Opinion: The plausibility of the impossible

Palestinians carry boxes containing food and humanitarian aid packages delivered by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a U.S.-backed organization approved by Israel, in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. Abdel Kareem Hana / AP
Published: 05-31-2025 8:45 AM |
John Buttrick writes from his Vermont Folk Rocker in his Concord home, Minds Crossing. He can be reached at johndbuttrick@gmail.com.
Twelve of us were sitting in a circle enjoying the spring day. However, the warm sunshine and good friends gathered were not enough to calm the subconscious anxiety dwelling among us.
Beneath the conversations about family life and favorite movies and restaurants, one of the people asked tentatively and differentially, “Can someone please tell me how it is possible that human beings can be so cruel?” Surprisingly, her hesitant inquiry captured the full attention of the group, putting a stop to their conversations. They encouraged her to continue.
Her voice became stronger and more fervent as she recounted the horrific situations reported in the daily news: the wars destroying homes, neighborhoods and whole cities; the intentional withholding of food to feed starving children; the bombing and killing of civilians including a large percentage of children; and the cavalier killing of members of the press and medical workers.
Within the country are threats to defund and eliminate support systems such as services in healthcare, education and the environment. For example, Medicaid for the poor and disabled is projected to be severely reduced. The National Science Foundation, under the Trump administration’s direction, has capped U.S. colleges and universities’ indirect research costs at 15% effective May 5. Under the new guideline, the University of New Hampshire stands to lose an estimated $17.5 million in the next five years.
Accompanying these actions is a mean-spirited attitude toward any person or institution who speaks out or resists these dehumanizing initiatives and dogmas.
An uneasy silence among the circle of friends followed that outburst, speechless that the reality of our underlying anxiety had been spoken out loud in the congenial gathering. The ensuing conversation reflected a sense of helplessness to make any difference. The situation described was untenable and no easy answer came that would end an international war economy or to change the dehumanizing attitude and action in our country.
Article continues after...
Yesterday's Most Read Articles






Not only nationally, but right here in Concord, New Hampshire, there is evidence of recalcitrant beliefs that harm segments of the population. For example, there is a move to end financial support for the State Council on the Arts in the next budget. The arts are a bastion of free expression and free speech.
Also, the Senate has approved House Bill 148, so called “bathroom bill,” classifying people by biological sex instead of gender. This bill is a threat to the well-being of transgender people and the LGBTQ+ community. Finally, Gov. Ayotte has signed House Bill 511 that will outlaw new local sanctuary policies and overhaul existing ones. This bill creates insecurity for immigrants and supports the idea that they are to be feared, suspect or treated as criminals.
Practicing diversity, equity, and inclusion could renew a sense of security for all people. However, DEI has been labeled exclusionary and anti-Semitic. What is happening to people’s sense of humanity?
It came out in the group’s conversation that the people in our country, and perhaps throughout the world, are faced with two radically and apparently unreconcilable different ways to assure security.
One way is to make political and social decisions based upon morality, ethics and humanitarian concerns, believing that security is accomplished as people practice love of neighbor. The other way is by consolidating superior power, influence and wealth over any person, institution or country that seems to threaten the well-being and security of a privileged population with an exclusive point of view.
An analysis of these two disparate ways demonstrates that grasping wealth and power as a way to establish peace has been the choice of governments and revolutionaries for centuries. However, the history of these power-driven wars reveals that war only leads to retaliation and more wars.
As has been attributed to Albert Einstein, “Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome is the definition of insanity.” War and repeated lies only lead to more violence, ruin and cruelty. Over time, weapons have changed but the threat to use them has never reduced fear and the results of war have always left people with destruction and death.
Even so, it is easy to default to the familiar when seeking the way to peace. Sanity may call for the courage to try another way, a way the shakes off cruelty and embraces both friend and foe as neighbor. Many will claim it won’t work. However, the alternative has proven a failure for centuries.
The people in that circle of twelve on that sunny afternoon acknowledged that they will never be the ones with the coercive power. But they also understand that living as good neighbors is no more risky than sending another generation to war to gain the same results as the past wars.
Let the risk be on the side of compassion, care, and companionship rather than confrontation and coercion.
Know there are a growing number of people who put their anxiety to work by shedding repeated failure and cruelty to strive in a way that nations and coercive controllers have yet to try.