Offering Thoughts, Prayers, and Support, Before The Gun Violence Ever Commences
Wouldn’t it be glorious if we could all take a vaccine to cure the gun violence epidemic, which has run wild throughout the years? Since humans started walking upright, the propensity for violence was alive and well. During those days, the violence evolved more from life and death circumstances. Violent acts back then meant the difference between having food, water or shelter. It meant the difference between being the hunter or the hunted. It meant the difference between having a fire to stay warm or dying of hypothermia. These were all understandable reasons for potentially committing acts of brutality, but through the course of time, the reasons for violence has shifted. From the days of the Revolutionary War, the motivation for violence was freedom from a ruling country. This was also the case for the Civil War as the oppressed and their allies fought against the oppressors to gain freedom. Once again, these were more realistic reasons to engage in violence.
There are countless other examples throughout history where the motivation for violence was dependent on true survival, but if we fast forward to present day, the desire to commit violent acts are coming from a totally different space. During this present time, mass shootings have become the sensationalized event when it comes to violence. This is the ultimate act of violence, which is snuffing out the lives of countless innocent people.
There are no doubt situations in present day that warrant the act of violence in the face of life or death situations. But a good majority of these barbaric acts are committed by individuals with misguided beliefs and broken down souls. Decades ago, mass shootings were rare, but unfortunately have become the norm in today’s society. The recent tragic mass shootings have dominated the headlines once again as we struggle to find a way to end this savage cycle. Some could surmise the recent increase in mass shootings has been fueled by the pandemic and the negative impacts it had on everyone’s mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. Some could argue people are more sensitive to their feelings and any criticism that may negatively impact their self worth. Some could argue the oversaturation of media coverage from these events might appeal to those without a level head, and encourage them to move forward with these unthinkable acts to gain attention. All of this may be true in some form or fashion, but to proceed with these devilish deeds, there is no denying as long as there is an unstable mind attached to a gun, these atrocities will continue to occur. And based on the recurring nature of these shootings, we are failing miserably as a country to address this madness.
If we add more context to this shooting epidemic, these violent acts are happening on a daily basis when you count the disheartening events that occur in urban cities and towns across America. These events may only make the local news, but it’s a worldwide headline for those families and friends who have lost loved ones to gun violence. When you include this gun violence in urban communities, along with the mass shootings that make national headlines, we have a problem that goes well beyond our worst nightmares.
We are all aware of the political differences and beliefs that exist on how to control this shooting epidemic. But regardless of your position, I think we can all agree this nonsense needs to stop immediately. This will not be resolved if we are not united on a political front to attack this madness. Each moment we bicker about the best way to handle the situation, is another opportunity for a shooting to occur. Each moment we are separated in our plans to control this chaos, is another moment we lose the heartbeat of someone’s precious soul. Each moment we embrace our selfishness and ego to defend our beliefs and reject compromise, is another moment a eulogy is being recited by a devastated family member. It doesn’t matter what political side of the fence you fall on, the longer we don’t work together in a coordinated effort, the more likely the next victim of this gun violence could be you or someone you know.
Looking at this from the most simplistic terms, the two necessary components when dealing with a mass shooting are, access to guns, along with some form of a mental or spiritual imbalance. A mass shooting would not be possible without these elements. As we have all witnessed, gun reform and restrictions, along with mental health awareness have been at the forefront of this battle. There have been some good ideas to come out of these discussions, but unfortunately, none of these suggestions have been able to take flight and directly impact this senseless violence. It would be prudent to continue with these discussions since this addresses the most critical ingredients in the anatomy of a shooting. But, we should also focus on other factors, which are just as important and maybe not discussed enough.
Most, if not all, of the individuals that take part in this sadistic act have a network of family, friends and co-workers. This is an entire subset of people that have interacted with the perpetrator at one point or another. Those that interact with these individuals can play a vital part in potentially altering these tragic chain of events. As with any blueprint, there are steps and instructions that need to be followed prior to finalizing the end product. This is no different when it comes to these mass shootings. There are events and circumstances that precede these shootings, which have a direct impact on why these individuals may have proceeded with this life altering decision. If we focus on being proactive and stepping in before these shootings occur, we could potentially change the narrative of these events. Our problem now is we are purely reactive to these situations, which at that point, it’s too late to do anything. Once the deed is done, all we can do is ask why and how did this take place. As long as we continue to submit to a reactive mindset, these killings will unfortunately continue.
What will it take for us as a society to speak up when we feel someone needs help? Some may believe whatever their friend or relative is going through is just a phase that will pass in time. We refuse to believe this problem can ever escalate to the level of madness that can cause someone to commit mass murder. We are at the point where this behavior of brushing this off and not stepping in to offer help is doing much more damage than we ever could imagine. It’s time to speak up and assist these individuals however you can. Not speaking up and offering support if you have a friend or relative whose behavior has suddenly changed will not help our cause. Not speaking up and offering support if you know someone who posts disturbing content on social media will not help our cause. Not speaking up and offering support if you know someone that suddenly becomes withdrawn from his or her social circle will not help our cause. Not speaking up or offering support to someone you know who displays signs of depression or engaging in self-harm will not help our cause. Not speaking up and offering support to someone going through a rough moment in their life will not help our cause. These simple acts of asking questions or showing concern for someone’s well-being could be the difference between them opening up and accepting help, or plunging to the depths of hell and moving forward with the unthinkable.
Aren’t we all tired of the thoughts and prayers that go out each and every time a shooting occurs? We are by no means saying that prayers and sympathy are not needed during these difficult times, but it’s always an afterthought, which is thrown into a black hole, waiting to be recycled after the next inevitable tragic shooting. These thoughts and prayers are part of being in a reactive state. Only after the evil deed is done is when the sympathy flows. How about reversing our logic and showing sympathy and concern for those that may be alone, depressed and in need of help prior to any wicked acts being committed? We are way past the point of assuming things will automatically turn around for an individual in need of help. Even if the person denies there is a problem, it would be in all of our best interest to continue and push forward with offering help and getting answers. And if you’re unable to get through to this person, speak with someone else that may have more power to do so.
Aren’t we tired of hearing about the suspect’s life story and their journey to this evil destination? This is like watching a slow motion replay and seeing all of the preceding events with the ominous red flags attached, which were ultimately ignored. All the answers to the questions of why and how, can be found within the moments of these preceding events. The trick is to address these red flags as soon as they occur.
Aren’t we tired of hearing about mass shootings that were deemed as the largest or most deadly in US history? This is truly a top ranking list that no one wants to be associated with. But in the minds of the sick individuals that go through with these acts, the chance to top this list may give them fuel to proceed with their ominous plan. An individual who thinks this way is without a doubt in the deepest depths of despair and hopelessness, but most times do not arrive at this destination overnight. There is normally a window of opportunity available for friends or family to intervene and hopefully steer them away from this tragic decision.
Aren’t we tired of hearing breaking news every other week regarding a mass shooting in “Anywhere, USA”? The news coverage is always the same. We see pictures or video of a large emergency contingent of police and ambulances, surrounding the scene of the crime. There are interviews with the local sheriff or police chief who describe the scene, what just transpired, how many innocent victims have lost their lives, identifying the perpetrator, and their best guess as to a motive. There are interviews with eyewitnesses who were caught up in the mix and running for their lives as they describe the pure horror of the moment. And many times, there is actual video of the crime while in progress. It’s so sad that most of us know the standard procedure and protocols for investigating these crimes because we’ve seen this nightmare an inordinate amount of times on the news. It’s horrible to think this way, but we have truly become desensitized to this nonsense. We mourn for those lost, toss flowers at the scene of the crime, discuss gun control for a few days and then move on as we wait for the next upcoming shooting massacre. This is an absolute deranged cycle we have become a part of, which should have no place in this world we live in today.
For those that have lost loved ones to gun violence, there are no words powerful enough to offer the amount of sympathy and prayers needed to help heal your heart. We pray that you find strength and comfort in those who offer support during these difficult times.
For those that have already taken this advice and intervened when a friend or loved one was struggling through a difficult time, we offer praise and thanks for your efforts. Although we have seen more than enough senseless gun violence, I’m sure there are success stories where someone showing concern for a loved one has prevented the counting of another violent statistic.
This article is a plea for those individuals who are sickened by these events, which show no signs of ending. This article is for those who wear their hearts on their sleeves and harness a mountain of empathy in their soul. This article is for those that cherish their family and friends and will do anything in their power to help them live a long and prosperous life. I implore everyone to act with aggressive intent to come together and speak up on behalf of those struggling with life circumstances, and provide support to help these individuals build a bridge to go from hopelessness to hopefulness. If I can get this message in the hands of someone that recognizes a loved one who’s in need of help, and this provides the necessary motivation for them to speak up, then this article was not written in vain. If I can get this message in the hands of someone going through difficult times and having harmful thoughts, but now recognize they need help, then this article wasn’t written in vain. If this article can help prevent just one more senseless shooting, then this would have been well worth every letter used to create this message of hope to help end this insanity.
