How many must die before we finally get it?
\nHow long before we realize our role in this toxic environment?
\nHow many? How long?<\/p>\n
It\u2019s hard for me to wrap my brain and my heart around what just happened in Vegas. A man decides to take target practice on thousands of innocent targets. Those persons did nothing to him. But he was irrational \u2014 maybe \u201cmad as hell\u201d and \u201cnot going to take this anymore.\u201d And so for whatever reason, he felt justified treating others in a heartless, horrific way. He justified treating others awfully.<\/p>\n
It won\u2019t be long before the calls for gun control and increased security measures fill up the airwaves. Sure, let\u2019s have those conversations.<\/p>\n
But let us not have them before we deal with the \u201chow many\u201d and \u201chow long.\u201d Let us not have any more proposals until we deal with a bigger bottom line. And, recognizing that what we\u2019re about to wrestle with is both bold and uncomfortable, let us realize how we<\/em> have contributed to this conflict. Let us recognize how we have contributed to treating others awfully.<\/p>\n It doesn\u2019t take a rocket scientist to recognize the deterioration of our public and personal rhetoric. We have justified calling others the worst. Allow me a mere few examples, heard in recent weeks\u00a0(please excuse my vulgarity; these are direct quotes, with asterisks strategically positioned by the Intramuralist):<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cSuch an a**hole! \u2026 all thieves! \u2026 FU**TARD LIAR! \u2026 Racist pigs \u2014 each and every one of them! \u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Each of the above was said by a person considered to be a college-educated, pretty intelligent person. And yet, each justifies such callous derogation. And yet again, the insult list goes on.<\/p>\n Do we need more gun control? Maybe.<\/p>\n Do we need increased security measures? Maybe.<\/p>\n But more than any new practice or policy, we need the people of this country to quit believing they can scream insults at one another and believe nothing bad is going to happen \u2014 that no one will act irrationally and take it too far.<\/p>\n If we keep believing we can scream and shout and use such awful terms to describe our fellow men and women \u2014 who are created and loved by the great big God of the universe just like us \u2014 then we have had an active role in taking it too far. We have contributed to the toxic, non-God-honoring environment that too frequently exists. We have contributed to the deterioration of authentic community; we should be making it better\u00a0\u2014 not worse. Let me be clear: only loving the likeminded, “like-looking” or “like-something”<\/em> is making it worse.<\/p>\n In Vegas, current estimates are that at least 59 people died and 500+ more were injured. Details about the shooter and the crime scene are still forthcoming.<\/p>\n No doubt, because our horror is massive and our shock still reigns, many will call for an immediate solution so that we never feel such horror again \u2014 perhaps some new policy enactment. Still more will find whatever this shooter was associated with and declare that \u201cthose people\u201d (whoever those people are)<\/em> need to be eliminated.<\/p>\n The Intramuralist suggests we start with something a little more personal and uncomfortable. Let us be the change we want to see. Let us stop justifying the awful rhetoric. Let us stop screaming and unfriending and focusing on what we don\u2019t have in common.<\/p>\n Yesterday, as I walked into the fitness room for my daily, morning routine, as usual, the cleaning crew also arrived bright and early. I motioned to the middle-aged man I see most Mondays. He is typically quiet and shy, never wanting to disturb me or interrupt my routine. \u2028\u2028I meekly asked, \u201cDid you see the news this morning?\u201d<\/p>\n The respectful gentleman, responded mostly in hand motions, acknowledging that his English fluency was minimal, but he had heard about the tragedy in Las Vegas. I then asked if he wanted to come watch the news with me in the workout room, inviting him in.<\/p>\n We turned on the news\u2026 and stood there\u2026 still\u2026 together. After a few minutes, he pointed to his forearm, showing me the goosebumps from his sadness and shock. I pointed to mine, too.<\/p>\n \u201cSad,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cYes,\u201d I agreed.<\/p>\n We looked at each other \u2014 and then hugged each other.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s your name?\u201d I then asked.<\/p>\n \u201cPablo,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cNice to meet you, Pablo.\u201d<\/p>\n America, we are one. Any immediate solution needs to deal with that bigger bottom line\u2026 meaning we realize more what we do have in common than what we don\u2019t\u2026 and stop justifying treating any others awfully.<\/p>\n Respectfully\u2026 painfully, too\u2026 How many must die before we finally get it? How long before we realize our role in this toxic environment? How many? How long? It\u2019s hard for me to wrap my brain and my heart around what just happened in Vegas. A man decides to take target practice on thousands of innocent targets. Those persons … <\/p>\n
\nAR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"