In our everyday, public way of being,
we have fallen away
from the innermost ground of our being,
and the most finite thing
in our finitude
has been concealed from us.

The radical nullity of Dasein (existence),
of being held out into Nothing
is forgotten
in the course
of relating to beings;

with great peace of mind
we hurry to the superficial domains of Dasein
and busy ourselves
with the public life. [WM? 106]

The finitude of Dasein (existence)
   –the understanding of Being
      —lies in oblivion. [KM 241/226]

The Self-Overcoming of Nihilism by Nishitani Keichi, trans. by Graham Parkes and Setsuko Aihara, page 170 

(WM? = What Is Metaphysics?; KM = Kant and the Problem of Metaphysics by Martin Heidegger)

I met with friends to discuss the Hawaiian tradition of “restorative justice” or Ho’oponopono. I have never been to Hawaii. But, I have a sense of the direction of thought entailed in the term “restorative justice.”

“Justice” is a manner of speaking which we use with no thoughtful reflection. “Department of Justice” is a noun that refers to a department within the government. Lately this institution is stripped of any pretense of independence from the Executive Branch. The name has not changed though. Pundits continue to say “the Department of Justice.” Justice evokes a mental image of a blindfolded female holding a scale. Justice has never ever been entirely blind, impartial. Still until recently Americans agreed to aspire to the ideal of impartiality.

“Justice” describes relationships that are reciprocal, functioning.

Injustice indicates behavior that has torn a relationship asunder. The failure may be a chronic condition such as spousal abuse or even a catastrophic event such as murder. In an ideal world, torn relationships are repairable. Not made new, as if nothing did happen, but at least enabled to go on. Is it possible that sometimes murder is repairable? What about slavery?

Repair is a fragile thing, depending on whether victim(s) and perpetrator(s) are able to engage in restorative conversation…

Now though, it seems many of our fellow Americans desire to double down on abuse, raising injustice to a higher power, continuing in the full light-of-day to wield the cudgel-of-abuse. There is no question that one way to conceal (deny) one’s vulnerability, the certainty of one’s own death is to swing the whip with ever more enthusiasm. Want to keep “forgetting” your own finitude, then amp up the abuse! One more tactic to flee understanding and to court oblivion…

–*–

As of this moment I intend to participate in the Hands Off National Day of Action, Saturday April 5th, in Geneva. The rally is to be held on the bridge over the Fox River. Even with the exposed vulnerability of the place, being present seems something that I must do. To quote Albert Camus:

I resist therefore we are to come.

Why should I conclude without a song? Yes, music vivifies the spirit! This one by Whitesnake is apt: Here I Go Again.