Light in the darkness.

As some of you may be reading this on the other side of the planet, here's what I just posted to Facebook at 10:30 Monday night:

For those overseas, a look at a black day in Australia that began with a flurry of reports from the Sydney CBD: Gunmen take a Lindt Chocolat Cafe, up to 50 hostages, many forced to hold up what most media refer to as 'Islamic' flags in windows facing an on-air TV studio. All fear the worst. In afternoon astounding footage of 5 hostages fleeing for their lives gives hope. By nightfall number of hostages put at 15. Lone gunman making ideological demands. Predictable voices of fear & division led by Murdoch's despicable Sydney tabloid are challenged by the simplicity of a Twitter hashtag -- ‪#‎illridewithyou‬ -- in which non-Muslim commuters offer support to those fearing retaliation on public transport by riding with them tomorrow. Terrified hostages remain at the mercy of a madman as Monday ends, but the better nature of this often baffling country has been stirred, and all good people pray for a peaceful resolution.