Friday, April 10, 2009

A Daily Occurence

Today's shooting is at a community college in Dearborn, Michigan. It looks as though a man shot a woman and then killed himself. How many have been killed this month in a shooting incident? Will we ever start doing something to stop the carnage?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

As long as your NRA and their compatriots continue stubbornly with their love affair with guns, you will lose more people. I guarantee it! You Americans should start a revolution against this most horrible evil - firearms. How many more should die before you work for some real action, people?

Jeff Bailey said...

As an American, who happens to own guns, I would like to point out that my affinity for firearms has resulted in the deaths of exactly zero people.

I will try to avoid the hackneyed phrases about what guns do or do not. Instead, I would like to point out that it is against the law to end human life unless in certain limited circumstances. As we have seen, there are certain individuals who chose to disregard the laws governing the interaction of members of society.

If these people have no regard for the sanctity of human life, why are we to think that they will regards a much lesser regulation, that would prohibit them from possessing a tool, albeit one designed with the solitary purpose of destruction. At this point some will undoubtedly say that tools meant only to destroy should not be allowed. I would counter that certain things/people should be destroyed. While this may, at first glance, seem to contradict my earlier stance that there is a sanctity to life. The difference is that when someone (A) chooses to attempt to end one person's life (B), (A) has forfeited their own right to life. (In other words, killing in self-defense is ok in my book, and under the current law in many states in the US.)

It used to be the case in may European countries as well. While it is sad that citizens of those countries would allow their politicians to abrogate those rights on their behalf, public policy in the US is, and I thank the Lord for this, literally) not dictated by other nations.

Getting back to the original question of when we will do something to stop the carnage, the answer depends on the individual. Now, I am not claiming there will be a direct effect on the number of incidences, but perhaps we could start by being a little friendlier to one another. Perhaps we could show a bit more concern for our fellow man. (no government mandate needed.) Perhaps by showing an increased amount of concern, and though I am loathe to actually type it, love, for our fellow human beings, we will be able to spot those who may be despondent before their despondency leads them to an action with irreversible consequences.

You decide. I vote for today. It seems as good a time as any to start caring a little more for the people we interact with.

R J Adams said...

Mr Bailey - you talk the talk of Jesus with a firearm in your pocket. Jesus of Nazareth talked his talk without a weapon. You can't love your neighbor and be prepared to kill him at the same time.
As one who has lived fifty years in Europe, let me assure you the citizens of European nations are very thankful their governments acted on their behalf and outlawed firearms. Unlike many Americans, they no longer fear their neighbors, which makes it much easier to love them.