Charles Taylor

Taylor was sentenced to 50 years, which is a good thing.  Reading over his wikipedia history, I was reminded again how often African nations get involved in each others' wars.  Apparently it is not enough to ravage your own countryside with torment, rape, and destruction of crops, but sending your soldiers to fight in some neighboring conflict just seems natural as well.

My first instinct is to despair.  Whatever can we do, even if we were to devote unlimited resources, to such a place as Africa?  We don't talk about it because what is there to say?  Bush did more than any other president to offer real help - yet I wonder if we have anything to show for it?

My second thought is that this is how all of life is, we just notice it clearly in Africa. Little that we do has large effect, and we make little dent in the evil of the world.  Still, we persevere, because it is how we are made, and the right thing to do, and one never knows which will be the the pivotal act that brings good to many.

The Hasidic legend is that the world is sustained by thirty-six righteous men, who are the pillars of the universe, but are not aware who they are. Myth, of course, and yet perhaps not so.  It does describe something about the real God to us, and He apparently likes to do things in much that way.

So be of good cheer and firm resolve this night.  You may be one of the thirty-six.