On The Soap Box Again

A small AP report in today's Washington Post told of a 19 year old woman and her 21 year old fiance trying to elope in Afghanistan. Because of their seemingly innocuous plan, they were shot dead.

Now I ask you: how could this young couple's plan abrogate or even weaken Taliban law? How could it possibly command a death sentence carried out -- in public -- by an AK-47 wielding Taliban firing squad?

It's not as if these two young people were the new Bonnie and Clyde. They just wanted to marry each other. Arranged marriages are traditional and, for some, the law in parts of the Middle East. Nevertheless, I cannot understand why forsaking that earns a death sentence.

During the painfully prolonged siege of Sarajevo during the 90s, another pair of young lovers was gunned down by snipers. They had planned to meet on one of that city's beautiful, historic bridges. One was Muslim, the other Christian. That difference didn't matter to them because they were in love.

I wonder if those who pulled the triggers on all of these innocent young people gave any serious thought to what they were doing. Does guilt haunt them? Surely they know that love is common to all mankind. Religious, political and geographic differences hardly matter.

Democracy is a demanding form of government because no one entity is allowed unmonitored authority. It is, however, the most humane.

Blind loyalty and unquestioning faith in leadership is dangerous and harmful. With education narrowed by antiquated and politically motived ideals, societies fail at the most basic level and people suffer.

When barbarity overides compassion,

Allah-Yahweh-God must shudder.