Tag Archive for violence

Let Me Dream

August 28, 2020 Comments Off on Let Me Dream

Starting in November, no matter who we vote in as President, I fervently hope the spirit of Martin Luther King., Jr. rests upon his shoulders and infuses his decisions with the fire to fight violence and its major cause, injustice, in our nation.  I dream that this spirit spreads from our leader to our lawmakers, who will then regain the respect of their constituents, who will, in turn, reject violence in all its dehumanizing forms and embrace justice for all of our citizens.  From there, they will demand justice for all other citizens of the world and pursue it in peaceful, yet effective ways.

This is a huge dream, even a foolishly optimistic one.  But, just imagine–if everyone shared my dream and worked to make it reality, what would our new world look like?

Let me dream.

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Misguided Religious Views

May 20, 2020 Comments Off on Misguided Religious Views

Some religions want to destroy us, because we’re so different from them.  Thank God Christians have the Golden Rule.  Then, again, it appears in the sacred writings of most religions, commanding followers to show compassion and mercy.  But we have the 10 Commandments.  Which came from the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and are spread throughout the Qur’an.  Jesus emphasized caring for the poor and vulnerable.  Mmmm…there are those other statements: “the key of Paradise is love for the poor” (Islam); “rescue the weak and needy” (Judaism); “give, even though it be little” (Buddhism); give “to the homeless, distressed man” (Hinduism).  And all major religions either support organ donation or declare it a personal decision.  Could it be that the violence in our world is caused by misguided individuals, not by people trying to live out the positive beliefs of their faith?  And by people who fear religions because they don’t understand them?  We should celebrate our sameness allow our diverse family to come together.  That should defeat the misguided few and those who perpetuate violence against people of other faiths.

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Guns DO Kill People–in the Wrong Hands

August 5, 2019 Comments Off on Guns DO Kill People–in the Wrong Hands

I’m not advocating taking people’s guns or rights away, but I am advocating for sensible laws and regulations (since it isn’t happening without them) that would prevent the epidemic of gun violence in our country from spreading even more.

We hear only of the larger events, not so much the smaller ones covered only by local media. On Aug. 4, 2019, 216 calendar days have passed. Compare that with these figures for those days so far related to gun violence:

33,044 incidents — 8,735 deaths — 17,344 injuries — 393 children (0-11) injured or killed — 1,798 teens (12-17) injured or killed — 253 mass shootings (yes, more than one a day). More in one half of the country than the other (see map).

If that doesn’t make gun violence an epidemic, nothing does. We MUST stop just talking about it and begin NOW to eradicate it! Other countries have managed it; why not the U.S?

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I Could Have Lost My Son

July 29, 2019 Comments Off on I Could Have Lost My Son

I was very shaken. I’ve seen news of mass shootings in various cities. I’ve prayed for the victims and their families and felt a lump in my heart for them. But this was different.  My son and his girlfriend decided at the last minute not to go to the Gilroy Garlic Festival. If they had gone, they would be there when the shooter killed three people, including a 6-year-old, and injured a dozen others. Life is such a precious gift, one we must make an effort to protect from the rampant violence in our country. Each of us must put pressure on our lawmakers to make fair and equitable laws that address issues of mental health, gun safety, responsible gun ownership.  In our own lives, we must confront violence in any form we encounter—bullying, domestic violence, road rage, animal cruelty, taunts on social media—because those things perpetuate the culture of violence that is killing our loved ones and our souls.

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Why Are We Overrun by Immigrants?

June 19, 2019 Comments Off on Why Are We Overrun by Immigrants?

A new United Nations report has an answer. It points out that almost 71 million people have left their home countries, not because they want to but because that’s the only way they and their children can escape persecution, violence, and war. That’s approximately 1 in every 108 people living on this planet. We’re seeing them flee to our country, but so are other countries (ask Germany).

What’s wrong with us? Can’t we work harder toward peace? Get rid of world leaders who are egomaniacs, narcissists, power-hungry, greedy, or killing people in the name of God? Can’t we work on ourselves and our attitude of “We don’t care, because we’re fine here?”–an attitue that leads us to complacency and acceptance of violence and hatred we see in our daily lives?

Can’t we remember that, after all, we are a family of human beings?

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“Funny” TV Ads

February 15, 2019 Comments Off on “Funny” TV Ads

Gotta love those funny TV commercials!  How about the ad where one guy hits another in the head with a cell phone, twice, or where a woman bounces a cue ball off the forehead of an obnoxious man?  Then there’s the guy who breaks down a wall to be allowed to answer a quiz question.  We’re supposed to laugh, of course.  If we do, though, what we’re telling our kids is that violence is both an acceptable response to minor irritants and funny.  It’s time to change this way of thinking.  We start not by laughing at the aggressive scene but by using the ads as a chance to talk to our kids about violence against our fellow humans.  Our discussion will likely bring out stories of similar antagonism on the playground or among their friends and give us a chance to offer guidance in how to handle such situations. 

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Prepare and Share for Valentine’s Day

February 12, 2019 Comments Off on Prepare and Share for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is almost here and you don’t have a gift for your Special Person.  Why not choose a gift that says, “Let’s share our love!”  Present Sweetie with something that benefits a group or cause.  Many companies dedicate proceeds from the sale of certain products to fighting cancer, preventing domestic violence, or helping victims of disasters.   Others offer “fair trade” products–food items, for example, whose production has been overseen to ensure that workers have not been enslaved or mistreated.   Possible gifts include cosmetics, gloves, scarves, T-shirts, fitness aids (exercise mats, heart-rate monitor watch, etc.), lunch boxes, coffee, and chocolate. 

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Guns: Where we stand in the World

December 14, 2018 Comments Off on Guns: Where we stand in the World

The CDC has compiled all its 2017 statistics and revealed a startling fact: almost 40,000 people died last year from guns in the U.S. That’s the highest number in 40 years. (1999 saw 30,000 such deaths.)  It’s also the third year in a row of increase, after years of stable numbers.

Worldwide, our country makes  up 14.2% of gun deaths, surpassed only by Brazil, with 17.2% of the world’s gun-related deaths. Note that we aren’t talking war here–except individually against other individuals and ourselves. A good number of U.S. gun deaths (60%) are suicides, and we see daily news reports about someone shooting people in schools, venues, and places of worship.

You can read more specifics in the Huffington Post article U.S. Gun Violence Claimed More Lives In 2017 Than Ever: CDC.

I don’t care if you’re pro-gun, anti-gun, or something in between. It’s obvious that gun violence is an epidemic in America, one that needs a cure. Studies have shown that it isn’t because we have more people with mental health problems here–countries with similar numbers of those people don’t have the gun violence we have.

So what is the cause? We don’t know but must get serious about finding out. And what is the cure? Again, we don’t know but MUST get serious about finding out.

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Be a Team Player

October 17, 2018 Comments Off on Be a Team Player

One of the least-loving places we visit is where our child’s team competes.  Be it soccer or softball, you’ve sat in the stands, cringing when a parent cusses at the referee or some adult encourages fighting or intentional injury, either directly or indirectly by non-verbal approval when it happens.  This can be an opportunity for you to be a good example to your child, the teams, and the adults who aren’t acting like good role models.

There are many things you can do.  Ask that man not to use ethnic slurs around your kids.  Find something during the game to compliment the small, awkward child on the team.

If your child acts with violence, make sure your language (body and verbal) clearly indicates your disapproval.  In front of other adults and the team, express your appreciation to the referee for his time and fairness.  When you leave, have your child help you dispose of your family’s trash, plus what was left by people around you.  Keep your eyes, ears, and heart open; you’ll find ways to be an example that your kids can look up to.

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1968 and Beyond: God Bless America

June 5, 2018 Comments Off on 1968 and Beyond: God Bless America

It really WAS “the year that changed America.”  While living through it in my twenties, I didn’t realize that, of course.  It just seemed that a whole lot of bad stuff and changes were happening.

I recorded the four-part series “1968: The Year that Changed America” and have just finished watching it.  I realize now that my mind, in its mercy, stretched out all those events over several years rather than containing them in that one actual year.

I realize, too, that 1968 changed not only my country but me, too. I became more aware of the atrocities people can carry out on each other and of the ever-present good people who step in to help victims; of unjust laws and people acting to change them; of prejudice and bigotry and those of all colors who unite to fight them; of senseless violence and people who mourn, then rise to say “Never again!”

Watching “1968” had an odd effect on me.  It saddened me as I remembered my emotions at the time.  And it encouraged me, because it reminded me that Americans are resilient, determined, and caring.  It made me more optimistic as I live through this current turbulent era.

And it reminded me that God truly does bless America, and He does it through us, the people.

 

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