This morning, on the way to work, I went to the Oklahoma City National Memorial. I entered through the 9:03 gate, and put my fingers in the reflecting pool's shallow water. It was a step on the way of sorting out my conflicted feelings on this matter.

If our response to evil is too weak, we will be giving the wicked everything they seek. But we lose also if our response is too high-handed and indiscriminate. Moderation and self-restraint sometimes look like weakness, and maybe weakness sometimes disguises itself as these things--but even so, maybe true moderation is a way of gathering one's full strength to oppose evil without becoming consumed by evil oneself.

T.