No quest this week. I have something else I feel called to say. I need to get it out there and then next week we can go back to the markers. Please note that the opinions stated in this post (and every post, unless otherwise noted) are entirely my own and I do not claim to represent the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, nor anyone else, when I express them. Thank you.
Pennsylvania's a long way from Minnesota. I've never been there. But the blood being shed there haunts me.
I wrestled with what to say about the subject, or whether I should say anything at all, since this blog largely deals with the past rather than the present. But after seeing so many content creators whose work I enjoy and admire use their platforms to discuss it, I came to the conclusion that I needed to do the same. After all, the only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing, and while I can't do very much, I can at least say something.
But Laura, you might be saying, you don't get political in your posts, or at least not usually. And that's true. At the same time, history is by its very nature political, because it's written by the winners. So it's impossible for me to look at what has happened, and continues to happen, and not feel strongly. My heart aches for the pain which has been inflicted on so many. The lives which have been taken, and the lies being told to justify it, are more chilling than the arctic blast we're experiencing in the wake of this past weekend's colossal snowstorm.
I saw the video of Alex Pretti's death. Think about that in the abstract for a moment. We, the people of the world, were literally presented with video footage of a young man being shot repeatedly on a public sidewalk for the unspeakable crime of... protecting another human being. I don't believe our brains were built to process this kind of horror.
I'm not pointing fingers, by the way. I don't know exactly who is responsible for any of these people being killed. I don't know how any of this stuff works. I'm just a history writer watching history unfold and trying to make sense out of something utterly senseless.
Actually, I think that a quote from one of my family's favorite movies is appropriate here. In Tombstone, Josie (played by Dana Delaney) watches in horror, offscreen, as her friend and fellow actor (played by Billy Zane) is shot to death. To quote Josie:
I don't understand any of this. I just know it's ugly.
Mister Rogers told us to look for the helpers. The helpers will bring hope. So let's not just look for the helpers, let's be the helpers. Let's try to bring peace, justice, and kindness back into the world. Maybe it's a fool's hope that this can happen, but we have to try, don't we?
Look out for each other. Try to make something beautiful to counteract the ugliness. Let's all do good, and be better.
Except where indicated, all writing and photography on this blog is the intellectual property of Laura Klotz. This blog is written with permission of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. I am not employed by the PHMC. All rights reserved.
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