It’s a fine coincidence that Alan Jacob’s post should hit my feed a few minutes after solving today’s Puzzmo crossword with the clue, ‘_words that complete Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s remark that “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but __“’.

I’ve always thought the emphasis on silence is misplaced. What is one actively engaged in? What does one speak about? Why does one emphasize this cause or this aspect over another?

It’s true, people are not against others, they are for themselves. Find out what they are for, and you’ll likely find the so-called violent silence is really something else: attention to another important cause, a focus on an issue related to but not exactly yours, a desire and need to meet an issue important and relevant to them, or a point of view that makes them, if not your ally, certainly not your enemy.