culture and change

 There was a mass shooting in Baltimore, thirty people involved. Two were killed, several in critical condition, and others wounded. All the usual statements are being made. Of course, it is the fault of the guns. I did hear a few talking about this being a societal issue. That is the truth of the matter. It is a societal matter, a cultural issue to be exact. The cultural issue isn't specific to a specific race, something that most want to avoid talking about, but rather a broader culture. These cultures and sub-cultures develop and are noted and talked about initially, that's where we are at right now, and eventually become accepted, embraced as the norm, and sometimes even celebrated. I'm old enough to remember when being a hippie was talked about. A little before my time there were those smashing rock and roll records, that devil music was destroying our children. We all laugh about that today, but it was real to those living with that at the time. Disrespectful children, the wild bunch, riding motorcycles, smoking cigarettes, and loose women! Yes, it was quite the raucous time and today we look back and laugh. All of that has been absorbed into the culture of America, nothing to be upset about. Rock and Roll will live forever. 

 Today we have another cultural shift, call it the thug life culture or whatever, but it is a culture of violence and hate. That culture is what is fueling all these mass shootings, all the "gun" violence that predominates the news. When I was young, in the movies and television shows, the good guys always won, and the bad guys always paid the price for their wrongdoing. The good guys seldom killed anyone, except when someone needed killing and you knew that. The bad guys were the ones always shooting others for no real reason other than they were bad guys. We have reached the extremes in culture. On one side we have the all inclusive, empathetic, I accept you crowd and the other side is the I can do whatever I like crowd. There is little middle ground. It is the basis for the victim and survivor society that we see today. The message is, you are going to be one or the other. When you become a victim and don't die or get killed, you're a survivor! 

 There is an old saying, give them enough rope and they will hang themselves. A lot of truth in that simple statement. It isn't the rope's fault that it happens that way, it is the choices of those folks with the rope. This thug life culture is definitely headed in that direction at break neck speed. They are shooting each other at an alarming rate and many bystanders are getting caught up in the crossfire. I get it, it's cool to be a thug, or at least have other perceive you in that way. Peer pressure is the driving force behind all of that. Hanging out with the "in-crowd" has always been a thing and will always be a thing. You aren't going to change that. The only thing you can hope to change is the culture. No one knows how to do that! If they did, that person could control the world! It happens on a small scale occasionally; we call them cults when that happens. When one-person manages to influence and control others. It has become an industry, this promoting of the thug life! You can even buy merchandise. Today it is tattoos, maybe a scarf or other gang symbol, a certain style of vehicle, things like that, not all that different from the fads of the past. Leather jackets, cigarettes rolled in your tee shirt sleeve and engineers boots sent the same message. I'm a bad dude, don't mess with me. I probably have a switch blade knife! The difference today is I have a gun. An Ar style gun looks the baddest of all, but I will use a handgun just as quickly. It's a cultural thing. I write songs about that to justify my actions. I am defiant, I'm dangerous.

 All the laws in the world will not change a culture. It just doesn't happen that way. The best you can hope for is holding those violating the laws accountable. There has to be a consequence. Thing is, the consequence has to be known to be greater than the cool factor. For Christians that is expressed through what? Eternal damnation is the answer. That is the ultimate consequence of your choices, an eternity in hell! Other religious beliefs offer other consequences. Perhaps you will be a snake in your next life, or a dog. No Nirvana for you! It is the removal of consequence that drives all of this. Spare the rod and spoil the child. That proverb doesn't mean hitting your children with a stick! It does mean if you truly love your children, and others as yourself, you will always do what is best for them. There are consequences! 

 Until those that are behaving badly are faced with the reality of consequence little will change.  Retributive justice is what is required, from birth. It's what our Bible tells us. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. That is the path we need to follow. All the other talk is just about a more convenient form of justice, a more convenient form of love. A love where you don't use the rod at all, just spoil the children. Leave the decisions to the children, relieving yourself of the burden. Hey, I'm not the bad guy here. I'm just the cheerleader! I'm here to support you whether you are victim or survivor. It's all good.