I forget exactly who it was who stated that "the truth is simple." It is so not so. Truth, for many, to many, seems almost impossible to understand or accept, creating their own versions of truths which are egregious lies. Worst of all, is that these lies, many outrageous, are fed to those who buy into them. Do this often enough and we get what we have got right now: a split, shuddering, wracked society whose cracks within threaten its continued existence.
These cracks are like the potholes in our road. Crowds of workers stand around doing nothing, just staring, finally doing some imitation of repaving, and we continue to stand and watch as once again, the pothole emerges, bigger than ever. When we throw in the towel re repaving, we walk away from the possibilities of that road, its destinations available to the traveler, and we close off yet more options for reform, more chances to do the right thing and yet another attempt to out the truth.
Along with perverted truths and truth denial comes hypocrisy. We can say one thing and do the polar opposite. As long as the false words spew forth, people buy into them and the lies and hypocrisy take on self generating lives for themselves. Ugly.
A man was choked to death on a train. Immediately, without quiet investigation, the memes and tropes were galloping through the airwaves. He was harmless. No, he was frightening. He was physically imposing. He was obviously struggling with issues. The man who jumped in was a hero. No, he was a killer. He should have minded his own business. The person who was the eventual target of this disturbed individual would just have to deal with it. Luck of the draw.
What is the truth? The third side of the story, the one without partisan bias. It attempts to understand a tragic happening. Why, how and what to do to increase prevention and avoid repetition. However, as usual, the big mouths opened up and out came the usual tripe. The truth, the lesson to be learned?
Buried beneath layers of hypocrisy. All those hundreds of 'mourners' who showed up at the man's funeral. Oh, how they cried and mourned, sent forth accusations heaping blame on all other than themselves. Yes. The taking of life is not a good thing. However, in tough situations which demand instantaneous decisions, things can go awry. Where were all these mourners when Jordan Neely needed help? Where was his family? Where weas his community? Where were his 'brothers' who now shout his name with threats of violence and demand for punishment.
Our society today leaves much to be desired in the realm of the social safety net. We have made some very bad decisions re care for those struggling with mental disease, unable to heal through no fault of their own. We turn away, focus our eyes elsewhere, whisper as we pass them by, tsk, tsk, emerges, but true help - individual efforts, group efforts? Few and far between. The individuals and organizations trying to provide aid struggle to raise funds and volunteers to deal with a huge, overwhelming problem requiring reeducation and strong governmental determination with programs that actually work and lead to eventual improvement.
This hypocrisy, this refusal to know and accept the truth and build upon it, is detrimental to society. It threatens its solidity, functionality, and viability. It encompasses so many aspects of life as we choose the momentary easier choice, even as it sets up problems for the future. It will all hit the fan - and we hope not in our time, but then again, the timing is not always to our liking, is it?
Are we all a bunch of mealy-mouthed uncaring people, enmeshed deeply in the corruption of our souls, of the filth choked roadways we walk upon? Are none of us worth something, contributing to some degree to the betterment of the world? Are we all worthless? The answer is - no; there is good among and within us, even as there is that wrong in us as well. We all have that seed of laziness, of selfishness, of ennui and apathy, a fear of tackling a Sisyphean task with little gratitude forthcoming and even less to show for all the effort given to it.
This is a fight we all must enter. It is a fight for our lives, at the very least as we hope them to be, as we envision for our descendants. It is not upon us to dare to think we can finish it all, but we must take the first steps, the middle steps, or the final steps will never be taken. Nor can we take those steps in and only in individual manner. They must be taken in unison, together. Let the sound of these feet echo deep within society, waking up the great mass of us, challenging their refusal to realize we are all as one. The truth of that statement - no man is an island. Nor should one wish to be, as we see the truth of the fate of islands - to be washed over by the sea or to disappear into its depths as the weight of society proves to be too much to withstand.
People are people. Their needs are the same. Their hopes are the same. Their good points are the same. Their bad, weak, points are the same. We are together in this mess of our own creation and together is the only way we can get out of it. It is the only way to avoid scary looking people who might mean no harm, but very likely can inflict harm. Why? Because our safety net has huge holes in its mesh, and they require mending. Now.
Thus, again, the drum beat of together.
Together. Together. Together.
Only together.
Together.
Together - Together we can achieve it all.
Together we can
HEAL THE WORLD.
HEAL YITZY!
Yitzchak Elimelech ben Chana Sarah
May he be granted refuah shelaymah bimheyrah beyameinu.
May he be granted a timely and complete healing.
May Hashem hear all our voices raised in prayer.
Amen. Amen.
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