A Letter From Earl
It’s funny being someone who communicates for a living and suddenly being at a loss for words. I’m not going to get into the what of what’s happening, because I’m not an authority.
There have been moments that completely shifted my understanding of the world - Trump’s election was one, George Floyd’s murder was another. My brain shifted, my perspective widened. I’m not saying there isn’t a benefit to changing your point of view, but I’m also definitively not saying there’s a silver lining here. There is no silver lining, no bright spot to the slaughter of hundreds of people, and more to come. There is no optimistic takeaway from war. I think all of us are grappling with the horror of what’s happening, and grappling with the fact that the world contains this. Brutality on a level that’s unimaginable. Something feels irreparably broken now.
I’m terrified for what’s happening, I’m terrified for the wave of Antisemitism and Islamophobia that’s cresting here, too. Something ugly that’s always been lurking suddenly becoming un-ignorable.
And all those kids. I am so far removed, but I’ve seen things - as I’m sure you have too - that I can never forget, and that honestly I don’t want to forget. The video of that little boy hearing about what happened to his sister. I’ll spare you if you haven’t seen it, but I’ll dream of him for the rest of my life.
I’m aching for every single person who’s been impacted by these attacks, for everyone who will face more terror in Israel, Gaza, Palestine, or in any other corner of the world because of this violence.
I wrote about this for Your Mom too, but I’ll close out in the same way. I’m praying for peace, I’m praying for anyone in harm’s way. I wish for your safety.
-Laurel