Greetings Dear Reader,
I am impacted by all of this. I have watched people I love and respect be
hurt by the violence that has erupted. I
have already written about my hurt over the death of George Floyd. Tonight, I am feeling pain over the city I called
home for twenty years, Madison, Wisconsin.
Several years ago, when the citizens of Madison felt
strongly about the Governor’s actions, they protested peacefully for days. Over the weekend, I have seen them protest
peacefully again and then some people turn to the destruction of businesses that
serve the community. I wish to be clear
that the protest, the lawful exercise of legal assembly was handled well by all
involved. It was afterward when a few
individuals made their way down State Street damaging 75 businesses.
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway explained, "This was
not a case of a protest turning violent.
This was a case of a protest successfully concluding peacefully and then
a relatively small group of people causing violence and property damage."
As I watched from my small hamlet in the Georgia mountains,
I saw the damage done to a friend’s business.
Power Nine Games is the type of business that communities need. Dan and Alex Bock provide access to supplies
for the gaming community in Madison which is quite large. I have done thousands of dollars of business
with them and consistently see honesty, integrity, and quality in all they do
for the community.
Alex once made time to sit with me and go through my collection
offering me a just price and stellar company.
Neither justice nor peace is served by damaging businesses like this
one. It does not help any community to destroy
in protest. I laud them for their
response. They are open and dealing with
the damage with integrity.
I feel the pain of my friends 800 miles away. I ask that we understand that every act of violence
makes things worse. Nothing justifies
destruction and looting. I hate the violence
we witnessed against George Floyd. He is
not honored by the actions of others that are violent and unjust. His memory and the crimes against him should
be the focus and not the rush to violence we see in so many cities.
Just as “every man’s death diminishes me,” every act of
destruction and violence against a community diminishes us all. Those who are angry have cause. I, however, must also take the time to show
love to my friends, who love their community and provide jobs and entertainment
for it.
We cannot hope to bring about real peace until we see that
all violence violates it. Dan and Alex,
I love you and am thankful for all that you do for Madison. I will be by to see you both next time I am
in town. Madison, you handled the
protest well. I am saddened that some
thought it a license to destroy.
I will do whatever I can to be an instrument for peace in
this. I hope you can walk with me, Dear
Reader. It is not about the
property. It is always about the peace.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every
writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a
homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”
(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Every human story is part of the
great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good.
Contacts for Aramis
Thorn:
#aramisthorn
Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com
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