I have noticed that a plethora of topics have arisen to the surface since the Virginia Tech tragedy on Monday. Among these topics are two fundamental, but major, topics - grief and gun violence and control. I will try to address both of these in my own words.
First, let’s take the most visible topic - gun control. Both sides of the political coin are weighing in on this. The left is saying that we need more gun control legislation, and the right is saying we need more conceal carry laws. Usually, I would take the right side of the coin. But on this issue - I’m going to take no sides.
Guns do not kill people; people => kill => people. Yes, you read that right. I know it sounds like a very basic premise, but guns in themselves are not inherently evil or good. It’s how they are used by the people who own (or possess) them. People are the problem. So how do we keep people from killing each other? Honestly, I don’t have an idea. People have been killing each other since the beginning of time. I think that if everyone had the same respect for human life, and the same fear about what would happen to them once they left this world, crimes like this would be few and far between. It’s just that society has been becoming more and more violent as the years have progressed. But not only this, but also society has been accepting the premise that nothing you do is your own fault - it is someone else’s fault. Case in point: Cho Seung-Hui’s note stated, "You caused me to do this." To whom he was referring is not my point. It’s the fact that he deferred the blame. Who taught him to do this? Society, and possibly his psychiatrist, did. It is believed that he was recently put on medication for depression. This would make sense, since most anti-depressants, or drugs that increase the production of serotonin, increase the risk of suicidal tendencies.
"Depression and other psychiatric illnesses are associated with an increased risk of suicidal thoughts, self-harm, and suicide. You should be aware that this medicine may not start to make you feel better for at least two to four weeks. However, it is important that you keep taking it in order for it to work properly and for you to feel better. If you feel your depression or anxiety has got worse, or if you have any distressing thoughts, or feelings about suicide or harming yourself in these first few weeks, or indeed at any point during treatment or after stopping treatment, then it is very important to talk to your doctor." - netdoctor.co.uk
Katherine Coble posted a topic which I found very intriguing today on grief. I invite you to go read her post and weight in on what you think…I already have. But my feelings, in a nutshell, are as follows: Public grief and grief for people you do not know is fine, just as long as you are not trying to profit from it for yourself or anybody else. If you are out to disparage someone, then it is totally unacceptable.
My comments on her blog were as follows:
"Kat, All very good points, and I’m in total agreement with you. Grief, especially for people whom we have never met, does not need to public. Sure, there is a time and place for public grief (such as funerals, vigils, etc.). But then for someone to set up a memorial for people they do not know - to me that does border on tasteless. Then again, there are people out there who are so giving, so caring, that they feel it is their duty to memorialize those who have lost their lives.
Every human being that is not numb from the heart up will feel a definite amount of sorrow and pain for those who have lost a loved one, simply because we have all been there. This is what I call sympathetic grief. We all experience it when we go to funerals of a friend or even a total stranger. This is what most of us are feeling right now with the Virginia Tech shootings.
Then we feel the tremendous pain of the loss of a loved one with whom we have a direct tie. I call this empathetic grief. I have nothing against anyone who publicly displays their grief…Just call it human nature, but I feel a little more apprehension toward those who show absolutely no signs of pain at the passing of a loved one (although people grieve in various ways). But I try not to judge anyone who doesn’t publicly show their grief, simply because it’s not the Christian thing to do.
But then, just occasionally, you have the people out there who will make such a public display of grief for even a total stranger, that it is almost borders on mockery. This is what I call pseudogrief. I believe there are those that are so hungry for attention that they will resort to just about any means necessary to make sure people notice their "grieving" process.
But this is not to say that every public display of grief is pseudogrief. There are people out there, especially in cultures other than our own, where public grieving is accepted - even expected. This form of grief tends to break my heart when I see it; I just want to rush over to the people and comfort them as much as I can…I just can’t stand to see someone in that much pain.
I must say, Kat, you have a way of making me think. Thanks for that!"
Again, I invite you to read Katherine’s post and all the responses. It makes for very interesting reading, and again I thank her for prodding my mind. She has a good way of making people think!
