A Prayer Across the Chasm
Charles Burke

Shock fell heavily across the American continent on Tuesday, and it continues to roll outward in a black, morbid wave, spreading across the consciousness of the world's people

The last few days have shown us terrible hatred and the results it spawns.

We hear stories of people who hate the United States so bitterly that they rejoice to give up their lives if it will cause hurt to this country and to its people. Their bitter and hated enemy, the USA, is termed The Great Satan. And killing its people is a holy act that will win them automatic admittance to paradise.

In America, now, we're hearing vows of vengeance. Cold, icy rage is being expressed.

"Only an insane person could conceive such heinous acts," we hear. "Only madmen could carry them out," many people are saying.

Some are calling for military attacks, even before it is clear who was involved, or the extent of that involvement, in perpetrating this tragedy.

True, it is tempting to lash out at the first obvious targets. "There are names, people who we know are terrorists, and they almost certainly had a hand in this. But even if they didn't participate this time, they're guilty of other terroristic acts, so they should be punished anyway. Let's go bomb somebody into the stone age. Let's do it now." These are some of the comments we hear coming from some outraged Americans.

But isn't this the same thinking that mobilizes lynch mobs? Irrespective of guilt or innocence, how would a quick, angry bombing raid differ from a hanging party?

Other, cooler heads are urging caution, patience, careful investigation. They argue a need to treat any military action as a surgical procedure. Carefully, meticulously, but with the same ruthless coolness that a doctor cuts out a tumor that endangers a patient's life.

There is some merit to this second approach.

The entire Arab world is not the enemy of Americans.

Nor are all Muslims.

Islam is a noble and great religion. But tragically, it is being hijacked by some for vicious ends, exactly as those four airliners were hijacked and used for destruction.

So the voices calling for immediate and broad-based retribution need to be calmed so that we can carefully and clearly identify our enemies. But just as carefully identify the friends who stand with us

We have seen news footage of people here and there around the world celebrating our grief. Exultation and jubilation greeted the sad news in several parts of the world.

Have you not paused for even a moment to wonder why those people hate us so bitterly? What do they see when they look at our country? What do they see when they gaze at you? At me?

What do they see? Why are they so glad of our suffering?

Is it not time to open real channels of dialog so that we can learn what their problem with us might be? Such strong emotions don't happen in a vacuum.

Have our elected and appointed officials caused terrible things to be done to them? Are there wrongs - genuine wrongs - that need to be righted?

If there are, could we not try to find out what they are and somehow, no matter how small the steps, begin the process of healing this difference?

It takes a great hatred to build such a great schism. Perhaps an even greater love and understanding will be needed to quench that hatred and to heal it.

Is it possible?

I believe that the political and military voices advising caution and care in our retribution may be buying us enough time to begin some part of this healing process. I hope they will.

The tools these people hold in their hands are far more frightening than ever before in history. Cool heads MUST prevail or we all face dire consequences.

Can we not turn to our neighbors and simply ask them, "Please tell us what you see when you look at us with such hatred? What have we done? What CAN we do?"

My prayer.