Monday, February 18, 2008

What The World Is Coming To...

*Warning: This post contains elements of society that might cause hopelessness and sadness*

Something has been on my mind for the past couple weeks. Violence, hate, bigotry. Nouns, that seem to define parts of us, our communities, our schools. In the past two weeks there have been three school shootings. Three in two weeks...I remember as a kid there were no school shootings, and then Columbine happened...and now a days it seems like we can't even go a couple months in between violence.

The first one happened in Louisiana. A female college student shot two other classmates, and then herself. It was a Friday morning and now three lives are lost and we don't know why. Then came the second school shooting that not many people are hearing about. A boy in junior high was shoot point blank, in front of at least 20 other classmates. They are not exactly sure why, but rumor has it, it was because he was gay, and openly feminine. What kind of hate fuels that, to shoot someone especially in front of your classmates, is it to make a point? And then the third, the one we all heard about. One that echoed the shooting of last April at the Virginia Tech campus, a little too loudly for comfort. A man on Valentine's day burst into a class room at Northern Illinios Univeristy and open fired on the class. There are now 7 dead from this shooting.

The thing that kills me is for two of these we will never really know why it happened. I don't know why I need to know, but I do. For some reason, an explanation would help ease my mind. Where do we learn this kind of blind hatred? Was is hatred that fueled these shootings? I suppose we learn it in the home from parents and grandparents, from classmates that were also taught to hate. But why and when did hate become part of the human race's vocabulary? Why in this day and age is it still apart of our vocabulary? I know people as a whole have been warring over stupid things for hundreds, thousands of years...but this? This is ridiculous. And it hurts to hear, hurts because there is not much we can do but lead by example, and be images of love for others. But is it enough? I don't think so. It is scary to think that suicides where you take out a bunch of people with you are becoming so... I hate to say it mainstream.

There is hope though. There always has to be. The protest kids from Oxnard, CA put together in three days that produced over 1,000 protestors gives me hope.

So today...tell someone you love them. Give out extra hugs, show a little more kindness. And let people know they're accepted here in this life, this world.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

If only we knew--when, where, how acts and decisions of others would affect us. If only we knew how to figure out the random events that triggered the "breaking point" of these people. Of ourselves.
I didn't know about this "Valentine's Day Shooting" or any of these. Sometimes I really don't pay attention to the outside world. Such is my priviledge...I suppose.
I love you Brittany. Your kind heart cares for so many, even people you will never know.

Big Gay Jim said...

Rose is quite right about your heart. You remind me of Matt that way.

Modig said...

In my eyes, the frustrating thing about the human experience is that there exists great potential for both good and bad. It seems that environments have tremendous sway over which potential we each tap within ourselves. One can only hope that more people tap into the good than the bad as the world keeps on turning.

Teh Dr. said...

hug