Make no mistake., communication really does matter. All of us are being reminded of this truism in the immediate aftermath of the multiple shootings that occurred last week at Umpqua Community College in Oregon. As has been the case far too often in our nation, a sick individual with access to guns murdered a number of innocent individuals before dying at his own hand. The deaths were as heart breaking and maddening as all the earlier multiple slayings that our nation and the specific victims have had to endure. Now, less than one week after this tragedy, our nation is reeling from such a harsh act of reality.
Does our nation have a clear path as to what do about this and other similar acts of violence? Given the varying degrees of comments being given by our nation's leaders, including the array of presidential candidates out on the campaign trail, it would seem not. Some want legislative action by Congress setting in-place more strict gun control laws. Others are simply saddened by what happened but are reluctant to initiate any changes in our current laws. And others are advocating that folks have easier access to guns as a way of being better to defend themselves against gunmen intent on doing harm. This array of different perspectives highlights a nation that is obviously struggling with how to address what seems to be a problem that is not going away.
Given such a scenario, communication matters because how well all of us interact regarding the issue of gun violence will determine how well we ultimately address this problem. So far, the communicating that has occurred has not been all that effective - at least among those in a position to enact tangible steps to address the issue. Those folks seem to be talking at each other without making any real effort to begin reaching a consensus that ultimately leads to action. The result, thus far, is no action. If that is going to change, then all of us, including those in-charge, are going to need to begin "talking with" rather than "talking at" each other.
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I think your writing summarizes what the reality of this tragedy is: lots of talk but little action. I read in the NYtimes that the father of the shooter hadn't seen his son in about two years and was unaware of his gun-holdings, some 20 guns, reportedly. I'm not a father but I really don't understand how he could be unaware of his son's affinity for guns. i'm thinking the communication between father and son might not have been that healthy. Does a child really need 20 guns? Do they make the shooter feel more esteemed? I think all of us need to speak to each other more. And not just about who won the ballgame last night, but about what's actually happening in each of our lives. And I don't exempt myself from this challenge; we all need to constantly communicate and keep the lines of communication open. Always. Even if the other person chooses not to.
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