Change Climate Change

The conversation around climate change is fraught with disagreement and strife. I believe that climate change is happening and that it's caused by human beings, and that all kinds of disasters are moving towards us at an unbelievable speed.

And there are those who disagree for all kinds of reasons. That discussion seems to have stalled. Climate deniers are vilified, and that just makes them hold on tighter. We need to find another way to talk about this.

Let's begin this way, by asking the question, “What do we agree on?” There are a lot of things. We agree that we need to find alternative sources of energy, that it's dangerous for us to rely on foreign oil, or even on oil at all in the long long term. We agree that pollution is a bad thing. No one wants to see people sickened by chemical waste. We agree that we love our children and want a future for them full of happiness and hope. Let's begin the conversation there, in the space between ourselves and our children. I'll get the ball rolling...

Josh Powell and Justice

Josh Powell blew himself and his kids up yesterday, and so I will share a few words about justice. There is no such thing as justice. If justice existed, tragedies like this wouldn't happen. I've heard a few people say that Josh Powell has reserved himself a special place in hell for his actions. I wish it were true.

There is a lot of evil in the world, a lot of bad shit out there. I've tried to come up with some sort of justification for it, some story about it that would make it hurt less when someone murders his two sons. I tell myself that it happened for a reason. I tell myself that Josh Powell was so messed up because he had some sort of desease. Somehow that makes it easier.

What if his sons hadn't run ahead of their social worker into the house? What if the judge who ruled that Josh should have visitation rights with his kids had ruled differently? There are questions and possibilities. There are stories we can tell ourselves about what happened. They are stories.

Two innocent kids died when their father blew up the house they were in. Honestly, what else can we do but mourn?