THE INCONGRUITY OF OUTRAGE
'Seal up the mouth of outrage for a while. Till
we can clear these ambiguities.
William Shakespeare, Romeo & Juliet
by sonya hammond
Outrage is a two-edged sword. It is either an extremely vicious or violent act, or the reaction to such an act. The perpetrator of either could, at least by self-definition, claim to be an 'activist', but too often those who commit an outrage are more 'active' than those who react to it.
To verbalize outrage over despicable acts committed does, as the founding fathers of this country aptly illustrated, often prove the might of the pen over the sword, but, as they also demonstrated, without action to follow, words are simply not enough.
These days there seems to be so much outrageous ammunition [both literally and figuratively] inflicted on our society, often in the very names of some of the most basic freedoms which the founders of this country not only verbally demanded but fought a revolution to obtain, that finding even the words against which to defend ourselves, let alone determining productive retaliatory actions, can challenge the most dedicated activist.
What can we say or do in response to deadly acid being injected into three abortion clinics in Florida? Presuming that the perpetrators of these outrages acted on their belief in the 'right to life', we can certainly point out the hypocrisy of attempting to save lives by the taking of others.
We can argue [apparently to no effect] the right of women to make decisions about their own bodies, and the fact that current law allows them to do so. And the question of when life actually begins can be argued forever, without a meeting between the twain of science and religion.
But beyond the words, when neither law nor logic prevails, how do we stop the attacks of those willing to commit murder in defense of what they believe to be right?
Why is it so impossible to get across the concept that no one, not the most determined feminist or the law itself, demands that those who do not believe in abortions must have them?
Why, in a country founded by those seeking the freedom to believe as they chose, are we being told by some that we must all live by what they judge to be the only correct belief?
Outrage has inspired some to commit it; the rest of us to decry it, fortify ourselves against it ... and, so far ... fail to stop it.
© sonya hammond, 1998