Archive for August 5th, 2012

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The Other C Word

08/05/2012

If you’ve ever seen the movie “Minority Report”, you probably remember how they used “scientific” methods to detect that someone was going to commit a crime and proceed to arrest the person prior to the event. In the end, human fallibility and the concept that we all have free will shut down the program.

In the news recently, there have been stories on several horrific mass shootings, war in Syria, suicide bombers in Yemen, and an all-out verbal war in the presidential race. As much as I’d like things like this to go away (especially the partisan bickering), what is especially bothersome is the American peanut gallery. I’m not talking about knowledgeable experts providing their perspective but rather the crackpots who take every opportunity to spout nonsense and inflame an already bad situation. Specifically, I’m thinking about the NRA and their stooge Ted Nugent. When the issue of guns in America arises, we need to have people talking to each other and not ranting into every microphone they see.

As bad as that is, in the aftermath of the Sikh Temple shooting, the Westboro Baptist Church tweets that God sent the shooter and that it was “beautiful”.  While not unexpected from this rabid pack of hate-spewing gene-pool rejects, I was still shocked. What has happened to our country where this kind of thinking can happen let alone be broadcast in social media? Makes me wish the pre-crime unit from “Minority Report” was a reality!

Not really. The idea of reading intent makes me ill but it does make me wonder where the conscience of America has gone? The C word that is supposed to be the core of our values. The word that allowed our Founding Fathers to declare independence from tyranny and create the basis for a government where all men are created equal.

Hate has always been present in the U.S. and has a long history from the anti-masons, to slave owners, through the KKK, to those wild and crazy guys at Westboro. What has always defeated (sometimes just deflated) these groups was the conscience of a large number of people who would not stand for any more. Sometimes it took a president to function as a uniter but the feeling had to be there in the first place.

I grew up during an unprecedented period of peace so, when I see the wave of hate currently in vogue, it really alarms me. My gut reaction is that things are falling to pieces but my rational mind says that what is happening now has happened in the past. Still, my conscience bothers me enough that I want to do something. For me, that means speaking out. You should make you own decision.

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Bang Your Head

08/05/2012

I’ve been asked why I continue to blog about current events instead of finding a niche. Stuff like music, movies, dressing dogs in human clothes, or NASCAR. They ask how I can continue to bang my head on the wall when there are so many shrill voices out there just waiting to shoot it down. Simple. It feels so good when I stop!

To be honest, the actual writing itself is cathartic. When I scan the news of the day, I always find something outrageous. In our 24×7 news-cycle world, I’m barraged by craziness. I could just sit here and take the spoon feeding but that would probably lead to an ulcer. If I write, at least there’s an outlet.

For example, there is a story today about a shooting in a Sikh temple in Wisconsin. As with all mass killings, it’s a horrible tragedy. I start thinking about how this happened and how our society allows things like this to happen. I’ve learned from past experience that writing about how this gun violence outrages me would just bring out the gun nuts and ultra-conservative lawyer wannabes who are convinced that they have the one and only interpretation of the 2nd amendment. If there is any discussion or comments, it quickly denigrates into an “I said, you said” situation.

So there really isn’t any sense in my making a big deal out of it. It’s Sunday, I can go back to my chores and Sunday baseball on the television and just relax. It really does feel good when you stop.

So have a good Sunday readers and get…

Oh Hell. How in the world can we continue to cultivate a society where we glorify guns at the expense of innocent people?????

Whew, I feel a lot better now.

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