A good friend and I were having a discussion the other day. We were talking about the recent massacre in Las Vegas. This was in the immediate aftermath, and confusion and frustration were flowing. Right after, people were talking gun control and motives. This friend said that it doesn’t pay to get emotional about events/presidents/politics in general because it won’t do any good. “Nothing will change based upon my reaction” … said my friend “and furthermore, the media is all about dividing us and giving us the perception that we are being targeted.” Hmmm … my inclination was to disagree, because that’s what I do. However, I thought about the media that I don’t listen to – the one that is dividing (in my opinion) the population and saying my side is the problem “well, they’re full of it …” and then I thought “wait, she’s right”. It’s all a matter of perspective, and I usually only want to hear what I want to hear.
So we continued with our online discussion of the massacre. I said the motive doesn’t seem clear. According to his brother, he was a well-off 64 year old guy that wasn’t necessarily political or religious – the killer doesn’t sound like your typical run of the mill psychopath. “Maybe he was angry at the world”. The world right now seems angry. I talked about corporate culture, and how if I’m in a bad mood, it trickles down. I need to always be on stage because my demeanor and attitude affects the people around me, and then the people around them, and pretty soon Jordan is going home and kicking her dog.*
A quote by Edmund Burke - The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
If we allow people who don’t share our opinions to go to their corners angry, if we watch, listen and read only news that confirms our “stories” … if we don’t question questionable behavior, then Las Vegas will continue, and it will get bigger and messier. If you want to affect positive change, do something. However, do it with love, compassion, and caring. If you see something, tell someone. Let’s get back to neighbors caring for neighbors … brothers caring for brothers/sisters … people caring for people. Let’s not wait for tragic events to bring us together.
*Not really, she’d tell me to slap on a smile and get happy. The Marker girls are strong that way …
