Page 10b

Paul Greenberg is the editorial page editor for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette as well as a contributing columnist not only for that paper but has also been featured in Jewish World Review. Like so many of my favorite writers, Mr. Greenberg has a way with words. He is obviously very well read and expresses himself so poignantly especially when he writes of his immigrant mother’s experiences upon coming to the US (some of my favorite stories), just as a for instance. He has been “accused” of using $20 words when a $2 word would do, but these critics obviously miss the flow of whatever he happens to be writing about. Mr. Greenberg has a real poetic flair about his writing style.

On July 25, 2007, Mr. Greenberg wrote an article about his family and their celebration of the birth of his new granddaughter entitled, “And so it goes” with a little family history to help connect the dots. On the same page (10b) were two different (yet similar) editorials about two different (yet similar) tragedies: one of a minor league first base coach who was hit and killed by a line drive foul ball right here in North Little Rock, Arkansas, the other of a man who was shot and killed by a stray bullet from a purse snatching gone bad, also right here in North Little Rock, Arkansas – all on the same day.

Both men were close to the same age (35 and 40, respectively), and neither was an intended victim (there is no indication that the shooter in the robbery was actually trying to kill anyone even though he is charged with capital murder in the crime). It would be hard to consider a murder to be a “freak accident” as if it were something completely out of the ordinary, yet the man was killed in a Wal Mart parking lot on a beautiful Sunday afternoon during the commission of a crime that is not typically associated with a fire arm. This poor man just stepped out of his car and into the path of a bullet.

On the opposing op-ed page were the typical letters to the editor and a couple of “I hate Bush and/or the establishment” blah-blah-blah commentaries on the particular gripe of the day. Each one touched on a particular topic that certainly meant something to each writer and each topic was important in its own context. In the “grand scheme”, however, page 11b was just not worthy of significant attention, not following page 10b.

Life is what it is. It doesn’t matter how important others may see such a life as having any particular impact one way or the other. What does matter is that in the scheme of life, there is unbound potential. Absent life, there is nothing. No potential. No significant anything. No particulars to consider one way or the other. Just. Nothing. And it is not a matter of a pendulum of importance swinging too far in one direction or the other. It either is, or it isn’t. For the pure purpose of matter on this earth and in this realm, there is no such thing as “too much” life because life is. It just is. Its value immeasurable; its potential incalculable. In death exists nothing; not “too much” or “too little. It. Is. Just. Nothing.

Far be it from me to decide what is or is not worthy of serious consideration but in the “grand scheme”, I think I’ve nailed it.