Apologies in advance for more questions than answers.
What can you say about the horrible shooting at Dawson College in Montreal or the hostage taking in Colorado yesterday ?
Should we focus our attention on protecting our children from the madness of the modern world or should it be with the root cause ?
It appears that the authoritative majority claim that adding extra security measures to our schools is the best solution. Rarely do we hear from those that are brave enough to suggest that something is wrong deeper in our society. And that is definitely a major intersection point with many of today's big problems: global terrorism; the religious and oil wars in the Middle-East; global warming; 3rd world poverty and AIDS.
You may be in the opinion that most of the frightening incidents in our schools today are isolated with no real connection, however I've believed for a long time in the interconnectivity of all things. Although I'm not suggesting coincidence is in play in this case, I also believe that coincidence occurs too often to be just coincidental chance. There are reasons things happen.
Do we have smart enough thinkers and people with enough influence trying to solve these problems ?
How about the problem of money, never enough and everyone wants more. Back to schools, not enough money to properly pay teachers or for adding metal detectors in our schools (if that would help). Do the school unions add too much cost to the equation (on-ramp to the troubles of GM and Ford) ? Charity ? Who needs our charity the most and who are we, and our governments the most responsible for - the homeless of our own cities, starving children of a foreign land, or the victims of the latest natural disaster ?
As you can see, this could go on and on and probably connect with 80% of the posts on this blog. My point exactly, everything's interconnected, except...
4 comments:
Good post PJ - and time for some unscripted ramblings. I've just read through it before sending and it doesn't make too much sense, but as the Proper Carpenter said 'have faith and hit send'.
We have a choice where we'd like to live and work in the world (some can even take advantage of dual citizenship?!).
I soemtimes look around me and say " is there a place anywhere else in the world that I'd rather live and contribute to a society that is better than where i'm at now?" Would that contribution effect less the big problems PJ talks of. And therefore make me feel better. Is this what we're talking about here - feeling better? Maybe, Maybe not.
In my utopia-esque country a lower proportion of my tax would go the Military. The local government would have a true sustainable agenda and kids don't get shot in school. Or anywhere else for that matter.
Does a country like this exist?
Scandawegia countries - your Norway, Finland, Sweden and that cartoon one maybe?
But I'm not sure how cosmopolitan they are? And it does get a little chilly there. And Dark.
In truth - the push factors aren't big enough for me. Although you could argue that after Baghdad, the second place in the world that you would not be too surprised to hear of new terrorist atrocities is London.
So, maybe it's because I'm a Londoner (well my kids are), that I love London so?
(i drifted off the intersections thing didn't I..sorry)
Some fine ramblings cuz (and you're probably not even dressed for it).
I like the angle on what difference we can make "locally" and definitely agree with the views on making (or sticking with) a choice on where to reside.
Ex pat Brit - Torontonian ambassador and London admirer
Great article, comments...
I can't even write my thoughts at the moment. Just thinking of the latest incident (shooting at Amish school) makes me angry and extremely sad. Here are people who have chosen a "safe" lifestyle and this sick **** changes everything for those people.
I can't understand how something like this can happen. I don't believe that making our schools safer is the solution (or even moving somewhere considered safer). Those individuals will find other ways. What is the matter with these people? What can be done to prevent these situations in the future?
Personally I feel the media/ internet/ video games/ movies/ television has a lot to do with it. We now find out everything that happens everywhere in the world.
Every terrible incident or accident gets reported. What is reading and watching the news doing to our minds? There is definitely some educational aspects to the news, but much too much sensationalism even in "respectable" newspapers and newscasts.
My other pet peeve about the news is when they report on things like how to breach security at an airport (eg. look how easy our reporters got in a secure area), report on websites where you can find out how to make a bomb, websites where murderers blogged, etc.
Is the internet getting out of control?
There's my rant for the day.
Nice rant.
Is the media/game/movie/internet the most significant change in the modern world that we can point fingers at ?
Was playing cowboys and indians, watching the Patrdge Family (or James Cagney machine gun a hood) or reading about a cat stuck up a tree keeping us in blissful ignorance or a nautural safety switch on society's dark powder keg ?
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