"...come on get down with the sickness..."
On this Valentine's Day, February 14th, 2018; a young man walked into a school in Broward County FL and began a shooting spree that as of this writing has claimed two lives (updated to 17 lives) and injured about 30 others. As in every mass shooting situation, the blame is now slowly but surely being placed at the feet of an inanimate object that is useless without it's human user. Why? Because it is always more profitable to treat a symptom than it is to find a cure. Especially when those espousing treatment of the symptom are complicit in the propagation of the disease.
I hear "guns", "video games", "rap music" and am as of yet waiting for someone to blame "climate change"...as ridiculous as that may sound. Folks, I don't care what side you're on. I'm just tired. Believe what you want because in the end...the truth of what I'm about to say will stand regardless. I'm sick of hearing the same thing over and over again. Tired of folk wanting to try remedies that are proven ineffective simply because they cannot come to say "What have WE done?"..."Where did WE go wrong?". I'm thinkin it's about time we tell the truth about this...
I remember the day when the main protagonist in a movie was heartbroken over the idea he had to take a life. Now, these same heros kill without remorse. Warriors lived by a code that viewed life precious and that the defense of life itself was the only thing worth killing and/or dying for. Today, hurt feelings seem to be enough. We live in an age where humans are taught that hurt feelings must not only be validated but revenged by external action. Such ideologies have forced us into the stifling of speech for some and allowing the destruction of private property for others. Where violence is justified and even encouraged if some don't get there way. Where even aberrant behavior is normalized to spare some from critique that may even spare them from a painful road. All the while creating a generation believing that the "I" takes precedence over the "you". It's amusing to look back on these traits and see something striking as I recognize them all too well. Do you know where you can find this mindset? In babies and toddlers...
As a father of two men in their early twenties, I've been privileged to watch them grow and have been blessed in studying their beautiful process. Early on, I came to learn that the most important teaching I could ever instill towards their manhood was that "life is not fair"...nor will it ever be. That life, at times is a battle. That although we may be entitled to anger, rage and hate due to its unfairness, we are never entitled to act out in ways that break laws, hurt others or that does unjustified damage. That as we grow, we learn that negative feelings do more damage to our health than unfairness ever could and that before mastering our surroundings, we must first learn to master and/or understand our emotions. Especially the negative ones. Teachings that seed maturity. A maturity that comes with all manner of self-control, humility, introspection, responsibility and most of all...perspective that allows for the appreciation of life itself. Without these things a human will always remain incomplete and life will become a cycle of unnecessary battles. In this age, I have seen politicians and talking heads looking at humans as though they were battering rams for their respective agendas. They no longer see souls. All they see are tools and since their opulent lives are the only ones that matter...your value is relegated to one of utility. No more, no less. Your growth means nothing them and they teach you to think the same way about others. As such, it is in their best interest to rationalize this stunted state, give it a degree...and call it growth. Friend, if your 18 and you don't know that although you have the human capacity to act on a negative emotion but that it is more prudent that you don't? You haven't learned a thing and are more likely than not, being used by people that expect you to brave a cell their connections keep them out of. A "safe space" is not your friend...it ain't nothin but a crutch that you will always need until you learn how to work through your emotions.
What we see today is the by-product of a disease. A well balanced individual should be able to carry a gun, play video games and bop their head to rap music just fine. These are not the problem. Banning these things is akin to putting bumpers by the stairs and covering up electric sockets for the wandering child. Wise tactics used in the safety of our children...until they start learning the real dangers of each through consequential thinking to live out a balanced life. As babies, there came a time when my sons found out that all they had to do was cry to get picked up. It wasn't for food nor was it a wet diaper and we caught on quick. So we decided that when they cried, we had to wait in the other room in agony until they stopped. That action alone began their road to maturity. They learned then that crying would no longer be the way they would resolve an issue. At some point we must stop coddling humans. We must allow them to accept the word "NO" so they can learn to work through rejection as opposed to throwin a fit or in the case of some...beatin on a defenseless garbage can. If we don't...God save us.
Folks...life is valuable enough for the truth that hurts to heal. It's valuable enough for all disappointment meant to foster resolve. It's valuable enough for every fall that forces one to stand and yes, it's valuable enough for the pain of loss that teaches us how to measure true value. Stop talking symptoms...start talkin disease. I'm out...
~Moses
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