The anger of a gentle man

“There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man.” -Patrick Rothfuss -  The Wise Man's Fear


The anger of a gentle man - Ron Russell

Today I learned that the Maricopa County Democratic headquarters was firebombed.

Donations - https://maricopadems.org/recoveryfund/


Today I find myself not in a place of ease, or calm abiding, but in a place of righteous anger.  Anger that someone would sabotage our very democratic process that thousands of people fight and die for.  Anger that someone would do willful violence to any of the voting or election process.


I'm a very peaceful human being. I am a meditation coach and have had a daily practice for the last 5 years. I value kindness above other traits.  If I were to have a religion it would be kindness.  I'm a Humanist chaplain and program director at the Humanist Society of greater Phoenix.   I have stood on the house and the Senate floors and delivered the opening invocations pleading for compassion.   I have taught meditation to kids in the Kyrene school district.  I truly seek to make the world (and specifically Arizona) a better place.


The way we make the world a better place is through CIVIL DISCOURSE and TALKING with one another not through violence.  I know that in our past, violence has worked.  Violence has been a solution and depending on whether you were on the winning side or the losing side is depending on your viewpoint of if that’s good or bad.  In the last 200 years we as human beings have come to understand that we are better when we work together.  We thrive when we cooperate.  Through our diversity, we are made stronger.  Through science we can reach the stars.


Violence against the system is domestic terrorism.  When you attack the systems and processes that we as a society use to make decisions, you attack the rights and freedoms of all Arizonans.


This action must be denounced in the strongest possible ways, by anyone that values this democracy.

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