Monday, June 13, 2016

Listen

 I was out most of the day yesterday. When I came home and turned on the news I heard about the shooting in Orlando. The first thing I heard was fifty dead and fifty three wounded. A gunman, armed with a semi-automatic rifle was the perpetrator of this crime. Much was being made of the fact that this was a gay nightclub and the criminal pledged allegiance to Isis. The outcry for answers is loud and strong, understandably so, but no answer will be forthcoming. There is no explanation for atrocity ! What motivates a person to commit such an act ? Mental illness is the only answer. This atrocity will be used as fuel for more violence, more hatred and more regulation. It is inevitable.
 This person had been investigated previously by the FBI. He was not unknown. The thing is he had done nothing criminal. He was investigated for " speaking " his views and opinions. We are allowed to do that in America. Freedom is a two edged sword. I wouldn't remove that sword from the hands of the people. Hindsight is always twenty twenty. This person worked as a security guard ! That he was properly vetted and allowed to purchase the weapon (s) used is regrettable now. Prior to that action it was no more than his right. No explanation is required. No one can know the mind of another. The fault lies not with the process, but with the individual.
 There are no answers. There are no actions to be taken. We are defenseless against the thoughts of another. Unless there are some outward signs how can we know ? Even when there may be " signs " how do we determine which to act upon ? Is speech enough ?
 The gunman used an AR-15 rifle. The media will report this as an assault rifle. A made up term to " frighten " those that don't know better ? Well, I got news for you, any firearm is an assault weapon when used to assault people ! So are knives, baseball bats, bombs or any other object when used to assault others ! The AR-15 isn't any deadlier than any other semi-automatic rifle. It still requires a person to pull the trigger. Atrocities are perpetrated by people not weapons. The weapons are merely the tools. We don't have a gun problem, we have a people problem. Sadly it has always been so, and sadly it will continue.
 There are no answers. All that remains to us is prayer. To whomever or whatever you offer your prayers. For in prayer there lies hope. Prayer is a promise. All that is required is faith. If one truly examines their own heart, in prayer, the answer is forthcoming. That answer does not involve violence against others. Those thoughts are planted by men for there own benefit. Those thoughts are the siren call of the wicked. The ones that inspire those actions are not the ones dying ! There is a reason for that. They are using others to further their cause, not yours. Until we get people to listen to their hearts and not an ideology this will continue. God, whatever you conceive that to be, speaks to us through our hearts. We all need to listen.
  

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