The logic here seems to be that because some people who called themselves Christians have done evil things, therefore all Christians and all Christian things are evil.

It would be similarly accurate to say that because some people who call themselves Americans have done evil things, all Americans are evil.

Or, since some people who put "PLUR" on their flyers sell fake mdma tablets to 13-year-olds, then anyone who beleives in peace, love, unity, and respect wants to kill kiddies.

This week I got some really touching compliments from unexpected sources, was offered a new job for what I was earning back in the boom, had a wonderful conversation with my mom which gave me some really good ideas for improving my love life, and started a conspiracy to improve the world over sushi (again.)

I'd like to call this a really fucking good week. I was singing in the car on the way home this evening! But there was also that whole mess on Tuesday. So it's also a really fucking bad week.

How to reconcile those?

Then I remembered Elly's phrase: "don't postpone joy."

*dances giddily around the room*

As some of you know, I've been thinking about PLUR recently. If you haven't seen it yet, or haven't read it for a while, check out the story of where the term came from (hi Laura!), and some early discussion about it:

http://www.hyperreal.org/raves/spirit/plur/PLUR.html
http://www.hyperreal.org/raves/spirit/plur/PLUR_Future.html
http://www.hyperreal.org/raves/spirit/plur/PLUR_Definition.html
http://www.hyperreal.org/raves/spirit/plur/PLUR_Thread.html

Ten years of PLUR! Clearly time for a revival. *grin*

My thoughts keep leaning towards the need for PLUR in the political process. The other day I heard a story of a friend who went to a rally and got called a nazi because she didn't want to hold a sign about Rachel Corrie. Many of my friends (and I) have stopped attending the rallies sponsored by A.N.S.W.E.R. because being anti-war and anti-Bush is NOT the same as being flat-out 100% anti-Israel.

To work towards real peace, we need to start from a place of love. It's not enough to have a gaggle of people marching in the same general direction at approximately the same time -- we need unity of purpose, and unity of message. And most of all, we cannot build strong coalitions without respect for each others' viewpoints.

(Please comment/discuss/etc! This is probably just the first in a series of similar rants as I work out exactly what I'm trying to say, and what I'm actually going to do about it.)