Tuesday, October 3, 2017

COMMENTARY – EVEN IN TRAGEDY

October 1, 2017, will be a day that goes down in the annals of history as one of the most tragic days in American history. At 9:40pm PDT, a gunman opened fire from the 32nd floor of a hotel, firing into a crowd of over 20,000 concertgoers. From where I sit, this looks to have been a well-planned, premeditated mass murder. You can obtain more details on the actual shooting from just about any news outlet. That isn’t what I want to talk about.

I have a personal connection with one of the people that was wounded in this attack. She is fine now, but I’m sure that the memory will haunt her for some time. The debate on gun control has been reignited with a vengeance. That isn’t what I want to talk about.

If you watch some of the multiple videos that were taken during this horrific event, you might witness something that astounds you. Husbands, boyfriends and strangers shielding their loved ones and even people that they didn’t know from the onslaught with their own bodies. This is what I want to talk about.

The desire to run from danger is natural. It is almost overpowering in an instance where it is impossible to fight back. Yet, some people stay, some people are willing to sacrifice themselves for others. We call these people heroes.

For the most part, they don’t set out to be extraordinary, they act instinctively to save those that need help. They are the sheepdogs for the sheep. Unfortunately, there is another kind out there, the kind that only wants to pick at the flesh of the injured and dying, the vultures.

The shooting had barely finished when some people were saying, tweeting and posting how the concert goers ‘deserved what they got.’ One Vice President of a major television network was immediately fired for uttering such a statement. That didn’t stop others. It didn’t stop even more from quickly turning the situation into a political football.

I will be completely honest with you. When I saw some of the statements that were coming out from liberals or progressives or whatever you want to call them, I was tempted to send a tweet of my own. I almost gave in and sent out, “Heard he was a Hillary supporter. This is how they act.” I resisted. I don’t’ know that it’s true and I know that it isn’t fair or right.

This isn’t the time for it. This is the time for us to do what we do in any disaster, unify. Help each other heal. Stop looking for reasons, they don’t matter right now, and it isn’t our job. We have agencies that are working on that. We, the people, have a much more important task. Hold on to one another, pray, if you believe, and offer encouragement.

I am crying for those that have lost loved ones in this. My heart aches for those who have been hurt. I can’t seem to summon any hate for the one who perpetrated this crime, only sadness.

If you want to make this political, go ahead, you should be despised for it, and I pray that everyone sees you for what you are. If you take glee of any kind in this, I pity you beyond what you can imagine, you are not worthy to be called a member of the human race.

If you are as horrified and saddened as I am, then I thank you on behalf of those who cannot, for your compassion and your humanity.

KM

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