Silence and Action III

... you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear...

 - From Romans 8

What is behind our moments of silence?

What is behind our desire to act?

Both impulses seem like desperation moves. We are silent out of concern for the victims, but other than that we don't know what to do. 

We act . . . we do something, anything . . . because we don't want to do nothing.

A truism states that if you let a raging beast see that you are afraid, you will only encourage the predator. The way to escape a grizzly bear is to lie still, motionless. The way to evade a shark is to begin hitting it squarely in the face.

Be silent? Or act?

The common factor is courage. Modern predators that shoot up unarmed, soft targets like schoolkids, do not see much courage . . . which would discourage them. Like predators of the wild . . . they feed off the fear of the prey.

A famous standoff in Star Trek, the Original Series, has Klingon Commander Kor with an advantage over Captain Kirk. Kirk defiantly resists Kor, who exclaims "Good honest hatred. Very refreshing." The latest training in schools, about how to respond to a shooter, is to engage. 

The one time in my life that I was ever physically bullied, I fought back . . . like a cornered badger. They two guys, twice my size, never messed with me again.

So it seems to me . . . "silence," and "action," as good as they both sound . . . are bogged down in emotions of fear and despair. 

Let's have courage. Let's start there. And whether we shut up, or whether we act . . . we will have more of an advantage.