We Need a Cease Fire...in the E-mail Wars

I get a lot of e-mails. Alot.

Actually I often receive as many as 100 e-mails a day. They come from all kinds of sources, and most of them are benign.

Lately, though, I have detected a disturbing new trend. I have begun receiving e-mails that are filled with hatred, misinformation and accusations about the fundamental badness of "the other".

Lately, most of these have concerned the brief but devastating war that flared recently in Gaza and southern Israel. I receive e-mails supporting the Israeli side that talk not only about the fundamental badness of the Palestinian political party called Hamas, but sadly about the fundamental wrongness of Palestinians...and Islam. On the other hand, I also get e-mails from people favoring the Palestinian side, or more particularly the Muslim side. Some of these are filled with words filled with hatred about Zionists and"The Jews." Ironically, the e-mails from both sides are at some level anti-semitic---in the broadest sense of that word. Meaning against people of semitic races (both Arabs and Jews).

To the people of both sides I ask, "What good does it do to spread hateful words?" I certainly understand the need to share factual information about the disasters unforlding in Southern Israel and certainly in Gaza. But resorting to name calling and epithets is just a sad attempt at beating our chests, pointing the finger of blame at the "other" and shouting "Hooray for our side!"

I would much prefer to see a thoughtful sharing of facts and a genuine dialogue in which both sides could air their often legitimate grievances.

Until that happens, whever I see an e-mail that is hate-filled I won't hit "forward." I will push "delete."

When Words Fail Us

Israel and the Hamas led government in Gaza are embroiled in the latest military conflagration to consume the Middle East. Deep anger and hurt are being expressed by supporters of each side, both where the war is underway and right here in our own community. I suspect that the same feelings are being felt in communities across the United States and maybe around the world.

Sadly, it is literally impossible for supporters of Israel and supporters of the citizens in Gaza to talk to each other right now. This noon here in Louisville there were both demonstrations and counter demonstrations about the war.

When it is not possible to talk without shouting at each other, perhaps the best we can do is sit together in silence. It's what I call "sitting in the ashes." It's a term I started using after watching the Wim Wenders film, Until the End of the World. In that film, when the wife of one the main characters dies, the widower sits in a pile of ashes with an aboriginal friend. They both pour ashes on their heads and wail in their grief, a ritual used by aboriginals when words fail them.

A little over a week ago, Christians, Jews and Muslims came together here in Louisville to sit in the ashes. We intentionally met in a non-religious space in the early evening when darkness had already creeped in. Chairs were gathered in a circle and about 30 persons entered the darkened space, lit a candle and placed it on an altar-like table in the center of the room.

Then we just sat together in silence. The the sign posted at the door said, "Please enter, remain and depart in silence." There were no words of welcome or benediction. All we could do was grieve and pray for a just peace to come soon.

That's all you can do when actions and even words, fail you.