This afternoon we celebrated Claire's 6th birthday. Her birthday is actually tomorrow morning, but we opted to celebrate it today because most of her friends will be in school tomorrow. With considerable coaching Claire did much better this year than last in regards to keeping level headed and gracious. She relaxed, enjoyed the events, and had a good time. It was a much better event than last year's birthday where the anxiety so overwhelmed her that she became a complete pill. I don't think I'll have many pictures of the party. Most of the good shots were done on film anyway, so it'll be a few weeks before I see those results.
Like many Americans we've been stunned by the events of the past week. I've read my fair share of editorials and opinion articles. It's been said that God can bring good out of evil. I've seen a major shift in tone in my neighborhood this past week. People are acting more patient and civil towards each other. Billboards all around Nashua show signs of unity and calls to prayer.
There is only one thing about public reaction that concerns me at this moment. It is this sentiment of a small minority to "just turn the middle east into a glass parking lot". Also expressed as "kill them all and let God sort them out". I can't help but recall that when the Oklahoma City bombing occurred we all assumed Middle Eastern origins only to later learn the name of Timothy McVeigh.
Most experts are fairly certain this attack was Middle Eastern in origin. However, I deal with customers in the Middle East almost every day. Every one I've dealt with in my work life is in many ways not distinguishable from you or I. They go work, they work diligently, they try to raise their families and make a better life for themselves and their descendents, they struggle to make ends meet and pay their taxes. The people who hijacked the airplanes were terrorists, plain and simple. They blindly hate the USA with psychotic delusions. When we decend into the "kill them all" mentality, we stoop to their level. I pray that our leaders can distinguish between justice and vengence in the days ahead of us.
Pray for our country, it's leaders, the victims and their families. I'll close today's entry with the words of our Pope in regard to this evil act of savage cruelty.