Dear Friend,

Last week, a young man, beloved and despised for his opinions, was murdered in cold blood. His wife was widowed, his children were left fatherless.

We are a vengeful species. Mea culpa. On 9/11, I was in lower Manhattan when the planes hit. After a day of wading through the awful wreckage, I wanted the perpetrators hunted down, their families dead, their villages razed. Rome in Carthage stuff.

I’m embarrassed by that now, but at the time, nothing could calm my fury.  Rage is a natural, visceral reaction to brutal injury, especially against our own. Something deep inside us demands blood vengeance, an eye for an eye.

Of course, we’ve built civilization to check that primal instinct. Our laws reserve for the state, acting with due process, the right to avenge. Our religions preach grace, forgiveness, turning the other cheek. Our cultures prize forbearance and care. Without these things, we are animals, or worse.

Because we are a vengeful species in a benighted time, Charlie Kirk’s death provoked instant finger pointing. Before a single fact was known, accusations were made from the Oval Office and from many other supposed leaders. “You f***ing own this!” shouted Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna on the House floor, pointing in my direction.

Leadership is many things, but it is always, as Kipling said, keeping your head when all about you are losing theirs. Leadership dampens rage, abhors untruth and postpones the assignment of blame. Many purported leaders have recently shown themselves to be anything but.

In a democracy leaders will ultimately reflect the people, so this moment calls for citizenship. Every single one of us must answer a few questions. A young man was murdered, a wife widowed, children left fatherless. Did you summon empathy, grace, and a desire for a less angry and violent world? Or did you summon something else?

In your answer lies the quality of your leaders and maybe even the survival of our Republic.

Sincerely,

Jim