I had a relative who spent most of his adult life in prison for killing another man in a fight. I understand that. People get angry with each other. Men fight. It has been the way of humans since time began. That’s not an excuse, nor do I condone killing, but at least that sort of scenario has a certain logic to it. The outcome in such a struggle is predictable.
War is another form of killing that is “acceptable” to our minds because we have grown up with it- heard about it, read about it, seen it, experienced the effects. We do not like it, but we understand that sometimes it is inevitable.
This morning my television is reporting the results of another kind of killing…one that has become all too prevalent in our society. I don’t understand how something like this can happen. I can’t find any logic in randomly killing people you don’t even know. There is no reason, however sick or twisted, that I can comprehend for the kind of malicious mayhem that occurred in Colorado. I’m sure a motive will eventually be revealed, but whatever it is will never make sense to me.
I had to get away from the reports and go outside for a while. I had to take some photos of something natural and peaceful and comforting. I had to remind myself that most people are good and kind and just as appalled by this tragic event as I am. We will all pray together for the victims and their families…and the family of the young man responsible.
How true that most of us can't comprehend how this can happen. I don't know how a twisted mind works but how sad that our society has come to this point that we read about this so often.
Posted by: Marilyn Crabtree | July 20, 2012 at 11:24 AM
It was hard to hear about this violence and even harder to explain it to our children. We were to attend a family reunion the day after this hit the news and my options were to tell the kids in a manner that I could control and comfort them at the sadness of it or have them overhear older cousins or parents discussing it.
The murderer is clearly deranged in some way. I cannot hope to ever understand him or his motives. I find it more disheartening that he was an advanced student of neuroscience. How could he NOT recognize issues in his thinking? Clearly, he is ill. I feel for his personal trauma when/if he reaches a point in his incarceration where he becomes well. He has a type of hell that I don't know how one gets through.
I firmly believe that God is lending comfort to the victim's families, including the gunman's.
Posted by: Megan | July 30, 2012 at 04:25 PM