it's time to seek a different road

Dear Penny, Miriam and All, 

There is no question that we all share in the grief and sorrow for the lost children, their families and all who have been directly touched by this young 24 year old man turned monster. 

And yes, you are right, we should feel compassion for "even the families of the shooter". 

I would prefer to say, especially the families of the shooter.  Too often we transfer the horrific actions of a killer onto the backs of the family members.  As overwhelmed as I was upon hearing the news of this mass murder, imagine what it would feel like to learn that these children's lives were snuffed out by a member of your very own family.  These are people whose lives are every bit as damaged as are the lives of the victims families. 

But what breaks my heart in all of this is the knowledge that we will not learn from it.  Sure, here and there some people vow to work to make a difference.  But as a nation, we continue to drift in troubled waters tossed more and more often on the cruel rocks of violence.  

And I do believe that this is the time to begin asking how we can feel such hurt and shock, without feeling the same emotions whenever we hear of little children anywhere in the world being murdered. 

Of course I think of my own young grand children, ages 6, 5, 4 and one month old and my 4 year old great grand son.  What would I do if their little innocent lives were taken from them by some mad man? 

And I can't help then, of wondering what it would feel like to have a drone drop from the black sky onto my house, killing and maiming my family. 

If we were one family of human beings, we would never allow such cruelty to be inflicted upon any child. 

My worst fear is that we will not find the love to reach out to all children, everywhere.  That we will turn our back on other people because we declare them "different" than us.  And that we will continue to promote violence throughout the world, and then wonder how it is that a 24 year old young man could suddenly go crazy. 

 

Carl Jarvis

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Penny Reeder

To: Blind Democracy Discussion List

Sent: Saturday, December 15, 2012 3:16 PM

Subject: Re: Didn't anything newsworthy happen today?

Miriam, I think we all need to feel the dread, and share the sadness
of families who have lost their six-year-olds to senseless violence, a
town that has forever lost its sense of well being, families of the
teachers and the principal, and, yes, even the families of the
shooter.

What a horrific, senseless, unfathomable event!

It seems cruel to me for some to compare this grief to others.  Loss
is loss.  Grief is grief.  It is important for us to be available for
one another at times like these.  I have a sweet grandaughter who is
six.  I cannot imagine how someone could take a rifle and shoot her,
or any other innocent child.

Penny

On 12/15/12, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@optonline.net> wrote:
>
> I'm listening to Weekend Edition on NPR and so far, all they're talking
> about is the shooting yesterday and basically, there's no news aside from
> the unofficial knowledge of the name and age of the shooter. They just keep
> quoting people in the town and experts but it's just wallowing in this
> horror over and over.
>
> Miriam
>
> _______________________________________________
> Blind-Democracy mailing list
> Blind-Democracy@octothorp.org
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