Guns

I do not know what is happening in our world.  With mass shootings occurring almost daily in our country, I find myself sad, disappointed, and frightened.  Deep down, under the grief, there is anger boiling up too. I want it to stop. It NEEDS to stop. For me, for you, for my son, for everyone.

For the past several days, I avoided the news and paid limited attention to social media. I'm sick of others' political diatribes that are based primarily on personal opinion rather than measurable data or thoughtful reflection.  Despite my limited engagement with media, I have noted calls for the banishment of guns and greater attention to mental health funding. I also witnessed many advocating for teachers to carry guns within a classroom too.

I am not a big fan of guns.  With that said, I think you have the right to carry one. I choose not to do so myself and will not change that stance any time soon. I will also trust you not to use your gun against me, but instead have faith that you will use it responsibly. It seems that improved gun regulations are warranted. One might argue that increased regulations should be sought for most things though. For example, I simply do not know why anyone would need an automatic rifle in his or her personal collection.  Thus, regulating this type of weapon makes a lot of sense. I would not mind seeing the buying and selling of firearms and ammunition banned from the Internet either. Banning guns in their entirety, however, will not work. There are too many people that hold this right too close to let it go without a fight.  Legislation that is too strict regarding this topic will result in more illegal behaviors and an increase in violence.  Thus, it seems we should regulate in a thoughtful manner that does not infringe too deeply on any person's right to bear arms.

I am a huge supporter of mental health care.  The mentally ill  are typically the most underfunded and overlooked members of our communities.  I have spent my entire adult life, both as an educator and a counselor, advocating for the members of this population. They need attention. They need to be actively engaged. They need dignity restored. In general, being mentally ill does not make one apt to be any more violent than a person considered to be a part of the 'normal' population.  It is true that, like anyone, a person with an untreated mental health issue can eventually snap. Regardless of one propensity (or lack thereof) towards dangerous behaviors, one's symptoms should not be ignored. One's dignity should not be compromised.  It is for this reason that we should attend to those with mental health diagnoses and fund their treatment appropriately.

To reduce the recent events witnessed throughout our country over the past week to a discussion limited to gun control and mental health care is incredibly ignorant from my perception though. This recent chain of events is the result of more than these two factors alone. Our society is complacent about most things. We perpetuate a culture of violence. We often tend to be egocentric. This combination of circumstances is a problem.

We need to stop dismissing behaviors as the result of one manageable factor (i.e. This happened because of guns!) secondary to our anxiety. Instead, we must engage in authentic reflections regarding how we affect our world. This comes down to all of us. We all contribute to the circumstances of our society.

We each have the capacity to pay attention, demonstrate compassion, and to make a difference.