Freestyle #463 - All Hallows Eve

This is another freestyle so let's see what comes out day. Bear with me as I ramble on and see let's see what I'm really thinking on the fly.

Thankfully, the weekend ended with some sports and I didn't have to bury myself in the heated debate that's going on everywhere. A lot of folks on the 24/7 news cycles tell us that the end is near one way or the other. I also heard that some hospitals are silencing debates by patients to keep stress-levels down. I cannot say that I'm immune from the stresses that this political season has caused. I'd like to say that things are no worse than in the past, but in this 24/7 information cycle in which we live it begs to differ.

I believe the human animal is a very social, tribal creature. When times call for it we are very susceptible to mob mentality, which can either go toward the good or the bad. If you think about it this explains why so many subscribe to suspect or poor ideas about others. Critical thought can break that habit as well as moral or compassionate thinking. But as usual mortal men will gather their wagons in a circle to defend even flawed ideas.The world has changed greatly over the last 100 or so years. We've gone from local disputes to global conflicts in the blink of an eye. And while this has brought us closer together as a species, at the same time old tribal rules still live within our souls.

Over the weekend in-between games I had the misfortune of seeing the anger at one political rally. In the video a man was ranting at a group in the crowd cursing and shouting racial slurs. Right next to him I noticed a father with his young child with his arm around them. I assume it was to shield the child from the ranting, but you never know. I strongly believe that hate only breeds hate and my heart went out to that young child having to listen to that vile hatred.

All Hallows Eve has it's roots in a set of pagan religious practices that were later adapted to remember those that had gone on before us. In other words a practice steeped in ancient barbaric rural is now considered a celebration to pass out candy and honor our loved ones. Considering the day and thinking of the vile being poured into that young child's ears I have to wonder. When will the outdated things of your present become nothing but a child's tale to scare the young.

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