Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

We have a celebrity culture, one that appears to have children and teens aspiring to their five minutes of fame.  They watch television and see people like themselves on reality shows, in the news, and dominating the landscape of violence.  The easiest route to celebrity seems to pick up a gun and hurt enough people to grab some attention.  You might die in the process, but these kids don't really understand death, either of themselves or others.  Because they see so much death on cop shows, in violent movies and on the news, it loses its sting.  Somehow it doesn't occur to them they will not be watching themselves on the news, at least most of them.  The Charleston gunman will. 

Why do we idolize this kind of fame/infamy?  Those of us who are erased and lonely may feel we are expressing our existence.  We see ourselves as champions of a cause.  Somehow heroism is skewed to be gunning down defenseless people. 

We know it would help if these sick individuals were not able to watch so much violence, and access websites that advocate hate and violence.  But the internet has made control of all kinds of pornography and hatred easy.  We are beyond parental controls, when kids can go next door or to the library to see what they cannot at home. 

We know that lack of access to weapons would help.  Let's pass some gun control legislation.  

We can offer alternatives for kids.  They would rather be seen and listened to for the most part than sulk isolated in their rooms.  After school programs, mentorships, sports guidance, clubs, and counseling can make a difference.  And they might just change the kids' ideas of what feels good and who they are.  They want to be visible.  They want friends.  Real friends who they see face to face not on a website.  Make it happen.  Speak up and then listen to them. 

No comments:

Post a Comment