EDITORIAL: The face of evil shows itself in a Pittsburgh synagogue

Defining the notion of “evil” may be a philosophical and subjective exercise, but, as a practical matter, there should be little debate that the bigoted gunman who murdered 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue on Saturday personifies the concept.

Las Vegans can empathize with the immense anguish and suffering caused by such depraved indifference to civility and human life. Just more than one year ago, our community was forced to confront the same question now racing through the minds of those in the Steel City: What sinister forces could push a man to such demonic depths?

The suspect in the Pittsburgh massacre, Robert Gregory Bowers, shuffled into a courtroom Monday for his initial appearance. Unlike most other cowardly mass shooters, he didn’t take his own life and was apprehended by police officers. But not before he had gunned down 11 innocents who were celebrating Shabbat at the Tree of Life synagogue — all while vocally expressing his hatred for Jews.

Bowers had a history of anti-Semitic social media posts, but he had no criminal record to alert the authorities of the twisted malevolence that lurked within. A neighbor described him as “forgettable.”

The scourge of anti-Semitism long predates the poisonous advance of identity politics, of course. But the two illiberal notions are intrinsically linked, and Saturday’s horrific events highlight the dangers inherent in embracing a course of grievance that preaches the existence of monolithic tribes — based on race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, etc. — all at odds with one another. Such morally bankrupt thinking devalues the individual and too often breeds the type of bigotry, hatred and resentment engulfing Bowers, whether it’s practiced by those on the left or the right.

Bowers faces 29 federal counts and almost two dozen state charges stemming from the rampage, which also left three police officers wounded. Federal prosecutors announced they will seek the death penalty. While in many cases there are myriad problems with the application of capital punishment, this shouldn’t be one of them. Perhaps those who survived this act of terror — and society at large — may eventually achieve a form of catharsis when the judicial system metes out the killer’s punishment.

Some events simply defy explanation. “Everything doesn’t happen for a reason,” Adam Hamilton wrote, “if by this we mean evil is a part of God’s plan. But God does ensure that evil will not prevail and that light will always, ultimately, overcome the darkness.”

The darkness that enveloped the Strip on Oct. 1, 2017, eventually gave way to the light generated by scores of heroes and the insistence of an entire community that evil would not triumph. The same will no doubt be true in Pittsburgh. Because good people won’t stand idly by in the face of such inhumanity.