9andaWiggle
Addicted Member
Another school shooting. Not to revisit the gun debate, because lines are drawn and we all know where who stands in this forum.
What I want to talk about is the root problem with these horrific acts. The weapon is easy to point to and say "Take it away and this won't happen", and that's a true statement. If guns didn't exist, nobody would get shot. BUT... what about the people who have engaged in these acts?
Does nobody care, or is nobody interested that despite all of our success as a country, many, many Americans are deeply troubled and extremely aggressive and angry? Why do we think that is? What failures are occurring in our society that make people angry and hateful, to the extent some wish to (or eventually do) injure or murder random Americans in these outbursts?
One thing I think the internet does do, for good or bad, is show us what people are really like in their soul. Being anonymous seems to help some reveal their true selves. So we look at comments sections, tweets forum posts, etc., and what do we see? A lot of angry people downright filled with hatred and contempt for anyone that doesn't think/believe as they do. Some are just kids/trolls looking to rile people up. But many, I think, are serious.
Consistently, especially in political discussions, the "opposition" is derided as being inferior, evil, not even deserving of life let alone a shred of respect. THIS is how many of our fellow countrymen seem to view half of our society! And it starts with many of those who are supposedly representing us all to work for the betterment of our country! How is that even possible when our leaders view each other (and campaign about their opposotion) as undeserving, evil scum?
America has no respect for itself. We don't, let's be honest. The left hates he right and the right hates the left, and both of them hate all the independents and the independents hate them right back. Respectful discourse and compromise are treasonous acts in the modern US of A.
Actually, we should change our name. We are no longer United. We are now the DSA - DIVIDED States of America. Instead of "The Land of the Free", our new motto should be "You're With Us or Against Us!"
Sarcasm aside, when we don't have or show a shred of respect for our fellow countrymen. When we have an abundance of hate and anger in our society. When we fail to teach our children right from wrong, how to behave in a civilized society, how to be strong, confident, and succeed on their own, how to have empathy for our fellow man. When we don't instill in them how to be proud of who they are and where they come from. When we don't respect each other for the positive things each person brings to our society... At this point, does which weapon was used even matter?
What I want to talk about is the root problem with these horrific acts. The weapon is easy to point to and say "Take it away and this won't happen", and that's a true statement. If guns didn't exist, nobody would get shot. BUT... what about the people who have engaged in these acts?
Does nobody care, or is nobody interested that despite all of our success as a country, many, many Americans are deeply troubled and extremely aggressive and angry? Why do we think that is? What failures are occurring in our society that make people angry and hateful, to the extent some wish to (or eventually do) injure or murder random Americans in these outbursts?
One thing I think the internet does do, for good or bad, is show us what people are really like in their soul. Being anonymous seems to help some reveal their true selves. So we look at comments sections, tweets forum posts, etc., and what do we see? A lot of angry people downright filled with hatred and contempt for anyone that doesn't think/believe as they do. Some are just kids/trolls looking to rile people up. But many, I think, are serious.
Consistently, especially in political discussions, the "opposition" is derided as being inferior, evil, not even deserving of life let alone a shred of respect. THIS is how many of our fellow countrymen seem to view half of our society! And it starts with many of those who are supposedly representing us all to work for the betterment of our country! How is that even possible when our leaders view each other (and campaign about their opposotion) as undeserving, evil scum?
America has no respect for itself. We don't, let's be honest. The left hates he right and the right hates the left, and both of them hate all the independents and the independents hate them right back. Respectful discourse and compromise are treasonous acts in the modern US of A.
Actually, we should change our name. We are no longer United. We are now the DSA - DIVIDED States of America. Instead of "The Land of the Free", our new motto should be "You're With Us or Against Us!"
Sarcasm aside, when we don't have or show a shred of respect for our fellow countrymen. When we have an abundance of hate and anger in our society. When we fail to teach our children right from wrong, how to behave in a civilized society, how to be strong, confident, and succeed on their own, how to have empathy for our fellow man. When we don't instill in them how to be proud of who they are and where they come from. When we don't respect each other for the positive things each person brings to our society... At this point, does which weapon was used even matter?