Priorities

Sometimes I worry about work. Sometimes I worry about my students. Sometimes I worry about the election. Always, I worry about my family. This sobering clip of what is happening in the Congo, reminds me that we remain pretty immune to the dangers that many around the world must endure. Is the United States risking becoming weak, as conservatives argue? Is the United States simply a selfish bully, as liberals argue? Are we even arguing about the right things in this election? Are my students even aware of what is happening in the Congo or anywhere else for that matter? I am struck by the juxtaposition of my area's celebration of a Philadelphia Phillies World Series victory and the people in the Congo, living in desperate conditions, fleeing for their lives. Chaos in Philadelphia last night was mostly celebration with a few misguided individuals turning over cars, breaking local business' windows, and setting fires. In the Congo, chaos is much more dire. What do we do? What do we even think?