The irony of evil in a world that’s supposed to be good

In my entry on the murder by Somali pirates of Scott and Jean Adam and their crew, Robert Riggle and Phyllis Macay, I had intended, but forgot, to point to the amazing conclusion of the New York Times’ article on the Adams, where it quotes Jeff Allen, a close friend of theirs and a fellow yachtsman:

The irony of all this is that Scott and Jean, like so many of us out here cruising the world, are out here to meet the people, learn about their culture and help those we meet in whatever way we can,” said Mr. Allen.

Four people on a yacht sail unaccompanied into pirate-infested waters which they know are pirate-infested, and their capture and murder by pirates is an irony?

For liberals, who believe that humanity is inherently good, all bad things that happen—especially if they happen to liberals who incarnate the belief in humanity’s goodness—are shocking, surprising, ironical.

Col. B. Bunny writing at Eternity Road has an excellent article analyzing the lack of contact with reality shown by Jeff Allen’s remark and by the Times’ making it the concluding point of the article.

See also my collection, ” ‘Shock’—liberals’ normal response to the non-liberal reality they refuse to acknowledge.”

Posted by Lawrence Auster at February 25, 2011 12:35 PM | Send