A Response to “My View on Human Tragedies: Why Some Do What They Do” By Danny Ray

Good morning or evening everyone, although I had a rather good time over at Deb’s parents house watching the games and having homemade chilli, I found out that me and Football at 8:30 in the morning is Crazy! I was wiped out. Think I’ll just set the DVR to record if there is another early game.

It’s Monday here in the US a start of a new week and I hope all goes well for everyone despite everything we have been hearing in the news lately. Too many tragedies across the countries! I read Danny’s post this morning,  “My View on Human Tragedies: Why Some Do What They Do” Please allow  five minutes to read this post because there are some very hard truths in life that we have to face every day. After reading it, I thought of that article I wrote back in May of 1998. Within The Shadows, There I stand that was published in the Sacramento Vally Mirror, why? I’ll explain.

Off-track a bit but relates:

In the past, before smart phones and news reaching us at instant gratification speed, our little world was just that. Communities or blocks of neighbours saying good morning to each other, babysitting houses to watching our neighbours pets while they were away -we lived in a bubble so to speak.  I will admit I miss those times. Father shouting, ” twist it more” from inside the house as you are outside twisting the antenna so that the channel would come in better. We were lucky to get three to seven channels back then, a time when Sunday evening was set aside for children to watch Disney movies or positive Disney cartoons, we don’t have this anymore.

As seasons change, so do our appetite of viewing pleasures to getting the latest gossip of what is happening., we have this need that thirsts and hunger for wanting things now, new, different flavors to delight our palates, we are looking for gratification unlike having an orgasm, that special feeling when ready to release our  juice of life, the way certain foods once placed on our tongue that makes us close our eyes while relishing a moment of what some call, tasting Heaven.

Back on track:

With the vast amount of news media and social media platforms around today, we get our news fix on the fly, the day of the Oregon shooting my smartphone went off six times back to back with tragic news and yesterday while watching the games my phone notified me that the brother to the LA Dodgers Pitcher was gunned down. Five days ago in my neck of the woods in Harrisburg, SD a Principle was shot by one of the students that got upset because he was told that he had to be accountable for his actions. Obviously the student did not like that remark and shot the principle out of retaliation. You can read more about that here: Harrisburg High School Principal Shot, Shooter In Custody.

Just as Danny’ stated,

“Unfortunately, there are many painful truths about humankind. One of those facts is the competitive, aggressive and selfish nature that lives inside us.

You can take away guns, knives, ammunition, but you cannot take away the human condition. Where there exists insecurity, there will exist desire. And desire is one of the most powerful forces in man. It can launch a person into space and it can kill another for $25.”

This is a true statement of our species. Most have this thirst, this hunger that drives us to either do our best or wreck havoc on others to obtain what we desire. Desire is a strong emotion like hope and faith has for many of us. We could create a stricter ban on guns, but the black market and the ones selling arms out of their trunks will continue, they will just find a different avenue.  Our prisons are full and have been for quite some time now, where would we put them? The drug dealers that strive to live like millionaires, possibly filled with excitement that Mary Jane has been legalized in many states now. A different avenue was paved for them.

It’s not guns or other weapons of destruction that inflict pain, hearing of a family structure destroyed, some business and family homes set to ashes, certain families fighting constantly over financial struggles,  the child that was bullied over social media platforms, the rolled eyes from a co-worker or by an indigestible roommate.

It is us the Human that picks up the weapons choosing to inflict pain for various reasons. We have choices in life like not watching a certain show on TV, not read a certain book, not drive certain vehicles, not to be with a certain person that cause harm or worse, not to live in certain dwellings or areas. Not to pick up the gun, not to type those bully words.