MONDAY MUSINGS: The terrible news of shootings on Australia's Bondi Beach was rattling to say the least. You see Sunday night was the first night of the 8-day Jewish holiday of Chanukah, the Festival of Lights, commemorating not only a miracle, but more importantly, the first fight for religious freedom.
During the Australian Jewish community's Chanuka by the Sea, gunfire rang out leaving 16 dead and 40 injured. The youngest of the fatalities was 10 and the oldest 87. The shooters, a 50 yo father, died on the scene and his 24 yo son is in the hospital seriously injured. Their vehicle was found to have explosive devices.
The Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declared the incident "an act of pure evil, an act of antisemitism, an act of terrorism on our shores in an iconic Australian location, Bondi Beach, indeed a dark day in our nation's history. But we as a nation are stronger than the cowards who did this," he continued. "Australia will never submit to division, violence, or hatred, and we will come through this together. We refuse to let them divide us as a nation."
Flags will be flown at half-mast across the country.
Besides tears for the lives changed forever at what was to be a gathering of peace, my tears also acknowledge our country's elected leader only spews words of hatred and derision... Pure evil.
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