This column could have been written just about any time in the history of the United States when you consider violent events. We’re a messy, violent country. We started out that way. And, we continue to be that way today.
I ponder why this is the case. Going back to the 1700s, why did some other new world countries settle without as much killing, like Canada, Uruguay or Ecuador (not that those or other countries didn’t have violence, death and mayhem, just that it was to a lesser extent than the U.S.)?
We lived and died by the gun settling the frontier, expanding westward. That still plays out today.
Whether it’s gang shootings in Chicago or school shootings in Michigan, far too often someone chooses a violent means to an end (whatever that end may be, but usually it means the “end” of someone). You don’t hear this, “Hey, let’s talk this out. It’s okay to argue. We can disagree. Let me hear what you have to say.”
It is probably too much to ask to solve certain problems in that way, when temperatures have already risen catastrophically. But, in many circumstances, creating a dialogue, negotiating, developing a give and take brings solutions benefitting both parties.
We seem too impatient for that in the 21st century. Maybe this is a crotchety old man talking, “Back in my day.” But, back in my day, differences didn’t seem quite as anger- and violence-inducing as they are today. We may have more people walking the streets who have severe emotional and mental instability. In sheer numbers, that’s probably the case because our population is now 333 million. We’re more crowded. As my older brother is fond of saying, “Too many rats in the maze.”
He’s correct about that. Over-crowding causes stress and tension; we’re packed tighter in many urban areas across the country. Our acts of violence go deeper, and I hark to a close friend for an explanation that makes sense and could serve as a model for healing moving forward.
He travels extensively to South Korea. They have an extremely low incidence of violence. Why? According to him, it is a small, homogenous country. They share many values. They see things the same way.
The U.S.? We’re the exact opposite. We have probably hundreds of other country’s cultures mixed in our bloodstream. We have people living here who are raised with different faiths (how many branches of Christianity, for example, exist in the U.S.?). People come to our borders seeking asylum from environmental and natural disasters, despots running their country, empty food shelves and drug gangs that kill indiscriminately. They WANT to be in the U.S. for safety and to make something of themselves, but they also come from a background that’s not always shared by those who have lived in the U.S. for generations.
We live scattered across a huge land mass -- enclaves where diverse and conflicting perspectives can flourish. Is it any wonder we butt heads? No, it’s not surprising.
It is surprising that in this messy, violent country, we are UNITED in many ways in our pursuit of an opportunity to raise families to live, work and play in a safe and open community. We share that.
When we focus on our differences, we lose. When we point fingers, we lose. As my friend noted, given how many different cultures are at work in the U.S., it’s surprising there isn’t more violence. That certainly doesn’t make it acceptable. It puts things in perspective though.
I hurt emotionally when I see random unnecessary violence. I would love to see it permanently stop. Knowing that unlikelihood, my hope is we continue to dial violent actions back and learn greater tolerance, patience and respect for others and how another individual may come at an issue or incident differently.
The U.S. is messy and violent. We can make it less so. Everyone has to take a step towards conciliation and understanding of others.
I ponder why this is the case. Going back to the 1700s, why did some other new world countries settle without as much killing, like Canada, Uruguay or Ecuador (not that those or other countries didn’t have violence, death and mayhem, just that it was to a lesser extent than the U.S.)?
We lived and died by the gun settling the frontier, expanding westward. That still plays out today.
Whether it’s gang shootings in Chicago or school shootings in Michigan, far too often someone chooses a violent means to an end (whatever that end may be, but usually it means the “end” of someone). You don’t hear this, “Hey, let’s talk this out. It’s okay to argue. We can disagree. Let me hear what you have to say.”
It is probably too much to ask to solve certain problems in that way, when temperatures have already risen catastrophically. But, in many circumstances, creating a dialogue, negotiating, developing a give and take brings solutions benefitting both parties.
We seem too impatient for that in the 21st century. Maybe this is a crotchety old man talking, “Back in my day.” But, back in my day, differences didn’t seem quite as anger- and violence-inducing as they are today. We may have more people walking the streets who have severe emotional and mental instability. In sheer numbers, that’s probably the case because our population is now 333 million. We’re more crowded. As my older brother is fond of saying, “Too many rats in the maze.”
He’s correct about that. Over-crowding causes stress and tension; we’re packed tighter in many urban areas across the country. Our acts of violence go deeper, and I hark to a close friend for an explanation that makes sense and could serve as a model for healing moving forward.
He travels extensively to South Korea. They have an extremely low incidence of violence. Why? According to him, it is a small, homogenous country. They share many values. They see things the same way.
The U.S.? We’re the exact opposite. We have probably hundreds of other country’s cultures mixed in our bloodstream. We have people living here who are raised with different faiths (how many branches of Christianity, for example, exist in the U.S.?). People come to our borders seeking asylum from environmental and natural disasters, despots running their country, empty food shelves and drug gangs that kill indiscriminately. They WANT to be in the U.S. for safety and to make something of themselves, but they also come from a background that’s not always shared by those who have lived in the U.S. for generations.
We live scattered across a huge land mass -- enclaves where diverse and conflicting perspectives can flourish. Is it any wonder we butt heads? No, it’s not surprising.
It is surprising that in this messy, violent country, we are UNITED in many ways in our pursuit of an opportunity to raise families to live, work and play in a safe and open community. We share that.
When we focus on our differences, we lose. When we point fingers, we lose. As my friend noted, given how many different cultures are at work in the U.S., it’s surprising there isn’t more violence. That certainly doesn’t make it acceptable. It puts things in perspective though.
I hurt emotionally when I see random unnecessary violence. I would love to see it permanently stop. Knowing that unlikelihood, my hope is we continue to dial violent actions back and learn greater tolerance, patience and respect for others and how another individual may come at an issue or incident differently.
The U.S. is messy and violent. We can make it less so. Everyone has to take a step towards conciliation and understanding of others.