Don't Return Hatred
It's been eight long years since 9/11 and yesterday I became aware that something I wrote about the tragedy, that was published in the USA Today and a few other papers, is appearing in a book on communication and persuasion. (Pretty scary - people quoting me).
Eight years ago I wrote about not immediately returning the hatred of the attacks. It was an article I wrote in immediate response, but one that was something I believe to this day.
Our first instinct, of course, was to return the hate airmailed to us on that horrific day. Certainly it's a natural response - and the fact that we were attacked still makes my blood boil, but on 09/11/01 I thought that perhaps with the loss of humanity staring us in the face, we'd take a moment to think about it differently.
Boy was I wrong - when the article appeared in those newspapers I received anonymous telephone calls to my home telling me that my bleeding heart is the reason why we were sitting ducks for an attack.
For one caller, I tried to reason with him, saying he misunderstood the article - I never said we should not respond through warfare, I just said, before we do, let's examine what's right in our country, and not respond in a trigger-happy fashion. He called me an 'asshole' and hung up.
How did our trigger-happy response work out by the way? Bin Laden might be reading this - and that's downright sickening.
Okay, whatever, change isn't easy for some people.
Cut to a little while later - I received a letter from a Retired Army General living in California. He wrote that he applauded what I'd said - and asked if I could call him to discuss. I did, and we chatted for a long time - he explained that the hatred others feel for Americans in this vast world, will not be changed by our military actions, but rather through our own insight into our own souls.
Very profound. He said that I said this in my letter - go figure.
In any regard - I like millions of others have a heavy heart today and I still say hating someone is a little like burning down your house to get rid of a rat - the hatred inside hurts you more than it hurts them.
As the great writer Springsteen said - If a poison snake bites you, you're poison too. (Listen to the words).
I pray for the lost souls.
Eight years ago I wrote about not immediately returning the hatred of the attacks. It was an article I wrote in immediate response, but one that was something I believe to this day.
Our first instinct, of course, was to return the hate airmailed to us on that horrific day. Certainly it's a natural response - and the fact that we were attacked still makes my blood boil, but on 09/11/01 I thought that perhaps with the loss of humanity staring us in the face, we'd take a moment to think about it differently.
Boy was I wrong - when the article appeared in those newspapers I received anonymous telephone calls to my home telling me that my bleeding heart is the reason why we were sitting ducks for an attack.
For one caller, I tried to reason with him, saying he misunderstood the article - I never said we should not respond through warfare, I just said, before we do, let's examine what's right in our country, and not respond in a trigger-happy fashion. He called me an 'asshole' and hung up.
How did our trigger-happy response work out by the way? Bin Laden might be reading this - and that's downright sickening.
Okay, whatever, change isn't easy for some people.
Cut to a little while later - I received a letter from a Retired Army General living in California. He wrote that he applauded what I'd said - and asked if I could call him to discuss. I did, and we chatted for a long time - he explained that the hatred others feel for Americans in this vast world, will not be changed by our military actions, but rather through our own insight into our own souls.
Very profound. He said that I said this in my letter - go figure.
In any regard - I like millions of others have a heavy heart today and I still say hating someone is a little like burning down your house to get rid of a rat - the hatred inside hurts you more than it hurts them.
As the great writer Springsteen said - If a poison snake bites you, you're poison too. (Listen to the words).
I pray for the lost souls.
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