What I see is insanity
Whatever happened to humanity?
Whatever happened to humanity?
Whatever happened to humanity?
"The Power of Equality" - Red Hot Chili Peppers
I don't feel safe in this town anymore. I don't feel safe anywhere, really, in light of yet another senseless, mass killing. There is no shelter from this tragedy, nor is there relief from the sorrow, anger, frustration, and helplessness we feel. We search for meaning and find none. We look for solace that can't be found. There is no balm in Gilead. We find we can't run away and hide our heads this time. We have to look at our starkly violent society staring us directly in the face and decide who we are as a people.
I had a college philosophy professor named Dr. Winter, who described himself as a "flaming liberal" and would go on the occasional - but fascinating - rant about how dysfunctional our society has become. "We live in a sick society!" he'd exclaim before expounding upon the reasons. From this latest event, we can see the truth of his assertion.
Although I'm not a flaming liberal, I am left-leaning in most matters political, on some issues radically to the left. I do, however, believe gun ownership is a Constitutional right. I also wonder where that right ends. Is it unlimited? If so, then we have the right to own any type of weapon we can afford, including tanks, cannons, 50-caliber machine guns, Apache helicopters. Do we have the right to own RPG's, flame throwers, and hand grenades? After all, the Second Amendment says the right of the people to bear arms shall not be infringed. That certainly sounds as if this right has no limits, but does any reasonable person believe that to be the case?
If the Second Amendment is not unlimited, then we have the right (and the moral obligation) to control and curtail ownership of certain types of weapons, and that means instituting a sane, rational gun control policy. I don't mean a gun ban; that would be ridiculous, unrealistic, and unconstitutional. Responsible gun ownership should not be curtailed. I support the right to own rifles and handguns for hunting and self-defense. Anyone needing assault weapons, though, might be suffering from paranoia or masculinity issues. Otherwise, why have them? Are we in imminent danger of attack?
According to Wikipedia, early American settlers viewed the right to bear arms as important for deterring tyrannical government; repelling invasion; suppressing insurrection; facilitating a natural right of self-defense; participating in law enforcement; and enabling the people to organize a militia system. I don't think our founders could have foreseen the types of modern weapons we have today. Would they have approved of such ownership? In the present day, England is not going to attack us anytime soon. We have the most powerful military in the world, so there's no chance of any nation sending troops to invade our soil. So what's the rationale for owning assault weapons?
The problem is not merely the proliferation of guns. In our sick society, mental illness also plays a role. Not all of the mentally ill are violent, but I'll venture to say that most violent people are mentally ill to some degree. Here in Columbia, Andrew Moyer and Brianna Michael tortured and murdered their infant son Andrew Moyer, Jr. Obviously they were violent, but does anyone believe they're not also mentally ill? Would any sane person commit such a heinous act?
We've endured events like this before, but this one was a game changer. The murder of so many innocents has shocked us all into the realization that something must be done. These crimes simply cannot continue. We cannot allow Congress to continue to be influenced by the NRA's blood money. We as a society must focus our moral outrage into definitive action.
I know I don't have all the answers. All I know is we cannot allow another of these tragedies and still maintain the right to call ourselves civilized. No sane society would allow this to continue.
For now at least, we live in a sick society. Dr. Winter was never more right.
10 comments:
Thank you Cole for a well written article about the current situation this country is in. What is going on that in America our children cannot be safe at school. What horror. I too agree that weapons for hunting and self defense cannot be taken away, but assault or automatic weapons as you clearly stated are another story. As a child, getting shot never crossed my mind... It's a different world now.
The world has changed and not for the better.
thank you, i agree that our right to bear arms MUST remain so....i really thought ALL schools were on lockdown and there was no way in once classes started. maybe ALL schools should post an armed guard or 2 at the front entrance (and only entrance) into the building on a daily basis....
my prayers go out to all these families and loved ones who died as a result of this tragic senseless killing.
This tragedy is unbearably sad. The worst thing we can do is to do nothing. A nation that doesn't protect its children is a nation without hope - or a future.
Maybe schools do need armed guards. Maybe it really has come to that.
From what I heard school was on lock down and gunman broke a window to get in. As said maybe it is time to have armed security in our schools.
That would certainly be a deterrent.
I hate to tell ya but its not safe anywhere, the fact that these so innocent were killed kills me, I work at a school, anyone could enter anyone of them and do the same, and I mean not just here I mean anywhere, I hate to tell ya you could die tomorrow at wise markets, I don't mean you Cole, I mean anyone. You let me know when and how you can stop drugs from getting into this country, its a war that will never end. You can ban all you want you will never stop it. You can blame it on video games, you can blame it on TV, But you know it starts at home and parent don't care, and because of the lawyers the kids know the teachers can't do anything, I see it every day, I see it on the streets, and you ask any cop in town and they will tell you the same. The legal system created this mess. so get ready for more, we can all hope it will end, listen to Morgan Freeman, and Bill Cosby.
It's a witch's brew of causes. I read somewhere that there have been 15 of these shootings this year alone. That's more than one a month, so unless we find a solution quick, we're due for another one very soon.
I cried so many times over the weekend, and when I go to work and see these little ones at school and to think this could happen here makes me want to cry, I wish I could carry a gun to protect these kids, but you know I can be anywhere in the building and this could happen and I would not be able to help. You know I offered to help put camera's and a DVR to record people coming in. You Better get used to it, Columbia can't afford it, I say we send a few more Billions to our so called friends over sea's, sorry to say OH yes they want to kill us to. Say I am not right. Lets Hire more lawyer's to protect our kids, That need their ass beat. It all starts at home, forget that anymore.
Something's definitely gone wrong. There's a disconnect from reality among these shooters due to . . . video games? lack of discipline? lack of structure? I don't know.
You're right - carrying a gun is no guarantee of protection against these people.
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