If arrested and convicted for
murder of another person,
the perpetrator could go to
prison for life or die of an
injection or in the electric
chair, but because of the
invocation of sacred violence,
democratically elected heads
of state are blessed and praised
for slaughtering millions of
humans in the name of God
or country or freedom or all
of the above. Leaders of total-
itarian regimes, demagogues
and despots, while using the
same justifications and, perhaps,
even enjoying the temporary
approval of their citizens are
found out and ultimately cast out
for crimes against humanity,
but the democratically elected
heads of state simply retire with
a comfortable pension, a library
to their glory and for historical
purposes and time on their
hands for avocations or charitable
foundations or just plain time
on their hands. With that time
do they ever think of the millions,
do they still give thanks that
God is on their side like they
said when they said “God bless
us” at the end of every speech
further justifying the invasions
whatever the real reasons may
be, do they ever hear Jesus
say, “Well done, thou good and
faithful servant” or might
they, just might they,
offer up a Kyrie?