“The opposite of love is not hate,
it’s indifference. The opposite of
art is not ugliness, it’s indifference.
The opposite of faith is not heresy,
it’s indifference. And the opposite
of life is not death, it’s indifference.”
-Elie Wiesel

The weather is get cooler, down in the 50’s but cheery tomatoes and green beans keep on going.

I got a couple emails today from people I do not know appreciating this web page or my efforts at nonviolence. Of course this week I did get an email from a local person I do not know saying to take him off my mailing list and another one from SVDP board member criticizing me. This love or hate responses reminds me of the reaction to Milwaukee 14 action or the civil rights marches of 68. I think it is good, to get love or hate reaction rather than being ignored, the new version of the opposite of love. As Elie Wiesel, a holocaust survivor said: “The opposite of love is not hate, its indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it’s indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it’s indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it’s indifference.”

We are taught to be indifferent or silent on controversial action. Last week when we had some trouble getting into the St. Vincent de Paul Board meeting, I stood in front of the open door till someone came out and said we all could come in. One of our members thought that we got ‘near violent’ by just standing in the open door. Many people today think nonviolent action is just protesting or picketing but would not think of civil disobedience.

This brings me back to the green beans and cherry tomatoes that keep on coming even when the weather cools. Their persistence will come to an end but only after all life is taken out of them. This reminds me of my posting the other night of Keep on Talkin.
Drawing out love or hate from friends or enemies is much nicer than indifference or being ignored. Ignoring the cheery tomatoes or green beans but not picking them would be hard to understand. So I say bring on the love or hate but please no indifference.

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