I wonder what will happen. One of my first childhood memories was seeing the cops in our dining room, with broken glass all over the place. It turns out that MLK had just been shot, and a bullet came through our window from the direction of a mostly black apartment complex in the neighborhood. Several years later, I delivered newspapers to that complex, and always had cordial relations with the tenants. But you never know what will happen when times get strange.
We're all struggling with this awful event. Turn it over to Our Lord. First of all, Charlie is with God, can there be any doubt? Now we want him here with us, for his family, the nation, and to continue his brilliant evangelization (he had an incredible memory, like Ben Shapiro, who has perfect recall apparently). But God in His infinite wisdom allowed him to be slaughtered. So we are faced with the problem of evil, the ancient riddle. Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people? Here's my take (not original to me): to bring about a greater good. God set the laws of nature in motion, and for the most part, He lets it roll. So, if you gamble in Las Vegas, on average, the house is going to win. But then, one can go to Las Vegas (or buy a lottery ticket, which I will not do no matter how big the prize gets, because the lottery is an additional form of taxation, on average), and God can "arrange" a win. Why? He knows why. I've seen cases where a person in dire straits won the lottery, against all odds, and that person often felt "God saved me." Not recommending it. Don't put God to the test by buying lottery tickets. The point I am trying to make is this: for the most part, God allows the laws of nature (and probability) just "roll" as designed. But sometimes He intervenes. So, in His infinite wisdom, He permitted Charlie's death. God in general seems to endorse free will and allows us to suffer. Why? Well, look at St. Therese, burned up by age 24 with tuberculosis. That was her santification (the way she responded)--read "The Story of a Soul". Ah, wandering, losing the thread. The thread end is this: free will and randomness of nature bring about the potential for a "faith" response, to surrender, to acceptance of suffering which refines the soul. Are we going to obey, continue to love God, trust Him, in the face of "outrageous fortune"? Yes. I'm tempted to include a poem here by Shakespeare--okay, here it is, which sort of sums up everything I've just written and makes the point (the "solution" to the problem of evil) better than I ever could:
Sonnet 29: When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes
By William Shakespeare
When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state,
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,
And look upon myself and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,
A line was crossed. I didn't watch Kirk either, but heartbroken family members did, and that is enough for me. Because the same logic that murdered him would justify their murder. You do not get to say that, even by implication, without consequences.
I am not so much as hinting at violent retaliation. That impermissibly, horrifically immoral. But the loss of jobs, business and contracts is more than fair.
Moreover, I am done dialoguing about political differences. It's pointless. And the next line that's crossed probably takes us to 1990s Yugoslavia or 1930s Spain.
My brain didn't react with shock per say. I watched the video of Charlie, throwing hats to a crowd, smiling and all I could think of was that he had no idea when he woke up that morning, that his life on this earth would end in a few hours. This scenario plays out for every single human ever born.
But in Charlie's case, the violence, the absolute horror of his assassination because of who he is and what he's done with righteous effort becomes our sordid legacy as a society so corrupt. In other words, there isn't any country on the face of this earth, past present or yet to come, that didn't lose a Charlie nor is there any country that became better for it.
So corrupt and dark are the hearts of our present day, that the narrative being fed to the public on a minute by minute news feed is actually believed. People glued to every avaliable device ....being fed that which benefits those responsible for the hit. It has ever been so.The current runs deep on this story.
But there is a running dialog, and it contains reasonable, intelligent and ethical people (like Charlie and many others) who are engaged in a "forever debate": does might make right? No it doesn't. The vast majority of us don't want to live by the law of the jungle. What is being thrown in high relief is that there is a militant wing of the alphabet mafia (and radical Left) that would like to kill the innocent (locking the doors of a church and then shooting innocent children at prayer through the windows) or anyone that disagrees with them. That young man was enraged at what he'd done to himself, talking himself into a lie that one can change one's sex at will, with the help of corrupt doctors, political ennables (here's looking at you, Gov Pritzer, whose family wealth is backing up the move to mutilate children). Then there are the race haters, a "judge" (who didn't even have a college degree) who freed a criminal schezophrenic to walk freely (and buy a "butchering" knife) so that he had the means and opportunity to slaughter an innocent young woman coming home from work (on the only means she could afford, mass transit)--here's looking at you, Charlotte, NC. So what to do? Keep voting, keep praying, keep repenting, keep fasting, keep evangelizing. Insist on free and fair elections (we still don't have the means to clean up elections). God relented when he saw the Ninevites repent in sackcloth and ash. He repented of the destruction of the city. He sent (reluctant) Jonah to warn the Assyrian king in Nineveh, and the King (who ordered a general repentance, and repented himself) led by example, and also ordered a general period of prayer, fasting and repentance. We can do the same, starting with ourselves and asking the entire family to participate. It's not too late, half the country is insane and brainwashed, half is not. May the "sane" half "increase." We're all in it together.
I must respectfully disagree that we are part of a "vast majority" who fight the good fight for the betterment of society today. It's much smaller.
Battles for every righteous cause are played out every day by individuals and groups who see evil and attempt combat. Little victories are achieved but nothing that will turn the tsunami of evil washing over this world.
We have an obligation to oppose evil even at the cost of our lives. We stand up and fight because we are Creatures, created in the image and likeness of Our Creator.
In our battles on this earth we will all find ourselves nailed to a Cross, looking as failures for all our efforts just as He did that day on Calvary.
The servant is not above the Master. The battles we fight now will contribute to the ultimate victory, not to be won in this life.
My soul magnifies the Lord. How did Trump get in? God saved his life, but He also magnified the effect of our numbers in ways we cannot fully take in. I thought "there's no way he can ever get back into office," but I learned, with God there is a way. I think the final battle will be won by "the good guys." Revelation says so. We know how the story ends: new Heaven, new Earth. Jesus Christ will reign, the Lord God the Father will put His enemies under Christ's footstool. Of course, the return of the Lion of Juda (Aslan) will be the "break in the battle". Review of the Final Battle in "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe" gives a preview where Aslan is the "break in the battle" against the White Witch (AntiChrist):
In my long existence upon this earth, I have seen people ride waves filled with emotion and prone to flow as a mighty twig upon a stream.
I do not believe Trumps presidency is some type of a miraculous event. I weary of shallow observations and opinions based on some religious words that come out of anyone's mouth, there by causing the sheep to rejoice and proclaim a man was sent by God.
You don't think his near miss (millimeters) in Butler was a Divinely-ordained save? Well, I and about half the country do. Now, why would God save Trump, an obvious sinner, deeply flawed? Yeah, he's awful, except for the alternative (Harris). There are nuns, contemplative nuns (and monks) who pray night and day to our Lord. Their holy souls like Orchids forever blooming, continuously, in God's "Greenhouse" for souls. He likes to visit with them on the spiritual rhelm. You can have this too, Debbie, but you're going to have to be a little more open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and less pessimistic and skeptical. God didn't want those spiritual song birds stopped, so He saved Trump. That's not the only reason He saved Trump. He also (Lord) didn't want men in women's locker rooms, lusting after naked women, or male prisoners (who state they are female) raping female inmates. The Dems have gone sexually insane, and they want to impose their sexual (and other) insanity on the rest of us, starting with the sexual mutilation of chidren and the murder of babies emerging from their mother's womb. What? Dems would stiffle God's spiritual songbirds? Yeah, a party that can classify parents protesting the gay pornification of their toddlers (on up thru college, on taxpayer dime) "domestic terrorists" will get around to stopping the praying contempative nuns and monks (if the Pope doesn't stop them first--our last and current Pope being Lefty politicians posing as priests--they're priests, priests of the current woke culture) who help stay God's hand. Remember, God said if there could be found 10 good men in Sodom and Gomorrah, He would spare the city. Well, Trump is going to preserve those 10 good men (and women). And that's not all he'll do. And in case you're Catholic, read the article below. The Pope has lost his mind and put on a secular song and dance show, including drones in the sky projecting Pope Francis face down on the Vatican grounds obscene disco party below. When I first read this story, I thought: gotta be from Babylon Bee. No, this desecration actually just occurred, and right on the heels of the gay parade into St. Peter's Basillica that desecrated the Basillica of St. Peter. Feels like a warm-up or prefigurement of the "Abomination of the Desolation" foretold about the End Times in the Book of Revelation. There will be a Divine Riposte to the gay parade and the disco party with drones-reflecting Pope Francis face down on the crowd dancing in St. Peter's square, and it isn't going to be pretty. The Divine Riposte will be like Moses descending down the mountain with the tablets and finding many of the Hebrews in revelry, adoring the Golden Calf. Going to be Hell to pay.
Truly, I do so appreciate the time you have taken to reply and especially your zeal. Commendable to say the least.
I do not now nor will I ever be swayed by how many people believe, for instance, that a miracle happened as in a sign from God that Trump is going to save us all.
I am a realist. I question, I research and sit back to watch how many poor souls believe, based on feelings, emotion or fall for anyone who says what they want to hear.
I am a life long Catholic, well aware of the labels plastered on souls to distinguish what kind. Either one is in the State of Sanctifying Grace or not.
Some commentators (read R.R. Reno today on "First Things", or realclearpolitics (which article is not paywalled)) are pointing out the parallels to the assassination of MLK. I'm inclined to agree. Both Charlie and Martin were a type of noble martyr who were deep and talented men of "sincere" faith in Jesus Christ. What happened after MLK died (Jesus died)? Violence and rioting in the case of MLK. Well, Christians don't do that, and we're majority Christian (I hope), culturally speaking in the USA. But after that MLK rioting calmed down (please, God, no replay of stuff like that), MLK's cause was catapulted forward and minorities made progress in attaining equal rights and opportunities. After Jesus died, Christianity was preached to the ends of the earth, and won over many converts, producing many good things (like universities, hospitals and orphanages) and produced many saints (two saints have just been added, and more (like Sr. Clare Crockett) will be canonized in the coming few years I hope. Jesus said "Truly, truly, I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a seed. But if it dies, it bears much fruit" (John 12:24). More: Jesus said: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world" (John 15: 18-20). More: John 15:25: "But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’" Here Christ is referring to Psalm 69:4: "Those who hate me without cause outnumber the hairs of my head; many are those who would destroy me—my enemies for no reason. Though I did not steal, I must repay."
Why did God allow Charlie to be killed, and in such an awful way in front of his wife and children, in front of so many people, most of whom loved and respected him (or at least had an open, curious mind)? Why did God the Father allow Jesus to die in such an awful way in front of his apostles, Blessed Mother Mary, Mary Magdalene, and a whole host of vicious mockers and "celebraters"? The answer to why (God's permitting will, not ORDAINING WILL) is to (presumably) bring about a greater good. The greater good will be the growth of Turning Point USA, and hopefully the preservation of the USA. MLK's death catapulted his just and righteous cause; so will Charlie's I hope and pray, though we're all in anger and anguish, grieving and feeling like smashing plates on Left-wing heads. It requires free and fair elections for us to preserve the republic. I still doubt we have the ducks lined up to have free and fair elections (things like voter id, citizen voting only, signature verification). So if there is trouble, Steve, and there could be (see Marian prophesies or just stick your finger in the wind as you seem to be doing in your essay), the "troubles" will probably start over an election dispute (or in an international crisis like "lights out" and we don't know who, but Taiwan just got invaded simultaneously, hm). Have you noticed that the off-season (or any disputed) elections always seem to seat the blue candidate, even though supposidly the Left is on the skids. It's because Dems steal elections when it suits them and they have the means, see 2020 which was rigged to the teeth, under the cover of Covid. I could say more. But I'll end with: wonderful essay, as usual. Keep it up. Very thought provoking.
I agree with you. The outcome of this is going to be ugly.
yep, I've got it so bad I'm toying with ways to run away and hide.
I wonder what will happen. One of my first childhood memories was seeing the cops in our dining room, with broken glass all over the place. It turns out that MLK had just been shot, and a bullet came through our window from the direction of a mostly black apartment complex in the neighborhood. Several years later, I delivered newspapers to that complex, and always had cordial relations with the tenants. But you never know what will happen when times get strange.
I’m not surprised something like this happened, but I’m still in a state of shock. I don’t know if that makes sense at all.
We're all struggling with this awful event. Turn it over to Our Lord. First of all, Charlie is with God, can there be any doubt? Now we want him here with us, for his family, the nation, and to continue his brilliant evangelization (he had an incredible memory, like Ben Shapiro, who has perfect recall apparently). But God in His infinite wisdom allowed him to be slaughtered. So we are faced with the problem of evil, the ancient riddle. Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people? Here's my take (not original to me): to bring about a greater good. God set the laws of nature in motion, and for the most part, He lets it roll. So, if you gamble in Las Vegas, on average, the house is going to win. But then, one can go to Las Vegas (or buy a lottery ticket, which I will not do no matter how big the prize gets, because the lottery is an additional form of taxation, on average), and God can "arrange" a win. Why? He knows why. I've seen cases where a person in dire straits won the lottery, against all odds, and that person often felt "God saved me." Not recommending it. Don't put God to the test by buying lottery tickets. The point I am trying to make is this: for the most part, God allows the laws of nature (and probability) just "roll" as designed. But sometimes He intervenes. So, in His infinite wisdom, He permitted Charlie's death. God in general seems to endorse free will and allows us to suffer. Why? Well, look at St. Therese, burned up by age 24 with tuberculosis. That was her santification (the way she responded)--read "The Story of a Soul". Ah, wandering, losing the thread. The thread end is this: free will and randomness of nature bring about the potential for a "faith" response, to surrender, to acceptance of suffering which refines the soul. Are we going to obey, continue to love God, trust Him, in the face of "outrageous fortune"? Yes. I'm tempted to include a poem here by Shakespeare--okay, here it is, which sort of sums up everything I've just written and makes the point (the "solution" to the problem of evil) better than I ever could:
Sonnet 29: When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes
By William Shakespeare
When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state,
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,
And look upon myself and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,
Desiring this man’s art and that man’s scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
(Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth) sings hymns at heaven’s gate;
For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.
If it helps, use it.
A line was crossed. I didn't watch Kirk either, but heartbroken family members did, and that is enough for me. Because the same logic that murdered him would justify their murder. You do not get to say that, even by implication, without consequences.
I am not so much as hinting at violent retaliation. That impermissibly, horrifically immoral. But the loss of jobs, business and contracts is more than fair.
Moreover, I am done dialoguing about political differences. It's pointless. And the next line that's crossed probably takes us to 1990s Yugoslavia or 1930s Spain.
Steve,
You've made some excellent observations.
My brain didn't react with shock per say. I watched the video of Charlie, throwing hats to a crowd, smiling and all I could think of was that he had no idea when he woke up that morning, that his life on this earth would end in a few hours. This scenario plays out for every single human ever born.
But in Charlie's case, the violence, the absolute horror of his assassination because of who he is and what he's done with righteous effort becomes our sordid legacy as a society so corrupt. In other words, there isn't any country on the face of this earth, past present or yet to come, that didn't lose a Charlie nor is there any country that became better for it.
So corrupt and dark are the hearts of our present day, that the narrative being fed to the public on a minute by minute news feed is actually believed. People glued to every avaliable device ....being fed that which benefits those responsible for the hit. It has ever been so.The current runs deep on this story.
But there is a running dialog, and it contains reasonable, intelligent and ethical people (like Charlie and many others) who are engaged in a "forever debate": does might make right? No it doesn't. The vast majority of us don't want to live by the law of the jungle. What is being thrown in high relief is that there is a militant wing of the alphabet mafia (and radical Left) that would like to kill the innocent (locking the doors of a church and then shooting innocent children at prayer through the windows) or anyone that disagrees with them. That young man was enraged at what he'd done to himself, talking himself into a lie that one can change one's sex at will, with the help of corrupt doctors, political ennables (here's looking at you, Gov Pritzer, whose family wealth is backing up the move to mutilate children). Then there are the race haters, a "judge" (who didn't even have a college degree) who freed a criminal schezophrenic to walk freely (and buy a "butchering" knife) so that he had the means and opportunity to slaughter an innocent young woman coming home from work (on the only means she could afford, mass transit)--here's looking at you, Charlotte, NC. So what to do? Keep voting, keep praying, keep repenting, keep fasting, keep evangelizing. Insist on free and fair elections (we still don't have the means to clean up elections). God relented when he saw the Ninevites repent in sackcloth and ash. He repented of the destruction of the city. He sent (reluctant) Jonah to warn the Assyrian king in Nineveh, and the King (who ordered a general repentance, and repented himself) led by example, and also ordered a general period of prayer, fasting and repentance. We can do the same, starting with ourselves and asking the entire family to participate. It's not too late, half the country is insane and brainwashed, half is not. May the "sane" half "increase." We're all in it together.
Dear Anne,
I must respectfully disagree that we are part of a "vast majority" who fight the good fight for the betterment of society today. It's much smaller.
Battles for every righteous cause are played out every day by individuals and groups who see evil and attempt combat. Little victories are achieved but nothing that will turn the tsunami of evil washing over this world.
We have an obligation to oppose evil even at the cost of our lives. We stand up and fight because we are Creatures, created in the image and likeness of Our Creator.
In our battles on this earth we will all find ourselves nailed to a Cross, looking as failures for all our efforts just as He did that day on Calvary.
The servant is not above the Master. The battles we fight now will contribute to the ultimate victory, not to be won in this life.
My soul magnifies the Lord. How did Trump get in? God saved his life, but He also magnified the effect of our numbers in ways we cannot fully take in. I thought "there's no way he can ever get back into office," but I learned, with God there is a way. I think the final battle will be won by "the good guys." Revelation says so. We know how the story ends: new Heaven, new Earth. Jesus Christ will reign, the Lord God the Father will put His enemies under Christ's footstool. Of course, the return of the Lion of Juda (Aslan) will be the "break in the battle". Review of the Final Battle in "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe" gives a preview where Aslan is the "break in the battle" against the White Witch (AntiChrist):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lhGMG3Y-zY
In my long existence upon this earth, I have seen people ride waves filled with emotion and prone to flow as a mighty twig upon a stream.
I do not believe Trumps presidency is some type of a miraculous event. I weary of shallow observations and opinions based on some religious words that come out of anyone's mouth, there by causing the sheep to rejoice and proclaim a man was sent by God.
Souls are deluded on both sides.
You don't think his near miss (millimeters) in Butler was a Divinely-ordained save? Well, I and about half the country do. Now, why would God save Trump, an obvious sinner, deeply flawed? Yeah, he's awful, except for the alternative (Harris). There are nuns, contemplative nuns (and monks) who pray night and day to our Lord. Their holy souls like Orchids forever blooming, continuously, in God's "Greenhouse" for souls. He likes to visit with them on the spiritual rhelm. You can have this too, Debbie, but you're going to have to be a little more open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and less pessimistic and skeptical. God didn't want those spiritual song birds stopped, so He saved Trump. That's not the only reason He saved Trump. He also (Lord) didn't want men in women's locker rooms, lusting after naked women, or male prisoners (who state they are female) raping female inmates. The Dems have gone sexually insane, and they want to impose their sexual (and other) insanity on the rest of us, starting with the sexual mutilation of chidren and the murder of babies emerging from their mother's womb. What? Dems would stiffle God's spiritual songbirds? Yeah, a party that can classify parents protesting the gay pornification of their toddlers (on up thru college, on taxpayer dime) "domestic terrorists" will get around to stopping the praying contempative nuns and monks (if the Pope doesn't stop them first--our last and current Pope being Lefty politicians posing as priests--they're priests, priests of the current woke culture) who help stay God's hand. Remember, God said if there could be found 10 good men in Sodom and Gomorrah, He would spare the city. Well, Trump is going to preserve those 10 good men (and women). And that's not all he'll do. And in case you're Catholic, read the article below. The Pope has lost his mind and put on a secular song and dance show, including drones in the sky projecting Pope Francis face down on the Vatican grounds obscene disco party below. When I first read this story, I thought: gotta be from Babylon Bee. No, this desecration actually just occurred, and right on the heels of the gay parade into St. Peter's Basillica that desecrated the Basillica of St. Peter. Feels like a warm-up or prefigurement of the "Abomination of the Desolation" foretold about the End Times in the Book of Revelation. There will be a Divine Riposte to the gay parade and the disco party with drones-reflecting Pope Francis face down on the crowd dancing in St. Peter's square, and it isn't going to be pretty. The Divine Riposte will be like Moses descending down the mountain with the tablets and finding many of the Hebrews in revelry, adoring the Golden Calf. Going to be Hell to pay.
https://bigmodernism.substack.com/p/rome-dances-while-the-world-weeps
Anne,
Truly, I do so appreciate the time you have taken to reply and especially your zeal. Commendable to say the least.
I do not now nor will I ever be swayed by how many people believe, for instance, that a miracle happened as in a sign from God that Trump is going to save us all.
I am a realist. I question, I research and sit back to watch how many poor souls believe, based on feelings, emotion or fall for anyone who says what they want to hear.
I am a life long Catholic, well aware of the labels plastered on souls to distinguish what kind. Either one is in the State of Sanctifying Grace or not.
Its that simple.
Some commentators (read R.R. Reno today on "First Things", or realclearpolitics (which article is not paywalled)) are pointing out the parallels to the assassination of MLK. I'm inclined to agree. Both Charlie and Martin were a type of noble martyr who were deep and talented men of "sincere" faith in Jesus Christ. What happened after MLK died (Jesus died)? Violence and rioting in the case of MLK. Well, Christians don't do that, and we're majority Christian (I hope), culturally speaking in the USA. But after that MLK rioting calmed down (please, God, no replay of stuff like that), MLK's cause was catapulted forward and minorities made progress in attaining equal rights and opportunities. After Jesus died, Christianity was preached to the ends of the earth, and won over many converts, producing many good things (like universities, hospitals and orphanages) and produced many saints (two saints have just been added, and more (like Sr. Clare Crockett) will be canonized in the coming few years I hope. Jesus said "Truly, truly, I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a seed. But if it dies, it bears much fruit" (John 12:24). More: Jesus said: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world" (John 15: 18-20). More: John 15:25: "But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’" Here Christ is referring to Psalm 69:4: "Those who hate me without cause outnumber the hairs of my head; many are those who would destroy me—my enemies for no reason. Though I did not steal, I must repay."
Why did God allow Charlie to be killed, and in such an awful way in front of his wife and children, in front of so many people, most of whom loved and respected him (or at least had an open, curious mind)? Why did God the Father allow Jesus to die in such an awful way in front of his apostles, Blessed Mother Mary, Mary Magdalene, and a whole host of vicious mockers and "celebraters"? The answer to why (God's permitting will, not ORDAINING WILL) is to (presumably) bring about a greater good. The greater good will be the growth of Turning Point USA, and hopefully the preservation of the USA. MLK's death catapulted his just and righteous cause; so will Charlie's I hope and pray, though we're all in anger and anguish, grieving and feeling like smashing plates on Left-wing heads. It requires free and fair elections for us to preserve the republic. I still doubt we have the ducks lined up to have free and fair elections (things like voter id, citizen voting only, signature verification). So if there is trouble, Steve, and there could be (see Marian prophesies or just stick your finger in the wind as you seem to be doing in your essay), the "troubles" will probably start over an election dispute (or in an international crisis like "lights out" and we don't know who, but Taiwan just got invaded simultaneously, hm). Have you noticed that the off-season (or any disputed) elections always seem to seat the blue candidate, even though supposidly the Left is on the skids. It's because Dems steal elections when it suits them and they have the means, see 2020 which was rigged to the teeth, under the cover of Covid. I could say more. But I'll end with: wonderful essay, as usual. Keep it up. Very thought provoking.