[meteorite-list] Reflecting

[Darryl Pitt]

Reflecting this morning.....


I regret matters spiraled out of control on the list last night, and I  
deeply regret my contribution to having inadvertently stoked the  
coals.  I never imagined such an outcome. When I saw Bernd's warm  
congratulatory note to America and Americans, I thought I might  
attempt to provide a glimpse of a remarkable aspect of the inaugural  
which was entirely non-partisan.

For many Americans, Inauguration Day is the one day of the year that's  
not about politics, it's about something so much bigger and it's for  
each and every one of us;  it's a day where politics should stop and  
we can bask in the wonder of our remarkable country.

The most important thing I've learned from seasoned lawyers and  
politicians is their ability to be respectful of those who do not  
share their point of view.  I loved Rick Warren's invocation for its  
emphasis on civility---a marker of a true civilization---a marker  
which seems to be in want, and not only on our beloved list.

That was all I was really attempting to convey in my post, my having  
been witness to a surreal degree of civility.

May it last and grow.