Beyond the Hate

I was reading about a mass shooting and realized it wasn’t the one I thought just happened because another one, completely unrelated, had happened just a few hours later. And it made me angry. Anger, though, is almost always either fear or sadness. In this case, I believe it is equal measures of both. As a community, a country, a world, we need to take another look at what we’re doing individually and collectively to allow this to happen.

For those who react with “Thoughts and Prayers,” keep doing that. Keep thinking of ways to be the change that reminds us we’re all children of God who deserve compassion, love, and safety regardless of which side of the issue or the gun you stand on. And pray to your God, the God, a God for healing and understanding. We need that within ourselves and throughout our broken world. Then stretch out of your comfort zone and join the “We Have to Do Something” folks.

We definitely do have to do something, but I don’t think it’s a one-off. If you want to point fingers, then spread your hands out wide and point them all: mental health, gun access, disenfranchisement of our youth, hate, fear, blame. But if you stop now and look, your hands are open and outstretched. Keep them there. Let your arms and heart and mind follow.

Maybe you feel like you can’t change the world – maybe you can’t. But you can change yourself. Channel your fear and sadness away from hate and blame and use it as motivation to do something positive. Volunteer in your community so there are safe, constructive places for kids to go besides inside a computer screen. Meet your neighbors and keep a finger on how they’re doing. Do they need support? Can you be it or help them find it? Do you need support? Can you find it? It really is there if you reach out!

Get involved with your local government and offer your voice where it can be heard and actually make an impact. Railing on social media won’t change anything, but railing in a city council meeting might! If it doesn’t, then get off your computer and get on city council!

Rudyard Kipling said, “Keep your head when those around you are losing theirs.” It’s advice for our time. We can turn this around.

Rioting: The Unasked Questions

First there was Rodney King and the LA riots, an assortment of minor skirmishes along the way, then we had Ferguson and now Baltimore. Rioting seems to be growing in popularity as a national pastime, but I’m finding it all a bit confusing. Maybe I’m just too old to get it. I don’t know that I could actually huck a rock far enough to break out a store window anymore. I’d have to stand so close to get the job done, that I’d end up covered in glass shards which would then totally clog my Kenmore when I washed those clothes later on. Maybe, though, if someone could explain the mentality of rioting, I could better get into this new craze.

For example, I don’t understand the logic in destroying the neighborhood you live in. If you burn down all the buildings and rob all the stores, don’t those businesses leave? I’m thinking that if I own the local StuffMart and it gets looted and burned down in a riot, I’m going to collect my insurance check and reopen StuffMart where the crazy people don’t live. Maybe instead of setting all the cars on fire, we should get in them and drive to someone else’s neighborhood. Maybe not your grandma’s neighborhood, but there are some bad neighborhoods that might actually benefit from having all the buildings burned down!

On a positive note, riots do seem to get people off the couch and out of the house. If you’re running from the police, at least you’re running. That’s good for your heart. Turning cars over probably builds some good upper body muscles. These things will be especially important if the gyms have all been burned down. You’ve got to get your workout in somewhere.

Overall, though, I’m not completely clear on how committing criminal acts will help us reach our goals. If our goals are to change the system, I’m not sure that this is an effective way to do it. I’m just tossing out ideas here, but maybe instead of picking up rocks or fire bombs, we should pick up ballots and books. If you don’t like how your city is run, get involved. Be the change you want to see. You have a voice, but no one will hear it over blaring sirens from fire trucks, riot squads, and ambulances. But hey, what do I know?