Friday, April 03, 2009

World on fire?

Sometimes, it seems like the world is indeed on fire. After watching the events unfold in Binghamton, NY earlier today, I find myself wondering what 13 everyday people in a quiet upstate town did to deserve having their lives ended by a freak.

I have no answer, of course, because there is none. No one ostensibly deserves to be murdered, yet it happens. My fear, frankly, is that this kind of thing is becoming pervasive enough that we risk being numbed to it all. When this becomes somewhat normal or accepted as the price of living in a modern society, that's when I begin to lose that much more hope.

I find myself praying tonight that it never reaches that point.

Your turn: Thoughts?
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13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm not numb to this. It's very apparent that murder like this is not isolated. More has happened since Columbine then I had ever seen before. Having partially witnessed the Dawson shootings from across the street I have seen first hand how our society has evolved...recently. I hope and pray that we can be strong enough to recognize the signs and speak up before another event like this happens again.

11:30 PM, April 03, 2009
Chris said...

No kidding, eh? Any time that I hear about something like this, I simply shake my head and get quiet bummed out.

And by the way, NetChick sent me.

11:34 PM, April 03, 2009
kenju said...

I suspect we are all doing that. I find myself wondering what part the media plays in this type event, since these events seem to bring on copycats. The mass killing in Carthage, NC last week has been on our news continuously, as it has in many parts of the US. I fear that such strong coverage by the media may persuade other unstable people to follow in those footsteps. Maybe it would be better if coverage was short.

11:35 PM, April 03, 2009
b13 said...

I have been following this throughout the day and am surprised that there is so little information. It will be interesting to see what unfolds.

11:41 PM, April 03, 2009
Kimm said...

When I hear about these things, I feel numb.

And the question of "why" keeps popping up.

12:01 AM, April 04, 2009
Cloudia said...

We join you in your worthy prayer.
Shabbat Shalom from Waikiki. aloha

12:51 AM, April 04, 2009
David Edward said...

cities do not create rage or frustration of hatred, but they seem to concentrate it, so that I feel safer out here in the 'woods' - I only got smacked in the face ONCE this year, I feel pretty lucky.
here from Netchick

1:00 AM, April 04, 2009
hahamommy said...

I'd like to think that in the big sense, some lessons of the human experience can only occur within the context of murder. The ultimate gift of opportunity for the rest of us who remain alive - a reminder to live every single moment for the joy it brings. Delay is futile. No one gets out alive.
<3 Live!

1:02 AM, April 04, 2009
theMuddledMarketPlace said...

I think one
group has a hunch

4:03 AM, April 04, 2009
Diane said...

I sure hope not.

I realize that the press must remain emotionless when reporting the news. Each day, I see an anchor report about death. I never gave it much thought until it was someone I'd once loved on-screen, it was a familiar name they spoke. Then I realized that for each name reported, real people are always on the other end, grieving...sometimes devastated. I realize the press must remain objective and emotionless, but unfortunately, I feel that this contributes to the fact that we're growing more unsympathetic and removed from others' deaths.

7:46 AM, April 04, 2009
David Edward said...

I hate to be simplistic ( but here I go). Television programming has fed the imagination so much graphic violent content that it has become an accepted daily fare for average viewers. We are what we watch, our asses are what we eat, and our reflexes are too slow to save ourselves from the melt down that is coming.
Gee I sound happy.

10:12 AM, April 04, 2009
Nikky said...

stories like this remind me that it is important to be nice to your fellow man. sometimes ignoring the problem won't make it go away, and ignoring someones pain actually makes their pain more acute. sometimes i feel like society has lost it's humanity because it seems that everyone is out for themselves. be kind to a stranger today, it will make the world a better place for someone.

11:20 AM, April 04, 2009
Anonymous said...

Hello Carmi!
I am sensitive to stories like this. I do not like to hear things like this to the point that I will not even watch the news on T.V. anymore (it is far too depressing). Stories like this tend to take over all other stories until you feel inundated by them. I much prefer the newspaper so that I can control what I read - usually just the good news stories, the food articles, and the comics.
I agree with David's view on this; especially his statement, "We are what we watch."
This is why I choose to not watch the news. It certainly helps me to have a positive outlook and pass this positive attitude on.
Terri

5:07 PM, April 04, 2009

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