I can't watch it anymore. I click the remote through the five channels (nope - no cable at my house) and it is relentless in its flow. Every media outlet is on the stick. The television streams virtually endless footage of the shootings at Virginia Tech. And then they have the temerity to show the video left by the troubled young man who perpetrated this unspeakable act. We are shocked. The nation is rocked by the horror of it all. Senseless. Brutal. A genie of death slipped from the bottle and slithered from dorm to classrooms, snuffing out young life with the greatest of ease. And somehow no one can seem to comprehend what happened. Somehow, with shaking heads and pursed lips we find ourselves cluelessly glued to the television.
How could this happen? Someone must be to blame. It has to be someone's fault. So the investigations begin and fingers are leveled. Did the University act appropriately? The police? What could have prevented this? There must, we seem to think, be an answer.
And there is, except we stand deaf and mute in the face of it.
It's the guns.
There are more registered gun dealers in the United States than there are gas stations. Guns are everywhere. And we're not talking Uncle Jack's 22 caliber hunting rifle here. We are talking about military issue fire arms designed to kill as many people as quickly as possible. Semi-automatic pistols with expanded bullet clips? Sure. Stop down at the local sporting shop and pick up your own today.
Yes. It's the guns. Emotionally disturbed and mentally ill folks will always be around, but do we need to make guns so easily attainable that one can stride through the halls of university taking out thirty plus people as easy as, dare I say it, shooting ducks in a barrel?
Yes. It is the guns. But it's not just guns here within our borders. Can anyone remember how many people died in Iraq on the day of the Virginia Tech tragedy? Can anyone recall how many people died in Afghanistan on that day? Or can anyone summon up the number of people who died around the world because of weapons our nation provided in the much vaunted "free market?"
Yes indeed, it's the guns. I join the millions who mourn and hold the victims' families in prayer. But as we weep and pray, maybe we could open our eyes to the genie that we have released on the world. This is the death genie who comes in the shape of automatic pistols or semi-automatic rifles or land mines. It's the genie who sprays forth as napalm or rains down as cluster bombs. And yes. We are responsible. Instead of seeking to assign blame to a hapless university administration or to a police force doing their best, perhaps we could take a quick glance in the mirror.
Then together let's see if we can't put that genie back in the bottle. How about a little reasonable gun control? How about bringing the troops home? How about signing the International Land Mine treaty? How about paying attention to those around us so we might notice if they are in distress or disturbed?
We've heard a great deal about "personal responsibility" over the past few years. How about us being personally responsible for the death in which we all participate?
How could this happen? Someone must be to blame. It has to be someone's fault. So the investigations begin and fingers are leveled. Did the University act appropriately? The police? What could have prevented this? There must, we seem to think, be an answer.
And there is, except we stand deaf and mute in the face of it.
It's the guns.
There are more registered gun dealers in the United States than there are gas stations. Guns are everywhere. And we're not talking Uncle Jack's 22 caliber hunting rifle here. We are talking about military issue fire arms designed to kill as many people as quickly as possible. Semi-automatic pistols with expanded bullet clips? Sure. Stop down at the local sporting shop and pick up your own today.
Yes. It's the guns. Emotionally disturbed and mentally ill folks will always be around, but do we need to make guns so easily attainable that one can stride through the halls of university taking out thirty plus people as easy as, dare I say it, shooting ducks in a barrel?
Yes. It is the guns. But it's not just guns here within our borders. Can anyone remember how many people died in Iraq on the day of the Virginia Tech tragedy? Can anyone recall how many people died in Afghanistan on that day? Or can anyone summon up the number of people who died around the world because of weapons our nation provided in the much vaunted "free market?"
Yes indeed, it's the guns. I join the millions who mourn and hold the victims' families in prayer. But as we weep and pray, maybe we could open our eyes to the genie that we have released on the world. This is the death genie who comes in the shape of automatic pistols or semi-automatic rifles or land mines. It's the genie who sprays forth as napalm or rains down as cluster bombs. And yes. We are responsible. Instead of seeking to assign blame to a hapless university administration or to a police force doing their best, perhaps we could take a quick glance in the mirror.
Then together let's see if we can't put that genie back in the bottle. How about a little reasonable gun control? How about bringing the troops home? How about signing the International Land Mine treaty? How about paying attention to those around us so we might notice if they are in distress or disturbed?
We've heard a great deal about "personal responsibility" over the past few years. How about us being personally responsible for the death in which we all participate?
1 comment:
I agree that yes, it is the guns. But to me there's so much that goes on behind the guns that I feel the need to expand on your thoughts. First of all, why do we make guns? To feel in control? To show domination over our fellow man &/or wildlife? To feel that no one can hurt us because we're able to hurt them back worse? To show we are powerful and important?
We're currently living in the time of "me" where glitz, glamour, and free flowing cash are all over the television, magazines, and ads. It looks fun and life seems easy for "them". Oh to own a mansion and a yacht. There's more than a hint of "You too can have all this" swirling about. I personally would like to win a million dollars just as everyone seems to be doing these days. Guess I need to buy more lottery tickets or get on one of those TV shows and win, win, win! I deserve it. Or perhaps I'll settle for suing someone who has done me wrong. Yes, someone is always to blame for holding us back and they should pay. Cho certainly used words in his manifesto implying that others were oppressing him. What made him feel that way? I know that feeling when you stop and the world keeps moving around you. And you're being left behind. Everyone is so into what is going on in their life that they don't notice you've stopped. The feeling should be peace, but it can feel like drowning.
The Va Tech shootings have weighed heavy on me. I'm from Roanoke, VA which is close to Blacksburg. Although she has long since graduated, my sister lived in the Ambler Johnston dorm where the first shooting occurred. I spent a week one summer at Va Tech at cheerleading camp. I even considered going to the college myself and had many friends who did. It's very close to home for me. People in my community are hurting.
Small bits of Cho's manifesto that were released bothered me in a very specific way. I went to a high school that other high schools referred to as "the rich kids' school." Indeed there were quite a few BMW's and Mercedes Benz's in the school parking lot. There's jealousy in referring to others as "the rich kids". I always felt that nickname was so shallow. To me it didn't encompass who we were. I didn't like that others were out there looking at us as a group they despised, especially when I was merely middle class. Could middle class be "rich"? Did we have a life they felt they deserved? Cho mentioned rich kids in his manifesto. Did he feel entitled to have their life? Could that be why he took their lives?
Is this violence something we can avoid? Doesn't seem like it. It feels like these acts of violence are closing in. The guns aren't going away. Neither is the impulse to destroy (or is the impulse to prove one's power?). Although it's a different situation, 9/11 was violence just the same. Living in Manhattan through 9/11 which took my roommate's mother's life is the most devastating event I've experienced. There was talk then about why the towers were targeted. The financial district a possible symbol of America's greed. Is America the resented "rich kid"? Who knows. There's always something lurking. A year or so ago there was an incident at our mall in upstate NY where someone came in and started spraying bullets. Never heard why. Somehow I felt I didn't need to be told why. Someone was hurting and lashed out to hurt others. And he was able to because he had a gun.
I do think there's something wrong with a society where we get enjoyment out of other people's downfalls, embarassment, and humiliation. I'm sure it's because it makes us feel better about ourselves. Are we hurting that much and feel that low that we need to see others suffer to feel better? I just wish we were all less competitive and could feel powerful and uplifted by witnessing the joys and achievements of others. I mean ALL of us. I'm sure everyone out there is not looking to go on a killing rampage, but unfortunately I'll continue to look over my shoulder here in Manhattan, upstate in Kingston, and when I'm home in Roanoke. My communities have been crime scenes.
Post a Comment