What troubles me....

Much of what is happening in the world troubles me from time to time. Try as I may to keep it at a distance and preserve perspective of the reality of danger, I also see nothing as disconnected or so very distant. The pain of one, no matter how far away, is pain to me.  It ripples, somehow, into my world no matter whether I acknowledge it or not. Your pain is mine and mine is yours. Nothing exists in isolation. Nothing.
In response to the most recent terror attack in London, according to the BBC, "Theresa May has said she will change human rights laws if they "get in the way" of tackling suspected terrorists."

This sounds like a familiar approach. In the wake of great "danger", human rights must take a back seat. In terms of human rights we're talking about due process, the right to privacy, innocent until proven guilty, and freedom of religion. If human rights are not at the very heart of what we fight for, then what are we fighting for?

There is a great shift toward "survival" mentality as though our very survival is based on fighting. Many times I am reminded of Jesus' command to "fear not". When fear is our driver, we will always make the wrong choices and follow the wrong path. Sadly, we now have leaders who cherish fear and fear mongering. They think the answer to overcoming our "enemy" is to make them fear us more. That will not work. We cannot win by being nastier and meaner than the next person. We don't win with cleverness or force. It's a marathon. If you believe in eternity, a slap today is not a problem solver. 

Our violent reaction - their violent reaction - creates ripples that cannot end UNTIL someone does something rationally different. We need to understand what is at the root of this terrible thing that is spreading. And we need not feed that root. If we cannot understand why someone is radicalized to the point of terrible violence and hatred, we will never solve it. If we respond in kind - with violence and hatred - we will continue to grow it.

Human rights should never be in question. We have to maintain the standard by which we measure humanity. We have to BE the standard by which we measure humanity. We don't lower our standards to match the depths to which our enemy will take us. We raise our standards and insist that they join us. Insist, not by force, but by example. If they cannot see, it is OUR failing, not theirs. If our ideology is truly right and just, there should be no question. If there is question, we need to look at ourselves.

If we lower our standards, what have we gained? In my mind, we may win a battle but the war is lost for all. We gained nothing. Humanity gained nothing.