This Too Will Pass.

       I know a guy who says, of all the political turmoil in America that, "this too will pass." Can you imagine suggesting that the vitriol that we see between the extreme right and left against any suggestion of agreement between the two factions and the potential for unfair outcomes if one side were to get the upper hand and be more exclusionary toward the other side, not to get too worked up about it?
       What am I saying? We already have that in some of the state laws passed to make it more difficult to vote or live in America, or proposed legislation that suggests anyone who upholds national laws will be arrested.
       But if I understand this guy, he is saying, "Don't worry, this too will pass."That's sorta like calling 911 and saying my husband is having a heart attack, then the 911 operator says, don't worry, this too will pass. Of course that operator would be right. Either the husband will get better or die. Either way, it too will pass.
       But here's the thing; one way is great, but the other way is not so great. If you don't worry and therefore don't ask for the ambulance and don't give the husband an aspirin or nitro pill, you make the second possibility more likely.
       Likewise, if you don't stand up against extreme ideas, you invite extreme outcomes. Now you may not always agree with my opinions, but hopefully you do speak out against extremism. Extremism like arguing for free access to PERSONAL WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.
       You know what I mean. Firearms specifically designed to kill as many people as possible in the shortest amount of time. They're not designed to kill as many deer of rabbits or ducks as possible in the shortest amount of time. It's people they're designed to kill. Do you really need one, or several of these things?
       Or high capacity ammunition magazines, or bullets that explode on impact? Maybe what we need to do is calm down a bit. Maybe we really do need to tell these extremists that "this too will pass." But we shouldn't just wish it. We should say it.