We had the great fortune last night to attend the hit Broadway musical (on tour), Come From Away. (Okay, I really dislike the title.) I may have mentioned before that I don’t research shows ahead of time, because I like experiencing them fresh. Without preconceptions. I didn’t even know the premise of the show.
Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night, and gratitude grew into enduring friendships.
(Quotation from the official show website.)
I did have a passing familiarity with Operation Yellow Ribbon, as it came to be called. When the people of Gander, Newfoundland (other Canadian communities, too) took in thousands of travelers, stranded and desperate because the airspace over the United States was closed after the attacks on 9/11. A community rallied around fellow human beings in need. No thought of expense, no thought of credit, just doing what they could, because they were good people, because of the Golden Rule, because caring is what they do.
I remember that time, the stresses, the tensions, the despair. But the heroes of Newfoundland opened their homes and their hearts to help people they didn’t know, people of all ages, of many nationalities, who spoke many unfamiliar languages.
From the wikipedia article on Come From Away, I read:
The musical has been received by audiences and critics as a cathartic reminder of the capacity for human kindness in even the darkest of timesand the triumph of humanity over hate.
We did find it cathartic. It was touching, how people moved to help others just because that is what the others needed, in that difficult time.
And I thought about the party currently deciding things in our country today, with the top spot, control of the US Senate, control of most governorships and state legislatures. And how they conduct the ‘business’ of governing.
They weaponize religion, they weaponize human relating, focusing not on what we have in common, but always on differences, on competitive tensions and jealousies. How would they have handled nearly 7,000 human beings in need?
I can’t see them intentionally helping. They aren’t selfless folks. To me it seems like they would find ways to build walls against such people, blaming them for what happened to them. I see them asking what do those people deserve? Are they gay? Transgender? Do they vote? Do they have abortions? What is wrong with them? Are they DEMOCRATS?!
If your objective is to find something wrong with people, because you have already DECIDED not to help, you will find wrong things, whether they are real or not. There’s always a reason not to help. Even though the fine people of Newfoundland helped Republicans, too, surely. Without caring what that said about them.
Thanks for reading. Do please go see the musical if you have the opportunity! It is great! And greater still is the hope that people like those I Newfoundland bring to our lives and our world. Theirs is the example I admire, and seek to emulate.
On to tonight’s comments! Formatted by another terrific person, brillig! Always there to help!
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From elfling:
After blue jersey mom speculated that Seth Moulton "has less chance of becoming president than I do” a thread was spawned where mattkar suggested the presidential field may be larger than we realize. From Laura Clawson’s Rep. Seth Moulton enters 2020 Democratic presidential primary.
A few highlights (but remember, it’s always better to send it in directly so we don’t miss it):
PeekabooSuits highlighted this excellent comment by Angela Marx. From Jon Perr‘s Trump and Barr bring three decades of GOP criminality full circle.
Bethesda 1971 highlighted this comment by J V Calin, from their diary Impeachment gains 8 points in new Reuters poll. Why assume it is the politically risky choice?
TOP MOJO
Top Mojo for yesterday, April 21st 2019, first comments and tip jars excluded. Thank you mik for the mojo magic! For those of you interested in How Top Mojo Works, please see his diary on FAQing Top Mojo.
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Top Pictures for yesterday, April 21st 2019. Click any picture to be taken to the full comment or picture. Thank you jotter!
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Sorry. Trix’ pictures of Hunter always bork the Quilt. I don’t know why :(
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