Terror

I was going to write a post tonight about why caves are scary but something legitimately evil has unfolded in Paris today. I don't know many details but I just read an article about an Eagles of Death Metal show that was happening in Paris. Even though the band got out, there were hostages and about one hundred people ended up dead after all was said and done. Picture that, going out to see one of your favorite bands when everything turns into blood and smoke. Maybe for a second you think it is part of the show, maybe you laugh for a second in disbelief....but then, there you are, with your friends, surrounded by hundreds of like minded music lovers, trapped in a room with armed people who only want to kill you. How do you escape? How can you ensure your friends/significant others escape?

I think we are failing, as a planet. I think petty, angry thinking is driving us mad. I think this war of all against all is a zero sum game. Don't get me wrong, I have been angry before. I have been angry enough that I might have even hurt someone if I had the opportunity. But I was always angry at a specific person. I am not sure what belief I could hold that would make me want to murder complete strangers. What roads are we creating for people where they believe that is legitimate place to end up?

The mindset is alien to me. As alien as any horror monster or concept, killing other people to spread terror is the most senseless of senseless acts. Like when school shootings happen over here and everyone says, "Let's not just mourn it, let's fix it." Well, how many terror attacks have to happen before we try to fix it? Every bomb we drop creates another dozen recruits for our enemies. Every life we take encourages others to take more of our lives. I don't see an ending and it saddens me. It saddens me that we only get one life and so many of us are getting it wrong.