"Aeons of eons of merit are consumed by a single instance of anger" - Buddhist (Probably Hindu too) proverb

The videos of Alex Pretti being killed by Border Patrol Agents has been consuming a lot of emotional space of late, and a second video has been added and provides a counter-narrative. Whether you believe the second video is A.I., and I'm informed that it's not, there is a great teaching in the two Alex Pretti videos that have been making the rounds. If you are not familiar with these.... lucky you!!!

Let these be a lesson to you!!!

The first video has Alex being relatively peaceful though maybe irritating with that whistling. He was being a regular protestor and not acting aggressive towards the Border Patrol (Not ICE) Agents. He never approached them in a menacingly way, but only came within their reach while seeking to aid a woman who was attacked, apparently unprovoked, by men who knocked her down and pepper sprayed her, then they proceeded to do the same to him. They escalated until the point when they shot him dead. In this video Alex Pretti appears to me to be almost saintly while the Border Patrol Agents appear aggressively thuggish and ultimately murderous. They were angry!

The second video has unhinged berserker Alex totally on the offensive, and whatever ICE or Border Patrol Agents these were more measured as they responded to Alex Pretti's spitting, cursing, and Chuck Norris style kicking destruction of government property. While displaying this unhinged anger he clearly had a firearm visible on his person! The Agents inexplicably didn't take the weapon from him, and THEY DIDN'T ARREST HIM???? What??? The Feds appeared to be the victims while Pretti was scary and dangerous. He was angry!

For those of use who are not involved personally in this case, or the legal system which will adjudicate it, we should take just one thing away from it, meditate on it, and vow to do our best to abstain from anger and hatred.

If we want a just and peaceful society we should withhold our compassion from none, and withhold our own anger from all!

"Unruly beings are as unlimited as space They cannot possibly all be overcome, But if I overcome thoughts of anger alone This will be equivalent to vanquishing all foes. Where would I possibly find enough leather With which to cover the surface of the earth? But (wearing) leather just on the soles of my shoes Is equivalent to covering the earth with it. Likewise it is not possible for me To restrain the external course of things; But should I restrain this mind of mine What would be the need to restrain all else?" - Shantideva