Imagine “Waco”:
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You can only imagine….anyone who really knew from the inside is dead.
Imagine Waco with a Smart phone:
Whatever you imagine now would be the usual fiction.
Feel free:
Helpful tips:
If you don’t remember Waco, this post is not for you.
Be kind to the dead, they didn’t get to speak up for themselves. Really.
Wonder about the living, with compassion. They still have to sleep at night.
All concerned have cute little children and grandchildren.
Do-Over:
Fill in the blanks_____________________.
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Waco With A Smart Phone.
waywardspirit 
Very moving. I love the first line–anyone who knew from the inside is dead. I also love the blank sheet with a missing star and one out of alignment. I don’t understand the smart phone connection though. Please explain.
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Wonder: What if this religious survivalist outlier human beings had smart phones…there would be little mystery about what happened… They would be too human to burn wven if we don’t totally agree with them. Could they evolve into a sensationalized monstrous statistic that the world is better off without while we see humans there? It may have been more like I-am-132. When the official story aired had nothing to do with reality and they could prove it with their smart phones on twitter and Youtube. I’m not saying people or the state are the enemy. If we could see the guy who threw that fire bomb in there, we could see he and the guy who gave the order are humans, too. We may see the crazy movie worthy dynamic that got them there.
The system that justifies it may be honorable people looking out for other people they care about. We the public are responsible too, cuz we don’t know how to listen to the truth. We want to get the bad guys. We offer no room for truth. Truth has to be asked, for accepted, heard for it to be delivered. We act like truth is about punishing people…. It’s really about healing.
I need to heal, I can’t even see Waco as a peaceful city. More than a decade living a hundred miles from this place and driving through it often enough and the name brings up horror first, a city as an after thought.
Perhaps I’m just speaking for myself.
Wouldn’t it be cool if hurting more people blaming about this would make it better? Collective wishful thinking. Getting someone for it doesn’t lay it to rest, the truth lays it to rest. Truth doesn’t come out when you are trying to get them for it, or judge. We are such a dumb culture…in some ways.
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Wayward Spirit is not too wayward after all. Thanks for these deep thoughts and perspective, and for challenging us to remember the humanity in those we would love to hate, or fear.
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I didn’t realize what an essayist you are, and what a writer, till I read this is and a couple of your other long blogs. You got some nice comments back from people, too, which were also impressive. I am so up to my ears in stuff I must read and learn right now that it’s hard to take time out to read others’ blogs. So I wonder if anyone really has time to read mine and comments in length on them, though these are the real payoffs for having a blog site and blogging. Suffice it to say, Jessica, you really should get that book written. You’re a good writer with lots to say and impart–and lots that would give others pause to think!
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I agree!
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Right on, Scholar Gabriela! Nice to see your gorgeous mug on my site! (And IN my site!!!)
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Great response, Gabriella, and so deep yet succinctly put! You have helped me put in words “what oft’ was thought but ne’er so well expressed.” Yes, even the worst criminals have a good and wonderful side. It’s so easy to forget or overlook this. We demonize all the people in jail, for example, never taking into account how many people walk the face of the earth free who, but for the grace of God or being such good liars and pretenders, remain free to continue to wreak havoc upon the lives and peace of others.
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What do they say? Act in haste and repent at leisure. Tragedies such as Waco carry lessons for us all. You do those who died a real justice by carrying their memory forward. Well done.
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Nice and intelligent, thoughtful response, David. Thanks!
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Wonder about the living, with compassion. They still have to sleep at night.
I don’t want to be the person who goes off on someone and says the very thing that pushes them over the deep end. We all carry so much with us and we should all remember that. Who among us really wants to be the person responsible for adding the straw that broke the camels back? I don’t.
What an insightful piece of writing.
Faith
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Hello Faith
to respond to such insight takes like a week!
I agree. Causing any more pain is just uncalled for. For and from all directions compassion yes. Thank you for leaving a pice of you amazing mind and heart right here for me and everyone. : )
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And what an insightful response, Faith! You certainly gave me pause to think — Like to think twice before I speak. I don’t want to be the straw that breaks the camel’s back, either.
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I didn’t realize what an essayist you are, and what a writer, till I read this is and a couple of your other long blogs. You got some nice comments back from people, too, which were also impressive. I am so up to my ears in stuff I must read and learn right now that it’s hard to take time out to read others’ blogs. So I wonder if anyone really has time to read mine and comments in length on them, though these are the real payoffs for having a blog site and blogging. Suffice it to say, Jessica, you really should get that book written. You’re a good writer with lots to say and impart–and lots that would give others pause to think!
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I think I certainly need to edit better what my voice dictation program spells out for me. Saves me all that typing, then I read over what was posted and find some errors. But by then it’s too late to edit my writing — and I can only rue the embarrassing mistakes. If you see some unintelligible words here and there in my responses, you will know I somehow overlooked some wrong dictation taken by my virtual Secretary/typist; ie, my Voice Recognition program. It’s definitely a case of “haste makes waste.”
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