Where's the love?

Just the other day I was talking to Dr. J about the recent turn of events with Dr. Al-Arian's case (see No rest for the weary), and we were talking about how it seems that there are really truly evil people in the world. I try not to think that way, and try to see the best in people - even if I find people ignorant and obnoxious, I don't think I've gone to the point of considering them evil.

Today, however, I had a change of heart.

In the deadliest campus shooting in U.S. history, 33 people were killed (and an unknown number injured) this morning on the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, Va. The story is still unfolding, but from various news reports through the day it appears to have started with a "domestic dispute" in a student dorm, around 7am, where two people were shot and killed. Two hours later, the shooter continued his rampage in an academic building.

In response, Dubya expressed his shock and offered his condolences to the victims' families. It was no surprise, at least to me, that he followed that up with a plug for the NRA -

"The president believes that there is a right for people to bear arms,
but that all laws must be followed," the statement added.

It REALLY bothers me that even in the shadows of rising crime rates, and an increase in gun violence that there is this continued adherence to the 2nd Amendment right to bear arms. My interpretation of the right to bear arms is that every citizen has the right to protection, and, in theory, this protection is provided by the police. Of course, we've all - at some point - felt a void in police protection, some communities more than others - and while I'm not usually the biggest fan of police practices generally, I still believe that the purpose of the 2nd amendment is a matter of lawful protection.

Of course, there is a huge difference of opinion in this matter - and I'm somtimes shocked by hard-core 2nd Amendment junkies like this one,

"...The citizens, students and faculty of schools are denied their right to carry arms in their defense due to laws and policies of our government. If only one citizen was carrying, many if not all lives would have been saved. Our inalienable rights to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness are our personal responsibility, yet the government attempts to take these rights away from us on a regular basis. This is what the NRA and I stand for."

So basically - the argument is, instead of fixing the system of law enforcement to ensure that government protection is adequate, working on societal morals and norms, and creating lines of communication to nip inter-community/racial/ethnic tension in the bud - we're going to fight back with arms. Does anyone else recognize this as the beginning of lawlessness, and the ultimate demise of civil society?

If this is what the NRA stands for I can confidently reassure myself that I am adamantly opposed to everything that the NRA stands for.

When we turn to guns and violence to settle our disputes - we have started toward the point of no return. An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind (Ghandi). Sadly, I think we've already started down that road; our vision has been impaired. Violence is increasingly considered an accepted part of the movie industry, gaming industry ... we are subject to so much gore through the media, that we are numb to violence, and destruction. What have we become? When will we realize that everything we subject ourselves to in the alternate reality that we live in will ultimately effect the reality of the world around us.

People got me questioning ... where is the love?

At this point, I'm beyond questioning - I'm at the point of incredible rage and disbelief. And disappointment. Todays events shattered the sometimes foggy glass that I look through - so right now I'm looking through the cracks.

Is there any hope left? Someone ... reassure me that we stand for something good and true, and it will be worth it in the end. Someone reassure me that all hope is not lost. Someone convice me to see the good again.