Neither have I become desensitized. I often listen to talk radio at night on and off because I don't sleep so well. Last night in a hotel room, I listened as the talk show host played the audio of a recent beheading of an American. I was sickened by what I heard and have been upset by it all day.

I think being sickened and saddened by the barbarity and wickedness of some of our brothers in Iraq is better than being angry, for anger is the emotion they are most trying to elicit. I agree with Kate; it is nigh to impossible for us to go after them. Our situation is similar to that faced by the Nephites and Lamanites with the Gadianton robbers. In one instance, it was the Lamanites who hunted them and preached the word of God to them until they were utterly destroyed from among them (Helaman 6: 37). It was only by persuasion, love and the word of God, or righteous living that neutralized wickedness. It is no different today. We must defend in righteousness, as Captain Moroni and his armies did. I often wonder how righteous our defense (and offense) is today.

On a lighter note, a friend forwarded this to me recently. I suspect it is an internet legend circulating in cyberspace, but it was a fun read anyway:

'As some of you may know, one of my sons serves in the military. He is still stateside, here in California. He called me yesterday to let me know how warm and welcoming people were to him, and his troops, everywhere he goes, telling me how people shake their hands, and thank them for being willing to serve, and fight, for not only our own freedoms but so that others may have them also. But he also told me about an incident in the grocery store he stopped at yesterday on his way home from the base. He said that ahead of several people in front of him stood a woman dressed in a burkha. He said when she got to the cashier she loudly remarked about the US flag lapel pin the cashier wore on her smock. The cashier reached up and touched the pin, and said proudly, "yes, I always wear it and I probably always will." The woman in the burkha then asked the cashier when she was going to stop bombing her countrymen, explaining that she was Iraqi. A gentleman standing behind my son stepped forward, putting his arm around my son's shoulders, and nodding towards my son, said in a calm and gentle voice to the Iraqi woman: "Lady, hundreds of thousands of men and women like this young man have fought and died so that YOU could stand here, in MY country and accuse a check-out cashier of bombing YOUR countrymen. It is my belief that had you been t his outspoken in YOUR own country, we wouldn't need to be there today. But, hey, if you have now learned how to speak out so loudly and clearly, I'll gladly buy you a ticket and pay your way back to Iraq so you can straighten out the mess in YOUR country that you are obviously here in MY country to avoid." Everyone within hearing distance cheered.'