Another Mass Murder... -- And Our Next Project

[Doctor Fab]

Hello All, dear friends,

yesterday we had to read about another mass murder. This time it happened in the peaceful NZ, where 49 innocent people were killed by a white supremacist (probably helped by some accomplices). Such acts of madness are the product of hatred towards other human beings, guilty only of being different (for the color of their skin, or for their religion/ gender/ national origin/ social and cultural differences, or for anything else that is seen as "alien", and therefore "unacceptable", according to the pathological mental patterns of these murderers).
The history of humanity has always known such atrocities, but we live in the 21st century, not in the Middle Ages! Plus, today we have a serious problem to face: through social media, extremist and violent ideas create conditions that can have catastrophic consequences for human society. Yesterday's New Zealand massacre is the first mass murder to be entirely recorded, transmitted and amplified through social media: this means that the chances that others would emulate Tarrant (this is the murderer's name), in a near future, are truly high.

But there is more: the most critical point is that there is a precise will, on the part of an important fringe of society, with strong political ties, to blow on the flames of violence...

We all remember President Trump’s refusal to condemn white supremacists and neo-Nazis, after Charlottesville. And again, as many other times in the past, yesterday too he downplayed the "hate crime" factor. The same have been done by politicians in other countries.

In Italy, for instance, Salvini has declared that "the real extremism is the Islamic one" --only later did he add that the New Zealand massacre must be condemned. While a journalist, close to his political party, simply avoided talking about supremacist terrorism... [but referring to the "climate march" she said: "Greta Thunberg? If she wasn't sick I'd put her under the car"!]

All this is really dangerous. Yet, too many simply stay with their eyes shut.

For this reason, our next editorial project will be: "The Best and the Worst of Human Society".

https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/tanka-from-moments-of-lightness-haiku-tanka/

Stay tuned 😉

Cheers

F.

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P.S.:

Tomorrow, March 17th, is the last day to submit a poem for the Anthology "ABSTRACT LIFE, ABSTRACT LOVE". However, since I need a few days to assemble the poems, we'll accept a small delay (SMALL, only 😜)

[Doctor Fab]

Hi dear Kim,

well.. as I wrote, we are facing a worldwide political crisis: in too many countries, the political balance has shifted to the right --and the so called "populist wave", unfortunately, helped [/is helping] such a change. We are experiencing this in Italy too.

Yet, what happens in the USA has planetary repercussions. And I'm truly worried about the state of democracy in your country. When, in 2016, the US elected a bigot and a scoundrel with the head filled with hubris and delusions of grandeur, and made him the most powerful man on this small planet, an American friend told me that they were concerned because such a man was in control of the "nuclear option". But that was not my real concern, because you can't use a nuke that easy --not in the USA. So I replied that the major point, from my point of view, was the huge harm he could do to American democracy, especially through the Judiciary: he could elect, through the Republican party's control of Congress (Senate), so many federal judges to shift the balance and take even control of the supreme court... Unfortunately, this is exactly what's happening. And the fact that only 12 Republican senators, just a few days ago, opposed Trump's grabbing of congressional powers, is the worst sign of how dangerous the situation is!

F.

On Sat, Mar 16, 2019 at 9:25 PM Kim Solem <zamb...@gmail.com> wrote:

Well said Dr. Fab,

Let me just comment by saying that I've always, till recently been proud to be an American.  

Now, with America's neo-racist movement, along with its obsession with guns, I'm ashamed.  Worse, we are exporting this hate around the world.

Pray for us.  Our democracy along with our souls, hangs in the balance.

[Srijana KC]

Hatred has no religion. If only humans learn to give up their narrower identities and seek for a broader one. 

Thank you for continually addressing such grave events across the world.

Peace.

-Srijana

[Unnikrishnan Es]

Hi Doctor,

Thank you for addressing the most important currently relevant issue of terrorism, hate crimes and intolerance. As you have mentioned, the US Administration is in the hands of a scoundrel, who is audacious enough to “blame both sides” for the Charlottesville murder and not to denounce the massacre in New Zealand as a hate crime, just because those murdered were all Muslims. But, the calamity is that he has got company. 

His counterpart in India was rhetorical, when 44 Indian soldiers were killed in Kashmir,  by a terrorist group based in our neighboring country. He and other ministers in his Government went around declaring that hate has no religion. True.

But, what about the hate crimes perpetrated on the Muslims in India by his own party men, with the Governments turning a blind eye? And the murder of numerous journalists and writers, just because they wrote against him? And the murder of Scheduled Caste people in the name of cow-slaughter? We, in India, are amidst an election. Let us hope will be able throw him out.

And, Doctor, thanks again for standing up for the noble cause.

Unnikrishnan 

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--
--
'ABSTRACT LIFE ABSTRACT LOVE', Submission DEADLINE: MARCH 17, 2019.
--
UNPUBLISHED POEMS ONLY : you MUST STATE that your poem is UNPUBLISHED when you submit it.
--
To submit your poem, email to: 28-abstract-lif...@googlegroups.com
--
USE A FRESH EMAIL to send your submission (do NOT reply previous emails).
--
Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/28-abstract-life-abstract-love
--
POETS UNITE WORLDWIDE Fb Page - https://www.facebook.com/poetsuniteworldwide/
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POETS UNITE WORLDWIDE website - https://poetsuniteworldwide.org
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