On 20 April, 1914, men, women and children were massacred at a mining camp in Ludlow, Colorado. The miners were on strike, seeking fair wages and safe working conditions. The mine owners were unyielding, and created a local militia made up of mine employees and hired gunmen to stop the strike. There had been violence on both sides, so Colorado’s Governor Ammons sent the National Guard to stand between the factions and restore order.
The day before the massacre, 19 April, was Greek Orthodox Easter. The miners, their families, and some members of the militia celebrated together with a feast, singing, and a baseball game. The next morning an explosion of unknown origin triggered an exchange of gunfire between the miners and the militia. Those that had celebrated together were now intent on killing each other. By the end of the day, the miner’s tent city had been burned, resulting in the deaths of women and children that had sought shelter from the violence in dugouts under the tents.
What to do? Anyone with a sense of morality, whether innate or from God, must answer, ‘the right thing’. But failure to do the right thing is often only apparent after it’s too late. In the heat of exchanged gunfire, how many have the courage and empathy to stop and seek peace? Were the members of the militia monsters? I’m certain none of them believed so. They had a duty and obligation to restore and maintain order and the rule of law. The miners shooting back at them believed they were doing the right thing too, fighting for better working conditions and a better life for their families.
In the days that followed, the right thing was obvious. The mine owners yielded. Maybe it was because they could not stand the harsh opinions of an outraged press and public. I’d like to think that they realized the truth of the situation, although too late to save the lives of the innocent.
Every day we must decide how to live our lives through a series of decisions, large and small. Will I cheat on a test, will I give to the poor, will I pretend not to see the car trying to merge in front of me. I thank God that I’ve not been faced with having to decide to pull the trigger on another man’s life. If I ever am in that situation, I will try to follow the wisdom of Mark Twain, who advised, “Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest.”
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