Once more, the world finds itself at the anticipatory threshold of a new year. Each new year is greeted with optimism, as people grasp the opportunity for a fresh start, holding onto hope that unachieved goals from the past year will be fulfilled over the next 365 days. Yet, the new year remains a mystery, for no one knows what it will bring—individually or collectively. Most, if not all, hope it will bring happiness.
But after the flowery greetings and warm wishes for a happy New Year 2025, Americans awoke to the tragic news of a mass killing in New Orleans, Louisiana. An individual drove through a crowd celebrating the new year, barely three hours old. This tragedy is a stark reminder that while humanity seeks happiness, it is not easily attained. Evil lurks everywhere, poised to erupt and suffocate even the faintest possibility of joy.
The bright lights, nostalgic music, and spirited greetings of goodwill exchanged during the holiday season—including Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Hanukkah—form an attractive but illusory wrapper, masking the ever-present threat of evil. Despite earnest efforts to spread peace and joy, evil persists, rearing its head to wreak havoc and shatter the tranquility that communities so desperately yearn for.
The past year, 2024, bore witness to evil in countless forms: violent crime, domestic violence, mass shootings, wars, terrorist attacks, mental health crises, homelessness, political division, greed, and the unrelenting quest for power. For years, nations have battled to eradicate these scourges, yet few have succeeded. As we step into 2025, the hope that good might finally overcome evil feels increasingly tenuous.
The tragic events in New Orleans on the first morning of 2025 do not signal a victory of good over evil. The pervasive fear within American communities as a new government season begins suggests a lack of confidence that happiness can suppress the anticipated impact of harmful policies. Meanwhile, the fragility of family structures continues to lead to heartbreaking incidents of domestic violence. News of such tragedies marked the early days of the year, underscoring the relentless grip of evil on society. As for violent crime, solutions seem more elusive than ever, with no clear path forward in 2025.
Shockingly, while most people seek happiness, there are those who glorify evil, deriving some inexplicable satisfaction from its perpetrators. One example reported on New Year’s Day was a concert in Jamaica where thousands paid exorbitant prices to see a performer who is a convicted murderer. Although released on a legal technicality, he remains unexonerated for his crime. Despite his heinous act, he has been celebrated as a cultural hero, drawing massive crowds and adulation.
What, then, of the future? Should people go about their lives, hoping and praying that evil does not touch them or their loved ones? Or should they, individually and collectively, rise to the challenge of finding solutions to curb the presence of evil? A more profound question may be: is it even possible to eradicate evil? Regardless, retreating into complacency is not an option. Communities must stand vigilant and resolute in their efforts to confront and eliminate all forms of evil.
As we move through 2025, the prevailing hope should not merely be for happiness but for the collective will to combat and eradicate evil. Without this determination, happiness will remain an illusion for most. Let the universal greeting for 2025 carry a dual wish: may we find happiness, and may we summon the strength to root out evil, allowing true joy to flourish.
