Sullivan Knows Hope

Andrew Sullivan has a long post whose putative topic is Iran, but which is really a kind of summing up of where we are internationally.  It’s a pretty downbeat assessment, but finishes with some hope through a quote from Reinhold Neibuhr.  It’s worth reading the whole piece.

What I most appreciated is his view of the long term trends, which is hopeful.  In this, I agree with him.  In the words of Martin Luther King, “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” 

The greatest danger we face is the fact that lone, suicidal fanatics can wreak havoc on our world.  The zealotry and nihilism of Islamic fundameSullivan on Iranntalist terror is a threat of unprecedented dimensions.  Still, there are flashes of light and hope.  As Sullivan puts it:

I believe that the election of Obama and the Green Revolution in Iran were signs that the next generation understands the magnitude of this crisis and are seeking a new way to overcome it. I believe that in my heart and soul. Which is why I found those events as inspiring as they are now imperiled.

If the Iranian youth succeed, it could change the world.