Evil Doesn’t Just Go Away

The following is a guest post by Edward Dentzel.

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Evil Doesn’t Just Go Away

They’re gone. Braden and Charlie Powell. February 5, 2012 was their last day on this earth. Death caught up to them in the form of their father who hacked them with a hatchet before he set fire to their home, killing all three.

By any measure, the male (you can’t call him a man) who brought those two children into this world was evil even before this past Sunday. He (most likely) killed Susan Powell, his wife, offering an alibi so thin a blind dog could see through it. He (most likely) knew of his father’s proclivities including child pornography. He sat idly by while same father trashed Susan’s reputation by claiming she and the father had a sexual relationship.

And all the while, when interviewed, Josh professed his innocence and seemingly couldn’t understand why everyone suspected he wasn’t being entirely truthful.

Well, it turns out all of us out here who had not one iota of contact with him, Susan, Utah, or Washington were more right than we ever knew.

Then, why was it the people who could have prevented this didn’t do something?

The judges, the social worker who witnessed the fireball. They all had a chance to do something and didn’t.

There is something going on in American culture and I don’t like it: We don’t know evil when we see it anymore. Moreover, the people who can prevent it use the defense that they’re just doing their job.

The judge–I did all I could.

The social worker–I did all I could.

To believe them would be to believe that these two children’s deaths were unpreventable. Meaning, as soon as Susan Powell disappeared over two years ago that it was inevitable that death would come knocking again on February 5, 2012.

Now, does anyone believe that?

Of course not. The truth is that these two children would still be alive had somebody not worried more about his job than the kids. These people sound like the Nazis at Nuremburg: We were just following orders.

What happened to a conscience? Common sense? A bit of logic? When did those start to take a backseat to a paycheck?

We see it at Penn State. Everyone had to protect the reputation of the school and the football program, so they allowed Jerry Sandusky to molest children. After the fact? The people in power said they did everything they could do. So, I guess Sandusky raping boys was inevitable. No way he could be stopped, huh?

The Virginia Tech shooter–it was well-known the kid had problems but no one got him the treatment he needed. They crossed their fingers and hoped.

The Gabrielle Giffords shooter–he had some type of morbid obsession with her. It was almost predictable that something bad would happen.

Extrapolating that to international affairs, for years Osama Bin Laden threatened and attacked U.S. interests abroad. And when the U.S. had a chance to take him into custody, our leaders passed it up.

And now we have Iran, working to develop a nuclear weapon. And what do we do? We dither about what we’re supposed to do. I mean, some politicians think it’s even okay if Iran gets a WMD. That’s how far in reverse we’ve gone in this country when it comes to identifying evil.

What does evil pass for these days?

People who use plastic bags. People who homeschool their children. People who don’t believe in Global Warming. People who want to drill in the Gulf of Mexico. People who make fun of the Volt.

It’d be funny if it weren’t so dangerous.

It’s like people either don’t know what true evil is OR they’re too afraid to do anything about it because they might lose their 401k.

Look at the current Republican nominees. Not the strongest field I’ve ever seen but at least they’re giving it a shot. They’re up there making arguments against Obama, and against each other.

All the while, men–and a woman–who probably would’ve had a better chance of beating Obama sit on the sidelines due to reasons that don’t compare to saving this country. I mean, God forbid any of them should become aware that sometimes a cause is bigger than whether they’re comfortable or not.

I know, I know I’m just this author in Madeira Beach, FL with a new book out. But, you know what? All of these people chose to do what they’re doing and sometimes doing it means they’re going have to get a little dirty. They’re going have to be a little uncomfortable. They’re gonna have to put their paycheck on the line. They’re gonna have to risk ticking off their spouses. They’re gonna have to take charge and make sure two innocent children aren’t murdered by their evil father.

I’m reminded of what Hunter (Denzel Washington) tells Vossler (Lillo Brancato) in the film, Crimson Tide. “I’m telling you if you do not get this radio up, a billion people are gonna die; now it’s up to you, I know it’s a shitty deal but you got it, can you handle it?”

Well, people, some of you have shitty deals. I know, it sucks. But, in those times, you have to chance to do great things. You can save lives. You can prevent massacres. You can stop a nuclear war.

But you’re going to have to confront evil because it just doesn’t go away on its own.

Tags: Braden Powell Charlie Powell, culture, evil