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Yesterday was once again a day of terror and violence. I took in the scenes on CNN of the attack on Boston and could only shrug my shoulders in disbelief. Today is the 6th anniversary of the massacre at Virginia Tech, and every day it only seems to get worse. Will every day become the anniversary of a shooting or a bombing?
What has surprised me most is my own reaction. Breaking news of the sort we received yesterday doesn’t seem to be news any more. I didn’t cry as I usually do for the victims of the other attacks. I thought, “It’s just what happens in our world.” That scares me. It is not how I want to be.
I’ve lived seventy long years and was living a good life, the day JFK was assassinated … also when his brother, Bobby, was killed and let’s not forget Martin Luther King, Jr.
I cried for those who died at Kent State … young people simply protesting the actions of a President, who the day before launched a campaign on Cambodia, during a war that few supported.
There was Rodney King, in 1991 who asked, “Can’t we all just get along,” after a horribly cruel beating by police officers who acted out of prejudice.
9/11 took us all by surprise. We never believed we’d see an attack of that magnitude on our homeland … home of free and land of the brave. But there have been other shootings, bombings, and wars all around the world, in places where people fear for their lives if they leave their homes, or go about their lives without noticing what is happening around them. It’s just the way it is. And I’m afraid there will be much more to come.
For me, the straw that finally broke my spirit altogether was the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, in Connecticut. It was a complete shock to my nervous system that even innocent children are not spared. Now, I simply have no more tears. But I have the hope that the parents and spouses of those who were murdered that day, can lead this confused nation back to the reality before us and bring a stop to much of the violence. But they cannot do it alone.
All of us, who believe in peace at home and abroad must stand up to stop the violence. That includes our lawmakers, many of who are afraid of not being re-elected if they back the gun control laws they are now considering. The events in Newtown could bring us to a New Country, and maybe even a New World, where all people can live free without fear of going out in public.
If we do nothing, I fear we will become a complacent society barely noticing what is happening around us. We can’t let that happen. Please make your feeling known to those who can make new laws, and stand tall for peace.
Please note that I will be taking a blog break until April 27th, so that I can deal with the mess on my desk, write a few letters, and plant flowers in my garden. I wish you all a glorious spring through which we can hopefully bring our country back to a life without fear.
I fear that many of us are becoming numb to the world we live in. I am tired of seeing the flags at half-mast yet again. Aurora theater shootings, Sandy Hook elementary, Boston. Acts of terrorism.
Virginia Tech, Oklahoma City, Columbine and now Boston all happening within calendar days of one another.
My son waited for me to cross a finish line of a marathon when he was eight years old. My heart aches for the family who lost their son. There are no words for any of this.
I’m with you, Ross. I cannot imagine what the world will be like for my grandchildren now 9 and 12 years old.
I was thinking about hate after this latest bombing. Where does it come from? What plants the seed in someone then makes it grow so much they want to see someone, anyone, die? And how can we get people who use that hate to reach out to their fellow man with love?
We’re exposed to so many different belief systems here in Qatar and I welcome the chance for my children to develop their own spirituality (or not if they so choose). My oft-repeated mantra that I seem to trot out at the end of any of our spiritual discussions is ‘the main thing is that you always try to put good into the world’.
But you know, reading your post makes me realise just how passive and wishy-washy that is. I do believe in putting good into the world in an active way (I do it by volunteering with a women’s group here), but you are right – we, I, should be ACTIVELY working to prevent the ‘bad’. I now need to choose which particular ‘bad’ to battle.
There are so many things that we can do, from visiting and speaking to our congressmen to helping an elderly person cross a busy street. I’ve learned that I cannot do it all, but even the smallest thing, any act of kindness, a letter to the person in charge of a particular situation, or writing a blog post can make a huge difference.
You sum up my experience and feelings perfectly. It’s the numbness to something that once was unthinkable that is so disturbing. I complained the other day to my husband about all of the crosses that are amassing along roadsides now. I said, “I don’t want to be reminded of death and mayhem everywhere I go.” His response was, “I think it keeps us aware of the problem, the tragedy, the sorrow that exists everywhere everyday. We can choose to be grateful for what we have and work more diligently to prevent future tragedy.”
Perhaps if we allow this uncomfortable awareness to be the silver lining in the cloud, we can begin to turn our uneasiness into action, as you suggest. The younger generation seems not to have the idealism that once motivated our generation, but perhaps it was that very idealism that has caused us to slip into despair and inaction as things get tough. 9/11 showed me the untapped power of our country unified behind a common enemy. Though it has grown mostly silent again, it is still there, waiting for the right set of circumstances.
Thanks for your response, Dorothy. I certainly agree with your husband and always try to bring positive thoughts to to the most negative circumstances. And I agree that the silver lining is our uncomfortable awareness and it eventually gets us all of our butts in order to make our opinions and thoughts known to those who can make a huge difference.