Pointing the finger

Today at church my nine year old's Sunday school teacher approached me and asked where Phoebe was this morning, she missed her.  I told her with a grin that Phoebe was in Phoenix with her father this weekend.  She wrinkled her brow and gave me a worried look and said, "Well I hope she's okay!"
I grinned weakly and walked away, not saying what I should have.  Which is; Arizona is not a state under siege.  In fact most of the nine year olds in Arizona are just fine.

 The tragic shooting that occurred yesterday, resulting in 6 deaths and numerous injuries was just that, a horrible tragedy. My heart goes out to the victims and their families. Now the politics of this horrible event ensues, where we talk about hate speech, and gun control and Sarah Palin.  No one of course will mention the struggles of the mentally ill.  How difficult it is to get diagnosis and treatment, or even to get someone like Jared Loughner safely committed before he does any harm.

When I was attending class at the School of Visual Arts in NYC in 1990, there was a young white woman in one of my classes that hailed from South Africa.  I'm ashamed to say I immediately assumed she was a horrible racist, supported aparthied, and wasn't someone I wanted to know.  Is any of that true? I don't know, but I do know I should have given her a chance. I was really wrong not to.  Just as anyone who speaks ill of the residents of Arizona are wrong.  I know many of them.  They are hard working people, who pay their bills and love their family and friends.  They live in one of our country's most beautiful states and we should as a nation come together and support them in this time of tragedy.

Comments

MikeDubisch said…
The voice of reason!
Wahzat Gayle said…
you are so right! one looney does not make the entire state looney.

Thanks for the blog frog follow Happy New Year
Anonymous said…
Interesting post I found, as I am South African still living in South Africa. Sad to say many South Africans were combed with the same brush. My wife went to America in the late eighties at the height of apartheid and sactions, and was fustrated as a young teen, presumed to be a racist. Most South Africans were not even part of the whole debarcle. The intersesting thing was that although there was a lot of white against black, there was also black against black, which the international media did not publisize as much. It was a terrible time for 90% of South Africans whether white or black. I thank God for the relase of Nelson Mandela, even if it was brought about through the violence and bloodshed of the time to at least have new hope for the future and our children. Today there is still an undercurrent of violence brought about by the leading political party's youth league but our outlook is a lot more positive than it was ten years ago. Good reading your blog, thank you.
jafabrit said…
I'm glad you brought this up.When people get down to the nuts and bolts of what could have been done in regards to the shooters mental health they find out that it isn't that simple.

I do hope a national dialogue about rhetoric that alludes to violent solutions to problems continue, but just as important is examining why closing down services/funding dealing with the mentally ill can have terrible consequences for society (not speaking specifically of this case). Don't have the full facts yet.
Unknown said…
Hi..., :) like your blog...

Popular Posts