However, it is difficult for me to be light-hearted in this time of Crisis, when it seems that my homeland is on the brink of going to war. My normally light heart has become heavy with sorrow for what has happened, and I find it hard to think of things beyond the current crisis. As traumatic as the events which took place in New York and Washington DC were, I don't feel that these events themselves are as dangerous as what has arisen from these smoldering ashes. In my lifetime, I have seen many changes within the Pagan Community, some for the good, most neutral, and now, I have seen some changes definitely for the bad.
In the places where I had once read "Fight intolerance at all costs", "Heathens against Hate", and "We all come from the Goddess" as banners of unity and pride, I now see banners with such things as "Pagan Patriot: We will have our vengeance" and "Pagans, prepare for War!". Quite frankly, this troubles me, and it isn't just happening in the US, but I have seen it in varying degrees world-wide. Where once there were message boards filled with incense and oil recipes, swapped spells and incantations for self-help, and generally friendly banter, now the talk has turned to sorrow, grief, anger, rage, and revenge.
I have been banned from 5 message board servers now, based upon the fact that I dared to challenge the majority opinion, with my "pathetic, pacifistic drivel" as one user put it. I have been called everything from anti-american to things which I dare not put in print here, simply for opposing what I view as something far more dangerous than the terrorist threat. I have received e-mails encouraging me to lend my magickal energies to world-wide combined rituals to "Strike back with a vengeance at those who have struck at us".
My friends, this is not my way of doing things!

I had always been taught that our goals were to create a world which is better than we had found it, to leave behind a better place for those who come after us, or to create a better world for ourselves, personally. I was always taught that our enemies were prejudice, intolerance, fear, and hatred. And I had always been taught that whatever energies I sent out into the world would return to me, three times stronger.
What happened? Did all of these ideals suddenly go up in smoke or collapse along with the World Trade Center towers? Was this all just talk, meaningless words which can easily be discarded as the mood swings? These ideals and principles weren't just thought up over coffee one morning; they were integral outpourings from a liberating and fulfilling spiritual path. People are hurting, yes, I know, but that does not mean that we can throw aside the very things that make us different from our adversaries and opponents.
What does this teach our children? Certainly, by striking back at the ones who have declared war on us will teach our children to be strong and stand up for themselves, however, I don't believe that will be the message that is sent across. What the children will see is that if someone hits you, you should hit them back. The children will see hate, and learn that it's ok to hate someone who's different than you. They will learn from us the very things which we have been fighting against ourselves for years now- prejudice, intolerance, and hatred.

Certainly, I am not saying that the criminals should go unpunished for the crimes they have committed. That wouldn't be just, and there is no way that the US Government would ever allow that to happen anyhow. But I must not lose focus of the fact that the people who committed these crimes were persons, NOT ethnic groups, NOT entire religions, and NOT entire countries. As magickal person, I must also remember to use my Magicks responsibly. Acting in rage or in anger will only bring that much more back upon me.
In a discussion with on fellow, he commented that his working of magicks against Arabs was just "Helping Karma along". The last time I checked, the Lords of Karma didn't need my help, and were taking care of things just fine on their own. The same applies for the Deities as well. They don't need me to tell them who the "bad guys" are- They know better than I do!

So what should we do, magickally, to help? I am sending healing energies to those whose hearts are broken. I am sending a message of peace, in the hopes that our world might know peace in a time of war. I am sending energies asking for wisdom and guidance for our leaders. Revenge and counter-revenge only leads to a self-destructive spiral that will leave no one unharmed.
We really don't need that. Enough people have already been hurt. We need to work on healing those hurts, not on creating new ones.