Sadly, many of us around the world of humanity have been focused on the recent atrocity in one of the great and peace-loving countries on this planet. Many innocent people were needlessly killed, for no reason other than being different from the perpetrator, and because that barbaric person could. After due process, that person will be punished, hopefully with life in prison, but not with the loss of their own life, as they imposed on others. That country and those people will not stoop so low, no matter their hurt and anger, to kill another in pre-meditated homicide. They are better than that.

Meantime, we try to understand why this occurred, why such a person felt so compelled, and what is it in our own societies that is breeding such hatred. Some might say, it has always been so, that some will act in such primal and despicable ways. Perhaps, but surely as supposedly civilised societies, or at least those aspiring to be so, we must persist in overcoming such dire behaviour. And the related epidemic of disrespect and violence. We must strive to be better than that. We need to be courageous in the face of fear, to do the right thing, even when fear, disadvantage or envy might tempt us to be otherwise.

There is so much more that could be said, but perhaps Sammy J has said it best on his recent ABC appearance. I post this video with both admiration and hope, that almost all peoples of this amazing yet fragile planet will sign up to Sammy’s suggestion of ‘turning on the light’ and being courageous. I commend Sammy’s appeal to all of you.

https://iview.abc.net.au/show/sammy-j/series/2/video/LE1806V007S00