Don’t Let the Worst of Us Define the Best in Us

September 11, 2001 is a day that continues to impact Americans everywhere. The world at large also changed on that day in 2001.

Nothing has been the same since, for good or bad.

One thing that we must also recognize and face, though, is something my friend John Haydon shared.

“I will never forget the fear, ignorance, and hatred towards Muslims in the United States after 9/11.”

Sadly, this isn’t just the States.

I left the UK in 2006, and the vitriol and hatred rising towards anyone that “wasn’t British”, following the London bombings in 2005, was painful to see, and a key reason for leaving Britain.

As we saw 14 years ago, tragedy can bring out the best in us. But it can also give rise to the worst in us.

The recent terrorist attacks on Paris will no doubt give rise to the anti-Muslim faction, as well as add more weight to their words.

Don’t let the worst of us define the best in us.

As much as there are bad people in every race and religion, there are also good people countering the bad.

If we judge the many based on the actions of the few, the few will eventually become the many.

And we’ll only have ourselves to blame.