Are we now seeing the beginning of the breakdown of civil society in the United States?
Have we ever had a civil society in the US?
Is there greater violence now, or were we always a violent nation?
When is a massacre by a white person a terrorist act, an existential threat that we must fight with all our might?
When will we give attention to the phrase "a well-regulated militia" in the Second Amendment and seriously discuss the meaning of the words? Or does the phrase signify nothing whatsoever?
Not that I expect answers, but I do believe we need to start talking about these matters.
Though I know them to be true, I was saddened by President Obama's words.
The president said further:
When is a massacre by a white person a terrorist act, an existential threat that we must fight with all our might?
When will we give attention to the phrase "a well-regulated militia" in the Second Amendment and seriously discuss the meaning of the words? Or does the phrase signify nothing whatsoever?
Not that I expect answers, but I do believe we need to start talking about these matters.
Though I know them to be true, I was saddened by President Obama's words.
We don’t have all the facts, but we do know that, once again, innocent people were killed in part because someone who wanted to inflict harm had no trouble getting their hands on a gun.It is in our power to do something, but we will talk about the shootings for a while, and then we will do nothing.
Now is the time for mourning and for healing. But let’s be clear:
At some point, we as a country will have to reckon with the fact that this type of mass violence does not happen in other advanced countries. It doesn’t happen in other places with this kind of frequency. And it is in our power to do something about it.
The president said further:
The fact that this took place in a black church obviously also raises questions about a dark part of our history. This is not the first time that black churches have been attacked. And we know that hatred across races and faiths pose a particular threat to our democracy and our ideals.The dark part of our history goes back to the beginning, with the Founding Fathers acceptance of the institution of slavery for the sake of unity.
Grandmere,
ReplyDeleteI only take issue with a single conclusion you made; you said "we will do nothing." That cannot be the right answer. We must move to make it not the right answer. You know, when you are surrounded by an enormous mess you can just start anywhere, so long as you do begin.
I have been fretting for the past year or longer over the number of people who refuse to discipline themselves or their children. Over the number of people who are incarcerated and returned to society in worse condition than they went in. Over people who cannot see that personal liberty and the marketplace are not drivers of the common good. And lastly, I have despaired over the way Jesus' message of peace and love has been co-opted by people who use Jesus as their symbol while they boldly stand for hatred, xenophobia, exclusion, power, and purity codes.
I knew where it was all going to end because violence is the only outlet for rage of that proportion. I agree with the President when he says we have the means to address this. I suggest we had better find the guts and the heart to do it or we will find our society intolerable.
Your remember the film "Oh God"? In it God's message is, "You have everything you need." So we do; let's get going.
Cheryl, I agree we have everything we need, and we must do something, but do we have the will to do it? I doubt it will happen any time soon, but I don't give up hope that we will do it one day. You see how the tragedy is already being spun as an attack on Christianity, even after Dylann Root's own statements that he wanted to kill black people. Already we hear, if only one of the people at the bible study had be armed, deaths could have been prevented, so what we need are more guns.
DeleteAccording to the spinmeisters, the shootings are not about racism, and they are not about a country awash in firearms. The killings are never about race, because nothing is ever about race in this country, and it's never about guns, because of the 2nd Amendment. All too many citizens believe the garbage for us to have any meaningful discussions by our leaders, much less any effective action. I hope I am wrong.