“I don’t think the distance from a bully’s fist to that of the arsenal of a nation is really that far. It’s all part of the same construct.” – Michael Keisow Moore, A Peace of My Mind, 2009.

And so the news out of Paris from 10 days ago and the news out of North Minneapolis from last night do not seem that separate. It’s all part of the same construct.

Competing ideologies. Heated rhetoric fueling hateful passions. A decision to respond with violence, followed by a cycle of retribution.

Violence is a decision to abandon solutions. It is a choice to end dialog and accept further violence. It degrades community, builds suspicion, breaks hearts, and destroys human progress.

Progress is a choice. A decision to stay at the table when things get difficult. A commitment to hear the other side…to be uncomfortable.

The quote at the top of this blog was one of the first interviews I did for A Peace of My Mind. The one below is one of the most recent. They lead us to the same place. Let’s go there, instead of this path we seem to be following.

“I want to love those who haven’t shown me love. I want to be kind to those who may not deserve my kindness. We’re all imperfect. I want people to love me with my flaws just as I have to love others with their flaws. We all came into this world the same way. We’re all going to leave the same way. We drink the same water, breathe the same air. We’ve all got red blood. My problem is your problem.” – Hasheem Garrett, A Peace of My Mind, 2015.