People over pols and pundits

People over pols and pundits

It took about a nanosecond for politicians and media blowhards to turn the tragic events in Tucson into an opportunity to position themselves for reelection or a fatter contract. By posturing as the sole possessors of ‘the truth’ of the violent event that has thus far taken the lives of six people, they purport to provide needed leadership. Bull.

For many reasons, including evil loose in the world, to the lack of mental health care, and the lack of civility in public discourse, and for many others, terrible things happen to people every day. The tragic killing and wounding of those in Tucson is no worse than any murder anywhere else in the world. It’s no more tragic than people still suffering in New Orleans or in Haiti years after natural catastrophes killed, maimed, and made so many homeless. It is no more the product of left or right politics, than it is of the sun coming up. Since the Biblical characters of Cain and Abel, violence for reasons from the petty to the unfathomable, has been part of our human condition. The fault is in ourselves.

As each of us is part of the problem of violence, each of us must be part of finding a solution from within ourselves. Except to appropriately extend sympathy to the families and friends of those killed and injured there is no role for politicians or pundits to play that is not, primarily, in their own self interest. Until enough of us make clear what it is we think should be done and share our reasoning and proposals for action with one another, nothing will be done.

We may never eliminate senseless violence, but we may be able to lessen the frequency with which it occurs and the scope of its impact. This won’t happen by knee jerk reactions prompted by political or broadcast rhetoric.

God rest the Tucson victims and give peace to the hearts of the survivors of violence everywhere.

Jim Cartwright, Canfield