The night of the Oregon shooting I watched Fail Safe, which besides being one of my favorite movies, seemed somehow appropriate to the occasion. Two nations, caught up in the concept of Mutually Assured Destruction, and it is the innocent who suffer.

The concept of mass PTSD arising from a single incident – yet one taking place far from us – occurred to me last week after reading Facebook posts following the shooting. My initial reaction to upon hearing the news was one of deep, incoherent rage, and I logged on and merely typed in a series of obscenities.

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later, I began to read the posts which followed not only my cursing, but other posts, as well. We seem to be operating on a sort of emotional over-drive every time a shooting occurs, with the pro-gun and the anti-gun crowd posting the usual things, but it is the violent nature of the writing itself which should be of concern to us.

Rational argument soon gives way to personal attacks, from folks on both sides of the issue, until you just want to hurl tour computer screen across the room.

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People don’t just attack the views of others – they disparage the very humanity of the people they disagree with.

Asshole!

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Idiot!

Libtard!

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Moron!

It is at times like this when Facebook reminds one of those clubs where they search you at the door for a gun or a knife before you go in; if you don’t have one, they give you one.

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Our emotions are being stretched thin by gun violence in this country, and it is made worse by the coarse debate which follows, and the inane cliches which folks spout at the drop of a hat each and every time a shooting occurs.

We are standing at the edge of a spiritual precipice, and I’m not sure how much it will take before the ground beneath our feet gives way.

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******

Sign of the Times

It is sad thing, but I had to go online before I wrote this, just to make sure that there had not been another shooting today.

*****

Quote of the Day

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Education is learning what you didn’t even know you didn’t know. – Daniel J. Boorstin

Rsdrake@cox.net

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