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The Gasser
By Nancy Tobi (about the author)
Become a Fan (6 fans) -- Page 3 of 3 page(s)
It's a deceptively simple question.
To answer it, you have to reach deep into your soul and ask to what depths you would go to prevent evil from happening.
How solid are your principles, your values, your morality.
The Insider's response to me was not so simple. "I'd like to think that I would do the right thing," said The Insider, "but then again, I might just end up being the one turning on the gas."
For so long in my role as the witness, I had always believed that I had a true ally in The Insider. When I felt alone, threatened by known and unknown adversaries, marginalized in the movement, bewildered by what I saw, confused about what I should do about it all, I always had The Insider. The Insider alone knew everything that I knew. The Insider alone understood the implications. The Insider alone stood silently with me.
But somehow, even with all this, I was not completely surprised when The Insider confessed to being on the edge of becoming a Gasser. Because I knew, but usually chose to ignore, that The Insider had a certain moral malleability. This allowed The Insider to go about doing the daily job that supported the very evil we were supposed to be fighting together.
This moral malleability allowed The Insider to use me as the public messenger girl even while The Insider remained hidden, untouched, and anonymous.
This moral malleability allowed The Insider to remain...
...The Insider.
And so The Insider could, of course, as easily as not turn on the gas, open the vents, and just walk away.
Become a Fan (6 fans) -- Page 3 of 3 page(s)
To answer it, you have to reach deep into your soul and ask to what depths you would go to prevent evil from happening.
How solid are your principles, your values, your morality.
The Insider's response to me was not so simple. "I'd like to think that I would do the right thing," said The Insider, "but then again, I might just end up being the one turning on the gas."
For so long in my role as the witness, I had always believed that I had a true ally in The Insider. When I felt alone, threatened by known and unknown adversaries, marginalized in the movement, bewildered by what I saw, confused about what I should do about it all, I always had The Insider. The Insider alone knew everything that I knew. The Insider alone understood the implications. The Insider alone stood silently with me.
But somehow, even with all this, I was not completely surprised when The Insider confessed to being on the edge of becoming a Gasser. Because I knew, but usually chose to ignore, that The Insider had a certain moral malleability. This allowed The Insider to go about doing the daily job that supported the very evil we were supposed to be fighting together.
This moral malleability allowed The Insider to use me as the public messenger girl even while The Insider remained hidden, untouched, and anonymous.
This moral malleability allowed The Insider to remain...
...The Insider.
And so The Insider could, of course, as easily as not turn on the gas, open the vents, and just walk away.
http://nancytobi.com/
Nancy Tobi is best known as a national leader in the voting rights movement for her seminal work exposing the dangers and fallacies in various election reform efforts past, present and future. Links to her works can be found at (more...)
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Oh, well, deadly metaphors once again
by Mark Sashine on Sunday, Oct 18, 2009 at 6:59:25 PM
Thirty GOP Senators Voted in Favor of Gang Rape
by Jason Paz on Monday, Oct 19, 2009 at 1:13:05 AM
Nancy is one of the few who have taken notice and taken
by Mark Adams on Monday, Oct 19, 2009 at 11:28:34 AM
Reply Jane to Mark "The Gasser"
by Jane Schiff on Sunday, Oct 18, 2009 at 8:58:44 PM
Old Codger to Jane:
by Doc "Old Codger" McCoy on Sunday, Oct 18, 2009 at 9:25:33 PM
The Entertainer as Witness
by Jason Paz on Monday, Oct 19, 2009 at 12:47:47 AM
The article
by Nancy Tobi on Monday, Oct 19, 2009 at 7:05:10 AM
I only objected to the usage of a metaphor
by Mark Sashine on Monday, Oct 19, 2009 at 8:37:11 AM
However, it is not a metaphor
by Nancy Tobi on Monday, Oct 19, 2009 at 8:58:24 AM
In that sense, of course, I agree
by Mark Sashine on Monday, Oct 19, 2009 at 9:12:21 AM
It's hard to be a Gentile in discussing Jews
by Margaret Bassett on Monday, Oct 19, 2009 at 9:35:05 AM
On the Eve of Destruction Life Becomes More Rewarding
by Jason Paz on Tuesday, Oct 20, 2009 at 2:57:39 AM
The Gasser
by Scott Griffith on Monday, Oct 19, 2009 at 1:46:06 PM
Yikes
by Nancy Tobi on Monday, Oct 19, 2009 at 2:05:34 PM
About your friend's hoping to choose the right thing - Jews
by Jane Schiff on Monday, Oct 19, 2009 at 5:13:55 PM
I will answer it
by Mark Sashine on Monday, Oct 19, 2009 at 6:21:06 PM
There's more than enough room
by Jane Schiff on Monday, Oct 19, 2009 at 7:01:12 PM
Mark,, can I ask you something?
by Jane Schiff on Tuesday, Oct 20, 2009 at 9:21:02 AM
Jane
by Mark Sashine on Tuesday, Oct 20, 2009 at 11:49:27 AM
Thank you, Mark. And Everyone.
by Jane Schiff on Tuesday, Oct 20, 2009 at 2:29:44 PM
Nancy - Would appreciate your take on what I paraphrased
by Jane Schiff on Monday, Oct 19, 2009 at 6:44:26 PM
Socialism and Fascism
by Nancy Tobi on Monday, Oct 19, 2009 at 7:45:41 PM
Thank you.
by Jane Schiff on Monday, Oct 19, 2009 at 9:52:20 PM
Do you have an opinion ?
by Jane Schiff on Monday, Oct 19, 2009 at 10:11:51 PM
Representational governance
by Nancy Tobi on Tuesday, Oct 20, 2009 at 7:01:20 AM
Nancy - Represenational governance
by Jane Schiff on Tuesday, Oct 20, 2009 at 9:05:44 AM
This is finally ON topic
by Nancy Tobi on Tuesday, Oct 20, 2009 at 9:09:50 AM
Thanks
by Jane Schiff on Tuesday, Oct 20, 2009 at 9:25:29 AM
The Gasser Inside Me and All of Us
by Sheila Parks on Monday, Oct 19, 2009 at 10:18:52 PM
Bishop Helder Camara, of Brazil
by Sheila Parks on Monday, Oct 19, 2009 at 10:30:12 PM
well sheesh Nancy, when do we get the details?
by MJ Creech on Tuesday, Oct 20, 2009 at 12:21:44 AM
The EAC, Rush Holt, etc.
by Nancy Tobi on Tuesday, Oct 20, 2009 at 6:54:53 AM
Be flattered that you had a handler
by Michael Collins on Wednesday, Oct 21, 2009 at 2:10:32 AM