DO NOT MISS THIS ARTICLE

One of my dearest friends wrote this beautiful blog post. Read it if you can and check out her blog, follow her on twitter and all that great social network stuff. She is phenomenal and this post is stunning.
 

A Lesson in Humanity
 
THIS POST WAS WRITTEN ON SEPTEMBER 17, 2012
 

R.I.P Ambassador Chris Stevens, Sean Smith & Glen Doherty
 

R.I.P Tyrone Woods
 

I started this week with the theme of Beauty. For me it was a natural transition from ‘Wisdom and Age’ that would bring us to “Awe,” corresponding with the “10 Days of Awe” between the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. My themes are generally organic; they represent what is relevant for me in my life, while at the same time trying to keep in synch with current events. No matter what, they are always an expression of my values and perspective.
 
This week current events inspired me to take leave of my chosen theme of ‘Beauty’ – or perhaps helped me continue with it in a different way than I had expected…
 

On Wednesday morning I woke up and began my usual routine. My husband and I were talking over tea when he received a phone call from Libya. The US Ambassador had been killed in Benghazi. This was heart wrenching news. We didn’t know how or by who, all we could do was hold on, wait for more information and offer to help in any way we could. It was frightening and saddening. What I had heard went against everything I know and have experienced in Libya. I was worried for my family there and my heart was with all our friends who have worked so hard for the liberty and progression of their country.
 
Then a beautiful thing began to happen. I started receiving text messages and phone calls from people. They were concerned for us, for our friends and for our country. Over the next few days people from all over the world, as close as my family and as distant as business colleagues and professionals – from Europe, South America, the US and Asia – were sending their condolences.
 
Before I met my husband I didn’t think much about Libya – it just wasn’t on my radar. Since I have known him, Libyans have become a part of my family. For many of my friends it was the same way. Many of them were concerned about my getting involved with a Libyan, a Muslim, especially my American friends and, understandably, my Jewish family. They hadn’t met any Libyans, many of them had never met a Muslim. For my husband & his Libyan family & friends, it was the same.. Americans, and in my family’s case Jewish Americans, were unknown to them. Through the friendship, dedication & care brought by people like Chris Stevens, and in a different way, through the union of our marriage, we have built a subtle bridge that has impacted all of our lives. Consciously or unconsciously we have all carried the prejudices perpetuated by our medias, histories, folklore and hearsay.. and with no human, person to person experience; we lacked a reason to re-evaluate our beliefs.
 

In the last year, Libya has gained new friends. There are new people all over the world who are watching her, routing for her and caring about the well being of her people. A link in the human family has been re-established through friendship: For the people in my life Libya is no longer a place of “them,” it is a place of “us.” This is beautiful.
 
This is one of the many triumphs bore of last week’s tragedy. We cannot undo the past and bring back the lives we have lost. What we can do is mourn, recognize the significance of this loss and perhaps, in the spirit of these Jewish High Holy Days, repent.
 
We do not know exactly who killed Ambassador Stevens and his colleagues, but they alone are not responsible. Each of us, when we allow fear and prejudice to prevail over love and humanity, are responsible for their deaths in some way: Fear and prejudice are the root of such violence.
 

So, let us all; Muslims, Jews, Christians et al honor the lives lost in Libya last week – and all those lost around the world this last year. As intended in the Days of Awe, let us solemnly look inside ourselves – not to punish or feel guilt, but to find internal peace and resolution. Let us seek to heal wounds we have caused, and make amends with people we have treated with violence – no matter how small the act. Let us vow to overcome the fears that keep us from recognizing our perceived foe as friends. Let each of us re-establish at least one link in the broken chain of humanity.
Le’shana tova.
 

Here are a few of my favourite tweets from the past week:
 

“No one is born hating another person..” – Read it here – Love this quote from Mandela & so poignant re situation in #Libya & around the world..
 

Imagine if we put as much effort into restoring ‘internal damage’ as we did external.. @TheAtlantic – Read it here
 

“Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them.” ? Marcus Aurelius #Quotes #Beauty
 
?RT @INLIFO ’Peace Be Upon You’ @saletan writes for @Slate – Read it here

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Jasmine-Bailey-Barfuss/600773162 Jasmine Bailey-Barfuss

    “We do not know exactly who killed Ambassador Stevens and his colleagues, but they alone are not responsible. Each of us, when we allow fear and prejudice to prevail over love and humanity, are responsible for their deaths in some way: Fear and prejudice are the root of such violence.” …. I wrote that one down in my book of goodies. It strikes a chord; a profound truth common to humanity, guilty in me more than once. An insightful way of articulating our human predilection to judge, hate and fear. Born of ignorance. Ego. Conditioned in many of us from birth. But “no one is born hating another person.” We choose to see the world through narrow prejudices and have the power to choose another way. A moving article worthy of contemplation. Thank you for the insightful links and treasures you share.

  • maldwyn

    It was devastating news, what happened in Libya. This hatred that has sprung up in the middle east is really quite shocking, how any group of people or individuals can allow this sort of over the top protest is frightening. I hope, that peace can be found, soon. It was a very good piece of writing and i hope she can be comforted.

  • Robin

    Allison,

    Thank you for sharing the latest post from your friend’s blog.

    This is a very powerful, emotional and humbling piece of writing and so positive in it’s outlook in such difficult and worrying circumstances!

    It’s extremely inspiring to read the bridge a relationship can create between different cultures and the influence to others such a friendship can have in teaching understanding and compassion.

    In so many events in life it becomes all too easy to become cynical, to point the finger and cling to feelings of fear, hate, to demonise others or play at being a martyr.

    Addressing all of life’s problems be them everyday frustrations, global, environmental, social would be so much more efficient if events were perceived in the context of the shared nature and interconnectiveness. Of all things. Rather than address people as them and us but rather the we and concentrate on the how in making this World a better place.

    A wonderful thought provoking post and very inspiring.

    • Beth

      Couldn’t have said it better myself.
      Negativity breeds negativity.
      There are far too many ‘glass half empty’ people in this world and far too few ‘half full’.

      • Robin

        Thanks Beth, you managed to sum up what I wanted to say in one sentence .. We need less half empty and more glass half full people in this World.

  • Rebecca

    Such a touching and heartfelt article, and I thank you so much for sharing it with us. Violence only brings more violence, something we see far too often in our chaotic world today. It’s through prayer and action that change will occur, not through hateful rhetoric and senseless revenge. Remember those we’ve lost and have faith that tomorrow will be better than today.

  • Yvonne Martin

    Allison,
    It would be wonderful if foremost in all of our minds is the fact that we are all humans trying to live on this one planet and focus on our environments for future generations rather than spewing out hatred and anger toward one another. Or even when spoken in a casual form without meaning to label or categorize people, we should attempt to correct that in ourselves and others.
    Case in point: Yesterday a lady friend expressed how well she “gets along with ________ people.” I gently rephrased it for her, “Are you meaning to say that you have no trouble interacting with people no matter their race, creed or beliefs?” She stated, “Yeah, that’s just what I said. It’s the same thing.”
    Sigh. Deep breath and slight shaking of my head as my attempt to call attention to her, even though done in ignorance, stereo-typing of others failed. All we can do is our best to be good examples and speak up when it’s warranted.
    Keep on, dear Allie, keep on!

  • arash

    Overall, we are more educated, less prejudice and more open
    to change than ever before.

    Not denying that we are far from perfect. But we are trying.

  • 3tesla

    > We do not know exactly who killed Ambassador Stevens and his colleagues, but they alone

    > are not responsible. Each of us, when we allow fear and prejudice to prevail over love and
    > humanity, are responsible for their deaths in some way.

    A thought-provoking, deeply holistic point of view.

    Whilst I did not take part in or instigate these murders and have never met those who did, there is no way to measure how the negativity that I have sowed – both wilfully and negligently – through my own, fallen and sinful, actions has contributed to negativity on the global scale.

    If human relations across the globe are chaotic, then they must be as subject to ‘the butterfly effect’ as hurricanes are.

  • Anon

    Or let us justly treat people of different cultures and faiths instead of exhibiting blatant hypocrisy. While the Muslim world’s beloved prophet is trashed in the Western world in Danish cartoons, farcical movies, or other forms of media under the guise of free speech, actions that initiated these reactions as wrong as they may be, an entirely contradictory stance is taken by the Western world when topless photos of one half of the beloved royal couple, Princess Kate Middleton, are to be published in the name of free speech. Instead of supporting this principle they claim to hold so dearly, tabloids are rebuked, photographers are castigated, and fines are invoked. Perhaps if the Western world wasn’t so fcking derogatory and exploitative of the rest of the world both explicitly and implicitly, treating others differently and therefore exhibiting such hypocrisy, the world would be a more peaceful and better place.

    • 3tesla

      The main issue with the Kate Windsor (nee Middleton) pictures is one of how much celebrities who use the media to promote themselves can expect a right to privacy when they want it. A case of privacy versus free speech and the public interest. The right to criticise or ridicule the Royal Family is exercised freely here in the UK without legal penalty, but the right to expose their private parts to public display is not.

      • Anon

        That’s not the issue at all. Kate was caught sunbathing nude in a publically exposed area. prince William was caught photographed nude in a public area in Las Vegas. Publishing these photos fall under free speech. Yet, we see two completely different reactions because of who the people are. I see excuse making and Western media hypocrisy in applying it’s own principles. In one case, it’s acceptable to tarnish the image of a single man because he’s an Arab due to the behavior of some of his followers, but tarnishing the image of the royal family is a no-no because of the behavior of some of its members. Sorry, but this reasoning doesn’t jive with me,

        • 3tesla

          It was reported that both Kate and Harry (not William) believed that they were in private; a private house 1 km from the nearest public road, and at a private party in a private hotel room respectively. Their beliefs turned out to be wrong thanks to the power of photography, though, and could be considered to be errors in judgement made by young people; the latter far, far more serious than the former, obviously.

  • Knight1988

    The violence in Libya was caused by the overthrow Muammar Gaddafi. This politician did not allow access to the power of Libyan Islamists. When the dictator was overthrown, terrorists have used it at the time of the weakening of the (Not an existing then) “Libyan Government”. It was the same with the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, and so will be if some idiot falls on the idea of the attack on Iran. Dictatorship (or monarchy) is the guarantor of maintaining social security. When you get rid of the dictatorship in the unstable country, the terrorists instantly use it. Guilty ruling in the USA they are neo-cons. Russian policy theorists have described this type of events. For those who want to know more about this I recommend Igor Panarin or Aleksandr Dugin. Who killed the Ambassador? People who provoked riots stupid film.

  • Robin

    http://en.avaaz.org/783/muslim-rage-protests-newsweek-salafists?utm_source=avaaz_newsletter&utm_medium=blast&utm_campaign=stop-the-clash

    Very Intresting article on putting recent Worldwide events in perspective and the focus the media has in distorting incidents.
    We ought to focus on the things we as living breathing beings share in common and embrace our difference.s that make us all individual.

  • LanceN

    When the mob violence dynamic is triggered horrible things can happen, especially when some group
    intentionlly triggers the mob. It sounds like this is what happened to the Ambassador. I think of it as
    cattle in a stampede. We should never forget that we are all individuals, mostly innocents, and never
    let the mob mentality take us over. We need some kind of group peace dynamic.

  • tardok

    allison,

    maybe he died for a reason…if u r aware of the UN mission global peace… i work for the UN as a peacekeeper… the goal of the UN is to have world peace… and respect the lives of the other..just like wat it says even you are a christian jewish muslim…or any raise block, white or any color of ur skin…any diffrences we have… respect the lives of the other,, becouse what ever you are who you are… were all humans…