Weighing Conviction Against Mercy In Today’s World
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Interestingly, a piece I wrote that seems to be blowing up is about how Meghan McCain, the daughter of someone important I think, was a jerk to Kamala Harris. You never know what people will like.
It’s also been a year since I started writing for Aaron Rupar’s Public Notice. Last week, I wrote about Jimmy Carter’s anti-corruption legacy. A few days later, Donald Trump corrupted Carter’s state funeral.
After a disappointing January 6 anniversary, I chatted with columnist Kaitlin Byrd about Democrats’ flawless surrender to Trump. She makes a great point about how we shouldn’t dismiss Trump’s overt imperialistic ambitions as a mere “distraction” (Watch below.)
Although it seems like I question the Democratic Party’s conviction right now, I recognize that fundamentally decent people can struggle with problems that don’t have simple solutions. “Purity” of purpose is usually easier for the simple-minded. Yet, complexity is often an excuse for inaction. Just ask Hamlet.
During the final season of the Angel TV series, our heroes take over the evil law firm Wolfram & Hart and believe they can use its considerable resources for good. It’s a spin on the “guns don’t kill people; people kill people” argument. If an evil organization is run by honorable people, it would cease to be evil, right? Or are these honorable people eventually corrupted by the organization’s evil?
Not everyone at Evil Incorporated approves of its new mission. Someone who’s still committed to the old regime calls out Angel with words that easily apply to our current political climate:
“You really think you can solve the problem … make everything right? Turn night into glorious day? … Now, you think I'm just a trigger-happy jerk who follows orders. But I'm something that you'll never be: I'm pure. I believe in evil. You and your friends, you're conflicted. You're confused. We're not. That's why you're going to lose. Because we possess the most powerful thing in the world: conviction.”
Angel replies that there’s on thing more powerful than “conviction,” and that’s mercy — before he straight-up murders the guy. That’s what we in the trade call “irony.” Angel has turned his back on mercy with a clear conviction that his way is best. Yet, that begins a downward moral spiral for him. (Watch below.)
Trump’s predictably terrible response to the California wildfires reminds us how much crueler he makes the nation. I’m not naive. I know assholes existed before the MAGA movement, but national disasters and collective tragedies once offered at least a brief period of unity.
I have friends who’ve lost everything in the wildfires, and I don’t think just because they might have had more to lose than others makes them less worthy of our compassion. Callow, reflexive “eat-the-rich” sentiments are also reflective of a less-kind world. That doesn’t interest me. Ultimately, I prefer the Doctor’s position on “mercy.” (Get your heart broken below, and then go subscribe.)
Wonderful and powerful. A good read.
We don't quite see the world the same way, but why should we, so no problem. Mercy is great - casting pearls before swine is another issue.
I'm very busy figuring out who has the stones to actually stand up and front these days.
Odd - I went to subscribe but found out I already did at some point in the past. Good - now I can post without guilt.
And yes, mercy. Even Richard Nixon has got soul.