The shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords; the deaths of a friend who was the ranking Federal judge in the state, staff associates, three local women in their 70s and a girl in Third Grade. Will we continue to consider these public shootings in schools, shopping centers, fast-food restaurants, etc., as simply the result of a mental health problem, or are we ready to look seriously at a fundamental moral flaw in contemporary ideas about society?
When people are encouraged to craft their own political reality, to see these issues as life-and-death epic questions, and to hype frustration into full-blow anger (as well as have easier access to firearms) there are predictable results among those of weak mind. Too many politicians have been using this brew to win elections, manipulating people into thinking that policies or programs they don't like are "unconstitutional" and"taking away our freedoms" and Americans have a right to "apply a Second Amendment solution." In many ways this is parallel to the left-wing peace movement activists (such as the Weathermen) who thought it was OK to stand up for peace by blowing up weapons labs and campus science buildings in the 1960s and 1970s, but today it is the right wing that is most often indulging in this kind of language.
It is one thing for adults who would never actually do anything criminal to blow off steam with language of this kind. But, the children are listening. Young people with mental health problems overhear our angry outbursts and our political strategies designed to manipulate the anger of voters. Why do we refuse to learn from Columbine High School or Virginia Tech? How many tragedies does it take? How high up do assassinations have to go before we are willing to exercise personal responsibility for the sacredness of life and quit using inflammatory political speech?
What does this have to do with religion?
Has any pastor stated clearly to the politicians in his congregation or community that political speech designed to stoke anger is unbiblical, immoral? The number of killings during the most recent election campaign in Jamaica was down in part because Christian pastors from the pulpit told party leaders, "You are morally responsible for what your supporters do!" Does God not expect the same from American clergy?
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