the final solution

During World War II, Adolph Hitler put forward and implemented "the final solution," "Die Endlösung." By eradicating Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, priests and other riff-raff (the untermenschen), Germany would be purified and free to live out a rarefied Aryan existence that was true and elevated and charmed by destiny.

Let's not be too quick to look down on or dismiss Hitler's vision. It is as worth investigating as it is dangerous and cruel.

Currently, in the United States, there are billions of dollars being spent to combat something called "terrorism." The torn flesh and lost lives attributed to "terrorism" are real-time facts, horrific and heartless. Who would not do his best to thwart such activities ... and assure a continuation of some more peaceful lifestyle. Who would not do what he could to get out from under the riff-raff threat?

In Buddhism, those who practice (not just preach) work pretty hard. Enlightenment is not for sissies. Attachment, ego, dualism, monism, etc. ... this collection of riff-raff requires a no-kidding-around effort. A rarefied, clarified, and spectacularly bright destiny awaits, however subtly camouflaged the promise might be.

The final solution.

An interesting exercise is this: Instead of pointing out the very real horrors of whatever "Endlösung" is selected, let's follow the path as others or we ourselves have laid it out: What if such very real enemies as have been selected were, in fact, wiped off the map? What if Hitler had in fact eradicated not just six million Jews and millions of others, but had cleansed the empire he lived in COMPLETELY. 

What would Hitler do without something to blame?
What would the United States do without something to blame?
What would a Buddhist do without something to blame?

All the bad stuff, however it is conceived, is ahhh-at-last conquered and expunged. The grand goal has been met. The riff-raff are no more. Terrorism is out of the question. Delusion has been dealt a mortal, convincing and purifying blow.

Ahhh ... the final solution, whatever it is!

But, as Voltaire suggested, "If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him."

And isn't the same true of our most heart-felt enemies, the ones without whom we could never really enjoy the 'purification' of the race or the 'peace' that has no detractors or the 'enlightenment' that throws no shadow. If things were in fact as they had been envisioned ....

Shit! ... we'd be flopping around like a fish on the dock.

In the same breath that anyone concocts a god or a final solution, in that very same breath s/he thanks god for the wherewithal to fuel the hellfire all around.

Go ahead, make up a final solution.
Concoct and define and dissect an enemy.
Be earnest and sincere.
See how well that works.