The Avengers

I haven't thought that much about the nature of evil until recently. I suppose if I was asked to name someone who was evil, I'd come up the usual list: Ted Bundy, Hitler, etc. A person would have to be very bad indeed before they made my list. A supreme indifference to human suffering coupled with many acts of violence against innocents for personal gain or worse yet, for pleasure.

I would just dismiss rhetoric like "Axis of Evil" as political grandstanding not meant to be taken seriously.

But it has come to my attention that some people do take evil very seriously and they don't set the bar very high at all.

They view themselves as avenging angels who must seek out and punish "evil."

The confronting of evil to them is life's highest calling and must be carried out even if many innocents suffer in the process.

Is this what' going on in Iraq right now?

The Avengers see an evil that must be wiped out no matter what the cost?

Pointing out civilian deaths to the Avengers is meaningless in that case...a sad but necessary sacrifice in their eyes.

The security of America isn't even a factor to the Avengers, evil simply must be confronted.

A question beyond rational debate?