What happened to the “civil” in civilization?

On June 6th I was watching the D-Day remembrance/ ceremony. I remembered my mother telling me about learning of the invasion on the radio, as well as stories about sitting around the radio for updates throughout the war (and the fear that the war might come to American shores). I also thought about how fortunate I’ve been throughout my life.

After graduating high school I went to work at Miami Heart Institute (at the time a major hospital located on Miami Beach) as an Orthopedic Technician, I was a part of the Physical Therapy Department. In addition to the orthopedic assignments I also assisted the aides with patients. During that time I had patients that had been a part of the armed forces in World War II; some had taken part in the D-Day invasion. I also had patients that had been victims of the Holocaust, suffered in and lost family in the Nazi concentration camps. With very, very few exceptions these were the most polite, patient, understanding people I have ever met either before or since. With only one exception, they all would apologize to the hospital staff caring for them, they would apologize for inconveniencing the staff, their health made it very difficult (if not impossible) to care for themselves and they were the ones that were apologizing.

Some were alone because their spouse had passed away, but rarely did I ever find one that felt lonely. I would talk with them as I set up or checked on their equipment, or were taking them to therapy. I would ask why they had kept the tattoo that the Nazi’s had branded them with? They kept it to remember what had happened to them, to remind them that no matter the trials they were suffering, they had already suffered the worst thing that could possibly happen to a person so their current situation was just an inconvenience. Most also kept the tattoos as a reminder to the rest of us of what happened, and of what man is capable of when evil goes unchallenged.

I mention this because just four days later a man went to the Holocaust Museum and opened fire with a rifle, killing a security guard before being wounded by other guards. Later that day it was reported that apparently Security Guard, Stephen T. Johns, saw an older man approaching the entrance and as an act of courtesy he opened the door for this elder “gentleman”, this act of decency rewarded with a bullet.

Within hours of the shooting some media and “Bloggers” began saying that the gunman was an “extreme right wing nut.” Looking at some of this individual’s writings (I won’t mention his name and give him the satisfaction of being remembered or put him on the same level as Stephen Johns) you would see that he wasn’t “right” or “left”, he was just full of hate. However, there were those that had to “label” him the same as others they dislike, and I have to ask WHY? Why is it OK to “paint” those that disagree with your philosophy with the same brush as the individual that would commit such a crime? It’s wrong when you’re labeled, so why perpetuate the wrong.

Is it possible to have civil discourse, how about working together establishing justice, insuring domestic tranquility, and promoting the general welfare of the country instead of trying to reshape the country in the image of only those that we agree with. Does that sound familiar; maybe you’ll remember it like this;
“WE THE PEOPLE of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide, for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

The founders of this country had a lot of faults, after all they were only human, but maybe we should stop hating one another because we have different beliefs and be thankful that this Republic allows us the freedom to have different thoughts and ideas. Maybe we should work together to ensure that future generations have the ability to disagree and speak our opinions, after all, thousands of people try to come to the United States each year so that they can enjoy such freedom.

Just maybe we can remember what is really important, and eleven year old boy lost his father, a woman her husband, and another family has to deal with the fact that they are the decedents of a hateful individual.

If that is too much to hope for, maybe we can follow the example of those that survived the Holocaust. That’s my opinion, what’s yours?