Hate cannot drive out hate

I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

My friend recently posted this on her facebook profile, and I was quite thankful to be reminded of this quote in time like now. I admit I'm terrible at following the news. Mostly because I don't much agree with the idea of our country's mass communications ethics - if that's even the right word... I was a journalism major in college, but only long enough to realize that it's scandalous and shady and conforming... and quite frankly, against some of my beliefs. Of course, I'm sure there would have been other ways I could have used journalism for good, but I just didn't have that fight in me. I don't think I wanted to take the chance to be "eaten alive"... So back to the news. As I said, I don't read the news. Sometimes I flip through stories from the Times. Sometimes I'll pick up a New Yorker. Sometimes I'll read over someone's shoulder on the subway when I don't have a book and am desperate to read something, anything. Sometimes I'll click on links of news stories posted by other people. But usually, I think I'm a bit oblivious. Obama birth certificate what? New chancellor for NYC what? Bin Laden killed what?

Yet, the death of Bin Laden didn't go unknown for too long. I was sickened by the postings on facebook celebrating the death of him. I thought maybe I was weird... Like, am I the only one that thinks this celebrating is kind of messed up? Turns out, I'm not crazy... And that quote above, posted by a friend, brings my thoughts into words exactly. Our hate is no better than their hate. If we rejoice at the death of a human being, we are no different than they are. We are doing the exact some thing, spreading hate.