Those who don’t turn their backs

If you need one special thing to be thankful for on Thursday, be thankful for Peter Kassig.
Kassig, who went by the name Abdul-Rahman after his conversion to Islam, was beheaded last week by terrorists who call themselves the Islamic State.
It’s a group that has little to do with true Islam and acts more like a bloodthirsty mob than a state; but that’s the name they’ve chosen, and that’s the name we’re stuck with.
The group thought that by murdering Abdul-Rahman Kassig they would strike terror in our hearts.
Instead, they have provoked both profound sadness and a deeper appreciation of the young life they chose to snuff out.
For it is not the act of his beheading that calls us to pay attention to young Kassig, it is the acts of his life.
Born a Hoosier like many of those reading this page today, he served as a Ranger in the U.S. Army, was a student at Butler University and then decided to dedicate his life to helping those facing insurmountable problems and daily danger in one of the most unforgiving places on earth.
His commitment to others, his belief that he could make a difference as an individual when it came to bridging the gulf between cultures and his raw courage should humble all of us.
And should make us thankful that men and women like this exist despite all odds.
You’ll find them treating Ebola patients in West Africa. You’ll find them dispensing polio vaccine in villages on the edges of Afghanistan and Pakistan. You’ll find them working at soup kitchens and homeless shelters all over the world. Every single day.
Abdul-Rahman (Peter) told his parents, “I’m just not going to turn my back this time, it’s as simple as that.”
So be thankful Thursday for those who refuse to turn their backs. We all owe them — and especially Peter Kassig — that much this Thanksgiving. —J.R.