They know not what they do. Today, in Las Vegas, people are celebrating the lives of the victims of the horrific shooting. They mean well, desperate to find a way to say “We care” and “We are deeply saddened.” Unfortunately, they’re misguided.
The dove is a symbol of peace. But consider these doves. There’s a prosperous industry that breeds and raises doves in captivity to be purchased and released at weddings, funerals, and memorials of tragic events. These birds have never been in the wild, never learned to protect themselves from predators or find food for themselves. The result is that birds of prey (falcons, hawks, etc.) make a quick meal of the helpless doves. The ones that escape their talons go hungry or starve to death. They don’t have a chance.
To me, that soils the symbolism.
Please consider this if you ever think of using doves as part of your celebration.