Sunday mornings are my favorite time of the week. They seem to have a sense of peacefulness and calm to them. I generally try to sleep in and take my time waking up to whatever the day has to offer. This past Sunday was no exception. My wife had gotten up before me and had the TV on without the sound. I wandered into the kitchen and got my coffee going and sat down on the couch to begin my day. The CBS network news with Chris Wallace came on and what do I see ? Another mass shooting….2 of them within a 24 hour period. I remember so vividly the reaction I had when I heard about Columbine. A feeling of complete shock and dismay. How could anyone be so cruel and heartless as to kill innocent people? Sadly, mass killings have become so common that now, there is no sense of shock. We’ve become completely numb to it all. Believe it or not, there have been 22 mass shootings since the beginning of the year here in the US. 22! Are these shooters looking for attention and their so called “15 minutes of fame”? Hell, more often than not, they don’t get to even see or hear about the recognition since they either kill themselves or they get killed by authorities. By this time though, innocent people have paid the ultimate price because of someone’s need to be noticed. So, what can be done?
Every time this happens, politicians begin discussing the possibility of changing the gun laws. Really? They think that’s the answer? Hell, you can background check someone till the cows come home but that doesn’t really give anyone insight to a person’s personality. Do we make it harder to get weapons? Anyone who’s hell bent on getting a gun, background check or not, will get one, one way or another. Making gun laws more strict is like the war on drugs. It’s a total waste of resources and it won’t really change a damn thing. Do we find a way to eliminate guns completely? That’s not fair or practical…remember the second amendment? Okay, so we have made bump stocks illegal. Greed being the powerful motivator that it is, someone, somewhere, will open a black market. If there’s a buck to be made then to hell with the consequences.
There’s talk after this incident that it’s possibly tied to white supremacy. Do you really think that the color of someone’s skin makes one person better than any other? That is total BS. God created all of us equally…in his image, so don’t give me that white supremacy crap.
I really wish I had the answer but unfortunately, I do not. All I can do is live my life with respect for others, regardless of their race, political or religious beliefs, or social status. If we all took this stance, perhaps the world would become a somewhat more gentle place.
Granted, life in this day and age is anything but easy. But if we all just concentrate on taking care of ourselves and each other, instead of killing innocent people just for the hell of it, the world would be a better place for all. It’s sad to think that we need to be so cautious when going about our everyday lives.
The real answer lies within all of us. We all understand the difference between right and wrong and we all have the ability to make decisions. It’s very sad that so many make the wrong decision at a cost that is too great to believe. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those lost in this past weekend’s tragic events. One can only hope and pray that this subject goes away….very very soon…never to be discussed again. Sorry to say though, I have my doubts.
ted@steamboatradio.com