The word understanding came from the merging of two words, standing and under. The inference is that we cannot understand someone else until we stand in his or her place. To understand another, we must try to stop seeing from our perspective to see from theirs. With the Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman tragedy, we have one of the greatest opportunities for understanding and a significant opportunity to gain a victory over racism.
The Deadly Enemy
At this writing, the saga of Edward Snowden still dominates the news. There may have never been a more poignant example of how easily our media and our elected representatives can take their eyes off the ball and begin to major on minors. Snowden may be a traitor, or he may be a hero, but he is not the real story here. Chasing after the story of Snowden’s plight is like trying to swat a gnat when there is a lion charging you.
As the revelations of the last few weeks now make abundantly clear, our freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and our freedom of religion may have never been in greater jeopardy than they are right now. The remainder of this year will likely determine whether we will remain a free people or succumb to a terrible tyranny.