We are everything. In the simplest of terms, we are good and bad; full of love and hate; ruled by reason and passion, and so much more—we are human beings. In his Songs of Innocence and of Experience, William Blake explored the duality of human nature.
Through our will we create social and economic systems to give order to our everyday existence and meet our individual and collective needs. But somewhere along the centuries we made serious mistakes, racism being one the most dangerous. Neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and alt-whatever they call themselves thrive on the racist notion that they are superior to anyone who is not white, straight, Christian, cis-male (a person who is born with male genitalia), and does not subscribe to their ways of thinking. The violence committed by neo-Nazis on August 12, 2017 in Charlottesville, VA, was an affront to human dignity and frayed the already delicate fabric of this nation. Their actions in Charlottesville cost us the lives of Heather Heyer, Lieutenant Cullen, and Trooper-Pilot Bates, and injured 35 people. I condemn neo-Nazis’ disregard for human life, and join the world in lament over the lost lives as it stands in shock and disbelief at the acts of domestic terrorism perpetrated by the neo-Nazis. Diversity of thought and culture makes nations great, forstering innovation as well as intellectual and emotional evolution. Racism is a thinking error that results in a lack of faith in, and misunderstanding of, American values of justice and equality. Make no mistake, We Are All Equal. The tiger in the belly represents the vile and wicked parts of us. If you are a neo-Nazi, I am telling you, you have tiger in your belly that is devouring the humanity in you. I call on every human being to stand against racism, hate, and violence. And I demand that neo-Nazis rule their tiger before the world is devoured by hate. |
Tyger, tyger, burning bright, In the forests of the night; What immortal hand or eye, Could frame thy fearful symmetry? In what distant deeps or skies, Burnt the fire of thine eyes? On what wings dare he aspire? What the hand, dare seize the fire? And what shoulder, & what art, Could twist the sinews of thy heart? And, when thy heart began to beat, What dread hand? & what dread feet? What the hammer? What the chain, In what furnace was thy brain? What the anvil? What dread grasp, Dare its deadly terrors clasp? When the stars threw down their spears And water’d heaven with their tears: Did he smile his work to see? Did he who made the Lamb make thee? Tyger, Tyger, burning bright, In the forests of the night: What immortal hand or eye, Dare frame thy fearful symmetry? William Blake |
