So today I write this post for Carpe Diem Haiku Kai inspired by the quote chosen by Chèvrefeuille from "Sea and Foam":
[...] " Tolerance is love sick with the sickness of haughtiness". [...]
Now on first reading this I stopped up short .. haughtiness? And then I reflected a little and had to agree that even tolerance can at times be taken too far. I think for example of the terrible things that happen in the world ... the killing, religious fanaticism or just tolerating someone mistreating us in our life.
Just think of this haiku by Chèvrefeuille:
melting snow
the tears of a child
crystal truth
© Chèvrefeuille
a woman lies broken
beaten by her drunk husband
a family affair
beaten by her drunk husband
a family affair
bombs over Gaza
a child's broken body
blow flies swarm
a child's broken body
blow flies swarm
they shout from pulpits
egging their followers
in the name of God
to bear arms and burn enemies
throughout the entire globe
we tolerate hate
and call this "love thy neighbor"
haughty ignorance
and call this "love thy neighbor"
haughty ignorance
It is indeed haughty ignorance -- and your post is so powerful. I've always been stunned by "religious" leaders' brazen attempts to manipulate their sheeple. ("Religious", perhaps, but very low on faith, hope, and/or charity.) Whether they're telling the abused woman she should still submit to her abusive husband, or screaming for the gov't to wipe another nation off the map - all so carefully orchestrated, alternating the use of pride and guilt in equal proportions.
ReplyDelete[backing away from the soapbox now.]
A great series - but your first two poems offer a (necessary) fist in the gut. Very powerful.
What a powerful comment! Reading the quote and reflecting there didn't seem to be another road for me to take. I often think of tolerance for other people's point of view is the best policy ... here though I realized that there is a time and a place for tolerance ... some things should not and cannot be tolerated without falling into the dark whole of connivance and silent collusion.
ReplyDeleteThe more we tolerate these "folks" the worse it gets. They get more and more brazen .... more and more certain of themselves ...
ReplyDeleteAnd so it is ... but you'll notice the silence that surrounds these subjects ... how people avert their eys so as not to see ... sigh.
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