We Didn’t Do Anything!

Now is the time to stop. Now is the time to think. Now is the time to help those in need. Now is the time to focus on the real problems at hand. Now is the time to offer comfort to those who are grieving. Now is the time to focus on people.

The irony was not lost on me between my last post and the events in Washington, DC today and now I find myself thrust into the spotlight (more like a flashlight given the reach of this blog). This is a topic that I did not want to or was planning to write about so soon but given the feedback that has been received I find that I have no other option than to address the issue at hand. However, before I continue writing I will say that everyone has the constitutionally protected right to have and share their opinion. The purpose of this post is not to argue, it is simply to offer an opinion (one of the many rights I exercise).   

Population Gun control has been the knee jerk reaction for most of this country in the wake of horrendous acts such as the one today. For people unfamiliar with firearms I can understand to a certain extent the need to focus their anger in such emotionally charged times. It is the desire to find some semblance of controlling the uncontrollable. Free will, no matter how disturbing it is in some instances, is uncontrollable which is why people have focused on the means and not the motive.

The societal problem at hand is not one that has anything to do with the rights granted to us by our forefathers. The problem is in the minds of the people. These actions are not committed by a piece of metal; these actions are committed by people. The means by which these horrific actions are carried out is irrelevant; the deranged individuals behind these acts are the problem.

The reaction of many in this country, including the current administration and the media, is not one that is productive. Attacking a large swath of the population and treating us as accessories to the crime is disgraceful. We should not be the focus of your efforts.

The focus, first and foremost, needs to be on the people affected by tragedy. Comfort your neighbor and offer whatever support you can. Be a calming influence on them and offer solace rather than stirring up hysteria. Secondly, find the people that are misguided, the people who are troubled, the people afflicted with mental illness and be proactive in preventing the prevalence of such tragedies.

Do I know the exact cause of such a breakdown in society and in the minds of the people? No. I am neither a sociologist nor a psychologist. But, it’s safe to say that there is a huge problem in this country and it does not stem from what we spend our own money on. Our issues are deep in the gray matter not in blued steel.