When the first updates appeared on Friday, I searched Google just enough to see what everyone was talking about. Then I went into internet withdrawal. I don’t need to know the details. The whole thing is horrible; me getting cut to shreds about it isn’t going to change anything. I can hurt, I can pray without knowing all the gory details.
But neither do I want to ignore the topic altogether. So today and only today I will share my thoughts.
In the wake of this shooting, all the predictable sound bites are coming out–on both sides of the political divide. What upsets me is that after an incident like this, when our world has lost a slice of its future, people cling to political philosophy more strongly than ever, as if those philosophies, whatever they are, are more important than the people they’re supposed to serve.
This should be a time for everyone to realize that we need to find some common ground, to work together toward a future in which twenty young children dying a violent death in their classroom is impossible.
Things are happening in this world that require us to acknowledge the change. In many ways, humanity is the same from age to age. Every generation thinks the next one is going to hell in a handbasket, all the way back to the ancient Greeks. But some things defy such casual dismissal. The shootings are worse now than they were when we were kids, and there are more of them. We must acknowledge this and accept that something has caused that change. We can’t stick our heads in the sands and pretend like our political, personal and entertainment culture doesn’t have an impact. The violence is worse, and it’s not going to get any better unless something changes. Maybe more than one something.
Some say that something is gun control. Others toss out the usual objections: someone determined to commit carnage will find a way no matter what laws are in place. Or: it’s tragic, but this is the price we pay for a free society.
Some people say we have to treat mental illness; if anything makes clear the need for universal health coverage, this is it.
Then again, maybe it’s the fault of violence in entertainment. If movies weren’t so violent, this would never happen: The great art-imitates-life vs. life-imitates-art debate.
Or maybe we can blame the breakdown of the family, and wag our fingers at culture of 50% divorce, extreme promiscuity and all the associated societal ills–out-of-wedlock birth leading to poverty leading to culture-wide desperation. A return to traditional values would cure all.
You know what? There’s at least a grain of truth in virtually every argument I just listed. If there is a solution to this horrible problem, it’s going to be achieved by abandoning the fringes, and finding common ground.
Common ground. This means everyone has to give a bit of what is precious to them. We’ve got to pry our stubborn brains open and look for the nuggets of truth in opposing philosophies. Even more fundamentally, we need to change ourselves. Because we contribute to the climate of disrespect for human dignity. We are part of the problem, too.
When we hurl unreasoned, impassioned invectives at people who think differently than we do: we are part of the problem.
When we share belittling, demeaning jokes about public figures we don’t like, because we think they’re funny: we are part of the problem.
When we watch murder dramas hour after hour, night after night, in which the writers dream up ever-more violent and horrific ways of knocking off human beings: we are part of the problem.
When we go to movies in which violence is pretty much the story: we are part of the problem.
When we watch “reality” shows that are filled with people shredding each others’ human dignity in the name of winning or ratings: we are part of the problem.
When we refuse to have civil discourse and reasoned discussion, based on facts, with those whose points of view differ from ours: we are part of the problem.
When we leave vitriolic, scathing, dignity-shredding comments anonymously or otherwise on blog posts or news articles: we are part of the problem.
When we refuse to seek common ground–in other words, compromise: we are part of the problem.
I know some may find it offensive to equate how we treat each other with murder. Tough. Disrespect for the human person reaches its climax in murder–it doesn’t start there. It starts small, with us, and builds, layer upon layer, until tragedy strikes. And that means we have to act. We have to change, because right now, our children are paying the price.
Kathleen M. Basi 
Very well written- my youngest daughter wrote an editorial for the St Mary School Newspaper and came to the very same conclusion. She’ll be pleased to know that she is in good company
I think you’re spot on as usual. One thing I will note that I hadn’t thought much about mostly because my family is not into video games hot and heavy is the change in those, as well, over the years. My girls are into “just dance” and “barbie” video games…but I wonder what I will be faced with as my boys get older in that realm. Anyway…yes, we need to find common ground….forgive me for my cynicism, but I just have a hard time believing anything will really get resolved, unfortunately. It seems we’re in this terrible cycle of horror – calls from all corners to “do something” and “come together” – apathy (rinse, repeat)
oops, I didn’t mean to “reply” sorry!!!
Having held back from scouring every news report, editorial and blog on the topic, I can’t say this for sure, but I have a sense that the fact that this was about children might be the catalyst for something real. I sympathize with cynicism. I just have to keep praying for otherwise.
Extremely well written, Kathleen. I wish every blog post about this was as reasoned and intelligent.
One thing I really appreciate about you and your writing is you cannot be pigeonholed politically. I appreciate when people can look at each issue and decide what rests well with them. I get frustrated by people who cannot make space for alternate thinking…
Your post today made me think about a quote I was given as I left MU with a teaching degree. I cannot find the exact quote so I cannot give credit to the source or get the wording just right but it basically said –
“If my child ever needs life saving surgery, it will be someone else’s child performing it. If my child is ever the victim of a violent assault it will be someone else’s child committing the crime. If I care about the welfare of my child, I must care about the welfare of all children.”
Thanks, everyone for supportive comments. I was a little nervous about putting a toe in these waters.
I completely agree with you. Completely and whole-heartedly. We are all part of the problem, so we must all work to be the solution.
Completely agreed, especially with regard to the last paragraph.
Well said, Kate. I hope we can find that common ground and make some good, common sense changes. Meanwhile, we pray.
Judy McManus
Amen. Thanks
I especially love where you point out that “Disrespect for the human person reaches its climax in murder–it doesn’t start there.” We all have to understand that each choice we make affects others and reflect on the consequence vs. benefit of our choices. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and all angles of the issue, not just your position.