as white, black, or brown, gay or straight. I won’t see you as Jew, Christian, or Atheist. If you just happen to be from a Muslim country I promise I won’t see you as Muslim. No matter your cause I won’t see you as a proper representative. You are none of these.

I will see you for what you really are.. a damn coward.

David

One thought on ““Please don’t be ……….””

Comments are closed.