School shootings are not the only thing killing our children. We react, appropriately, in an emotional way to the horrifying events in Florida. As appalling and tragic as it is to have innocent children murdered in a high school, raw emotion will not solve the problem in a rational way. We can and should channel that emotion to affect real and significant change, but for that we must use our intellect. America is visibly in crisis. Until we are ready to have an honest, adult conversation about our problems we are going to be stuck with blind hatred for one another and useless finger pointing leading us further down our misguided path of self-righteousness and anger. The cancer that is killing our society cannot be cured without proper diagnosis.
Problem #1: Moral Relativism
A nation that was founded on Judeo-Christian values, has since kicked God out of the public square and reduced those of us who believe in God to mindless idiots to be mocked and villified. Even though the principles in the Ten Commandments are largely followed worldwide by Christians and non-Christians alike, somehow the idea of commandments coming from ANYONE has become repugnant in our modern world. We, in our great wisdom, have determined that we are so omniscient that we can decide for ourselves what is right and wrong. And because we have gotten to a place where anything goes then nothing is really wrong. Then, stupidly, we react in shock when our children grow up and can't tell the difference. The simplest truth in life is that choices have consequences. We are reaping what we have sown.
Problem #2: Absolute Selfishness
As was so grossly demonstrated by far too many of our Olympians at this Winter Olympics, our nation has become a collection of selfish, spoiled brats. We will only ever do what is best for me, me, me, me, me. The concept of being indebted to the people that have gone before, that have paved the way, that have paid the bills, that have sacrificed for our right to act like morons is totally lost on our children. If it's not immediate gratification, if it's not exactly what is wanted, if it's inconvenient or hard then our chidren want nothing to do with it. We have created these monsters.
Problem #3: The Virtual World
Too much of any good thing can become problematic. Sadly, the great benefits that we are enjoying from our technological advances have created really troubling issues in our chidren. Much of this came about because it was sprung on the adults without any prior experience or perspective on how to deal with it. It is becoming increasingly clear that the addiction our young people have developed for smart phones, social media, video games and the instant gratification provided through electronic media is destroying them emotionally. Teens and young adults are riddled with depression, anxiety and a plethora of other emotional problems. Furthermore, their ability to think critically, concentrate for lengthy periods of time and interact with live humans is eroding at an alarming rate.
Problem #4: The Blame Game
The most immature and simplest way to approach a problem is to point the finger of blame and attack the target. Back in the Old West, that was called a lynch mob. The same disgusting side of human nature has been demonstrated in the Salem Witch Trials, the Inquisition, the KKK South, Nazi Germany, etc. Rather than thinking, rather than going through tried and true legal processes, rather than taking a hard look in the mirror and asking what I, myself, am doing wrong, it is always easier to blame everyone else. Children are adept at this skill--nothing is ever their fault when they get caught. The adults in their lives are supposed to hold them to account and teach them that whether accidentally or on purpsose, we are always responsible for our actions. When they mess up, when we mess up, we must make amends. That is the only way to create a responsible, mature society.
When an awful situation happens, such as the latest high school shooting, the lynch mob mentality rears its ugly, rabid head and the finger-pointing and blame game commences unchecked. Every time it is the same and every time, NOTHING gets solved. As a gun owner and member of the NRA, I am willing and happy to have a conversation about the fact that bump stocks have no place in our society. I am willing to discuss the idea that perhaps young adults are not prepared to handle the responsibility of owning a gun. BUT, if we are to discuss that question then we must also address the fact that we send 18-year olds out to die for us as soldiers, who use guns. Also, whether some of you like it or not it is a Constitutional right to own a firearm. The only way that right can be taken away is through Constitutional amendment. It cannot be whimsical or arbitrary and should not be decided randomly by a judge. I wonder if my liberal friends would be so quick and glib to discard their right to protest or freely express themselves. Is it okay to remove someone else's right simply because you disagree with them?
For those of you who instantly and always blame the NRA for every horrible thing that ever happens with a gun, please get serious. By the logic applied here, we should all get rid of our cars every time there is an automobile crime or accident. None of us should be allowed to own knives or hammers, because more people are murdered every year by those two instruments than guns. Members of the NRA do not go around shooting people, they don't encourage people to shoot each other, they in fact, do the exact opposite. They hammer the principles of gun safety and responsibility while they adamantly defend Americans Constitutional right to own a firearm. We protect airports, courthouses, sporting events and concerts with security but we put a damn sign on the street outside our schools that says "NO GUN ZONE" (or in other words, if you really want to kill our kids, come on in, because we are sitting ducks here, thanks.) How many of you would put a sign outside your house that essentailly stated "We Have No Means of Protecting Ourselves: Come on In"? No one. Not one single person would do that. Why on earth would that work for our schools? We have turned the schools into targets. Does that mean we need to arm every teacher? Of course not. But somebody in every school should be. That one thing would probably reduce school shootings to nil. Is that how I want it to be? No. But that is the reality we live with. Until we restore sanity, it is really the only sane choice.
If anything, the most recent shooting shows how little power our laws have to prevent shootings, especially when they are not administered properly. How many warnings about the shooter were ignored? How is it possible that the FBI failed so miserably in their responsibility to check on the tips they received? Why are we okay with the fact that Obama policies prevented the reporting of the shooter's prior crimes? This utterly thoughtless and stupid political maneuver not only took him off the radar of the officials who should have prevented this heinous act, but they might have gotten him help! If, my friends, you want to have a serious conversation about gun violence in our schools then we need to address Problems 1-4 listed above and we need to address the failure of liberal policies to protect our children. Isn't it about time we recognize that we are living the results of our choices? It is against the law to kill people, it is against the law to commit a crime with a gun, but those laws are stopping nothing. There is no law that can be written that will stop crime. We have to change our society and solve our actual problems instead of hiding from the truth of what we have become as a nation.
Lastly, and I am sure I will be roundly mocked by many for this, we need to repent as a nation and turn to God. We will have to answer to a higher power some day for our choices as to how we've led our nation and how we've taught our children. The only thing that will truly heal us as a people is if we turn our hearts to Him who can heal us and do the honest introspection required of those who are willing to change. We cannot stop hating and blaming each other and fighting amongst ourselves until we firmly re-establish right and wrong in her place, live in the real world and respect and listen to each other. No legislature can fix this, but we can.
Problem #1: Moral Relativism
A nation that was founded on Judeo-Christian values, has since kicked God out of the public square and reduced those of us who believe in God to mindless idiots to be mocked and villified. Even though the principles in the Ten Commandments are largely followed worldwide by Christians and non-Christians alike, somehow the idea of commandments coming from ANYONE has become repugnant in our modern world. We, in our great wisdom, have determined that we are so omniscient that we can decide for ourselves what is right and wrong. And because we have gotten to a place where anything goes then nothing is really wrong. Then, stupidly, we react in shock when our children grow up and can't tell the difference. The simplest truth in life is that choices have consequences. We are reaping what we have sown.
Problem #2: Absolute Selfishness
As was so grossly demonstrated by far too many of our Olympians at this Winter Olympics, our nation has become a collection of selfish, spoiled brats. We will only ever do what is best for me, me, me, me, me. The concept of being indebted to the people that have gone before, that have paved the way, that have paid the bills, that have sacrificed for our right to act like morons is totally lost on our children. If it's not immediate gratification, if it's not exactly what is wanted, if it's inconvenient or hard then our chidren want nothing to do with it. We have created these monsters.
Problem #3: The Virtual World
Too much of any good thing can become problematic. Sadly, the great benefits that we are enjoying from our technological advances have created really troubling issues in our chidren. Much of this came about because it was sprung on the adults without any prior experience or perspective on how to deal with it. It is becoming increasingly clear that the addiction our young people have developed for smart phones, social media, video games and the instant gratification provided through electronic media is destroying them emotionally. Teens and young adults are riddled with depression, anxiety and a plethora of other emotional problems. Furthermore, their ability to think critically, concentrate for lengthy periods of time and interact with live humans is eroding at an alarming rate.
Problem #4: The Blame Game
The most immature and simplest way to approach a problem is to point the finger of blame and attack the target. Back in the Old West, that was called a lynch mob. The same disgusting side of human nature has been demonstrated in the Salem Witch Trials, the Inquisition, the KKK South, Nazi Germany, etc. Rather than thinking, rather than going through tried and true legal processes, rather than taking a hard look in the mirror and asking what I, myself, am doing wrong, it is always easier to blame everyone else. Children are adept at this skill--nothing is ever their fault when they get caught. The adults in their lives are supposed to hold them to account and teach them that whether accidentally or on purpsose, we are always responsible for our actions. When they mess up, when we mess up, we must make amends. That is the only way to create a responsible, mature society.
When an awful situation happens, such as the latest high school shooting, the lynch mob mentality rears its ugly, rabid head and the finger-pointing and blame game commences unchecked. Every time it is the same and every time, NOTHING gets solved. As a gun owner and member of the NRA, I am willing and happy to have a conversation about the fact that bump stocks have no place in our society. I am willing to discuss the idea that perhaps young adults are not prepared to handle the responsibility of owning a gun. BUT, if we are to discuss that question then we must also address the fact that we send 18-year olds out to die for us as soldiers, who use guns. Also, whether some of you like it or not it is a Constitutional right to own a firearm. The only way that right can be taken away is through Constitutional amendment. It cannot be whimsical or arbitrary and should not be decided randomly by a judge. I wonder if my liberal friends would be so quick and glib to discard their right to protest or freely express themselves. Is it okay to remove someone else's right simply because you disagree with them?
For those of you who instantly and always blame the NRA for every horrible thing that ever happens with a gun, please get serious. By the logic applied here, we should all get rid of our cars every time there is an automobile crime or accident. None of us should be allowed to own knives or hammers, because more people are murdered every year by those two instruments than guns. Members of the NRA do not go around shooting people, they don't encourage people to shoot each other, they in fact, do the exact opposite. They hammer the principles of gun safety and responsibility while they adamantly defend Americans Constitutional right to own a firearm. We protect airports, courthouses, sporting events and concerts with security but we put a damn sign on the street outside our schools that says "NO GUN ZONE" (or in other words, if you really want to kill our kids, come on in, because we are sitting ducks here, thanks.) How many of you would put a sign outside your house that essentailly stated "We Have No Means of Protecting Ourselves: Come on In"? No one. Not one single person would do that. Why on earth would that work for our schools? We have turned the schools into targets. Does that mean we need to arm every teacher? Of course not. But somebody in every school should be. That one thing would probably reduce school shootings to nil. Is that how I want it to be? No. But that is the reality we live with. Until we restore sanity, it is really the only sane choice.
If anything, the most recent shooting shows how little power our laws have to prevent shootings, especially when they are not administered properly. How many warnings about the shooter were ignored? How is it possible that the FBI failed so miserably in their responsibility to check on the tips they received? Why are we okay with the fact that Obama policies prevented the reporting of the shooter's prior crimes? This utterly thoughtless and stupid political maneuver not only took him off the radar of the officials who should have prevented this heinous act, but they might have gotten him help! If, my friends, you want to have a serious conversation about gun violence in our schools then we need to address Problems 1-4 listed above and we need to address the failure of liberal policies to protect our children. Isn't it about time we recognize that we are living the results of our choices? It is against the law to kill people, it is against the law to commit a crime with a gun, but those laws are stopping nothing. There is no law that can be written that will stop crime. We have to change our society and solve our actual problems instead of hiding from the truth of what we have become as a nation.
Lastly, and I am sure I will be roundly mocked by many for this, we need to repent as a nation and turn to God. We will have to answer to a higher power some day for our choices as to how we've led our nation and how we've taught our children. The only thing that will truly heal us as a people is if we turn our hearts to Him who can heal us and do the honest introspection required of those who are willing to change. We cannot stop hating and blaming each other and fighting amongst ourselves until we firmly re-establish right and wrong in her place, live in the real world and respect and listen to each other. No legislature can fix this, but we can.
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