MISSING IN ACTION or PRISONERS OF WAR or KILLED IN ACTION

SOME  DEFINITIONS  FROM  ON-LINE  DICTIONARIES:

;

MISSING  IN  ACTION :    DESIGNATION FOR MEMBER OF AN ORGANIZATION WITH WHOM CONTACT IS LOST  AND  WHOSE  WHEREABOUTS  ARE NOT KNOWN  BUT WHOSE DEATH IS NOT CONFIRMED   or   NOT  PRESENT  WHEN  ONE  IS  EXPECTED TO BE.

PRISONER  OF  WAR  :  A  NON-COMBATANT . . . WHO IS HELD CAPTIVE BY  A BELLIGERENT POWER DURING OR   AFTER AN ARMED  CONFLICT.

KILLED  IN  ACTION;  A CASUALTY CLASSIFICATION  GENERALLY USED GY  MILITARIES  TO DESCRIBE  THE DEATHS  OF  THEIR  OWN  COMBATANTS  AT  THE  HANDS  OF  HOSTILE  FORCES.


     These  terms  originated within conditions of military warfare but there are other kinds of "warfare", many of which currently are in the midst of pitched battles. Conflicts rage within cultural, religious, ethnic, political, educational, medical, and environmental arenas (to name just a few of those more potentially lethal for human as well as societal survival ).

 And these ''wars" have other types of MIA's, POW's, and KIA's.  A nominee for the greatest casualty is "VIRTUE', defined as "behavior showing high moral standards".  Virtue has historically had several manifestations but  currently many are casualties of pecksniffery:  very hypocritical people whose traits include (among others) rudeness, crudeness, injustice, 'mean-ness', and corruption.

   The vault where society has preserved its words signifying magnanimous behaviors and traits  has  been breached and the words and behaviors taken captive.  Just today, someone posted a 'Calvin and Hobbes' cartoon where young Calvin says to his  dad: "The meaning of words isn't a fixed thing and can mean anything.... By giving words new meanings, ordinary English can become an exclusionary code! . . . To that end, I'll be inventing new definitions for common words, so we'll be unable to communicate."

   So, if you see any of the following virtuous words that currently are mia's, pow's or even kia's, please bring your dictionary of correct definitions to the  rescue:
    courage,
        dignity,   
           honesty,
             honor,
                incorruptibility
                   integrity,
                     justice,
                      kindness,
                        politeness,
                          respect,
                             TRUTH

Our survival is on the 'front line'.
   Satchel
                           

"YOU HAVEN'T WRITTEN A BLOG RECENTLY . . ."

       . . .  So said a colleague recently. And a friend from college years commented the same just today, wondering if I had 'writer's block'.   And for reasons not entirely clear to me, I have not written.  This much I do know:  There is a 'mood' that I seem to be encountering from many sources . . . clients, the news, social media, politicians, public discourse (often coarse discourse), deaths impacting friends, etc.  . . . that weighs heavily upon the human spirit, or at least my own. 
   Among the 'causes' and 'casualties': 
       ..human lives (after how many mass shootings, including two  at a funeral today);  Just saw a survey claiming that a full 50% of the American populace fear being present at  a mass shooting.
         ..tolerance for views differing from one's own, an attitude someone labeled "Why should I change my mind if I know that I am right ?";
    ...Minimal regard for our common humanity: 'commonwealth' it was once called;
        .. basic manners, kindness, dignity and respect; optimism about the future.

  In, the face of all this, Disengagement  from any  awareness, involvement, information, 'news' offers some folks a means of coping.  Diversions such as athletics and other entertainments serve the same function. Denial works for others. Some become Depressed.  (Just realized that I have a string of 'D' words.)

    Levity, nostalgia, hope, gratitude . . . among the ideals that I have wanted to convey in these musings and meanderings . . . have seemed somewhat out of place, irrelevant, and even trite against the backdrop of the recent social and political landscape. 

    For those who profess to be adherents of faith in a Being, a Higher Power, God, or other such designations , how in the Name of what is Holy and Good can kindness and compassion, love even, be expressed in realistic ways that make a difference? Especially when there are  'believers' who turn their 'religion' into instruments of divisiveness, self-righteousness, hatred, rancor.  Mark Erelli sang, "I refuse to let my hope become the latest casualty."  I like the sentiment; how to live it, protect it are my daily challenges.  

    Re-reading the preceding paragraph, I focused on "realistic ways that make a difference". For me,  Difference needs more clarity of definition.  Erelli again: "If I can't change the world, I'll change the world within my reach."  

    Occasionally, a client will inquire as to whether I am a "Christian".  To my understanding, I am. But before responding, I ask for clarification of what that means to them. I am not attempting to be coy or disingenuous; I simply do not want to say 'yes' or 'no' to their subjective definition which may not comport with my own.  Whatever else Christianity and other religions are,   cognitive dogmas that have no influence on how we live and treat  others seem inadequate for 'making a difference'.  

    How are you 'making a difference' these days ?

           Satchel