Re: Retaliate with love

Are you all suggesting that doing what is necessary to STOP the insane people 
responsible for this slaughter is not appropriate?  What do you think they are 
planning next?  To take no action is like sealing the fate of their future 
victims!

I have been praying for all people involved.  Here is the prayer I sent out 
yesterday:
Please join me in a prayer for the human beings caught in the terrible
anger and destruction of the unthinkable events that have unfolded this
morning.  I prayed with my children, and continue to pray as the moments
unfold, that those who are in pain find respite from their suffering,
that those who are terrified find safety, that those who are grieving
find solace, that those who are working to help others find strength and
courage, and those whose hearts are empty except for hate and fear will
find forgiveness and learn that they don't have to be so cruel.  I pray
that all to be touched by Divine Love, and that our hearts will join
together in creating and magnifying Love in the world, to help bring
Balance and peace back to our lives.  Whenever two or more of us are
gathered in His name, there is Love.

However, I'm really struggling with this.  I sincerely feel we MUST take action 
to shut these insane people down.

Martha Bergin
GateWay Community College
Phoenix, AZ

NAN OTTENRITTER wrote:

> You all are going to HATE this -
> but I need to speak.
>
> I'm having trouble with the word retaliate - look it up in your computer 
>thesaurus and you'll find "hit back, strike back, even the score,get revenge, 
>etc. The word itself is reactive (love is proactive), it keeps track - "even 
>the score" (love does not keep track or keep score), and it comes from a frame 
>of we/they/war.
>
> I'd like to suggest saying "react with love" or something less war-like.
>
> I'm really not trying to be the language police, but language is SO 
>important. The more intentional we can be with it, the better our peace-making 
>efforts!
>
> Nan
>
> Nan Ottenritter
> Coordinator, Bridges to Healthy Communities, Health and Wellness
> American Association of Community Colleges
> One Dupont Circle, Suite 410
> Washington, DC 20036
> PH: 202-728-0200, ext. 230
> FAX: 202-833-2467
> nottenritter@aacc.nche.edu
> Check out AACC's webpage at www.aacc.nche.edu.
> "The miracle is not to fly in the air, or to walk on the water, but to walk 
>on the earth." Chinese proverb
>
> >>> "Clothier, Raymond" <clothrs@millsaps.edu> 09/12/01 11:29AM >>>
> Hearing from Stan on the efforts of those at LaGrange College to "retaliate
> with love" brought these words to mind:
>
> . . . Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a
> night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out hate; only light
> can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that. Hate
> multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies
> toughness in a descending spiral of destruction. . . The chain reaction of
> evil -- hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars -- must be broken, or
> we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation.
>
> Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,  Strength to Love, 1963, p. 51
>
> Peace to y'all,
>
> Raymond Clothier
> Associate Director of the Faith and Work Initiative
> Millsaps College
> 1701 N. State Street
> Jackson, Mississippi 39210
> Phone: 601 974 1470
> Fax: 601 974 1470
> clothrs@millsaps.edu <mailto:clothrs@millsaps.edu>
> http://www.millsaps.edu/faithwrk <http://www.millsaps.edu/faithwrk>
>