Despair

The recent shooting death of a 9-month old baby has been devastating to many of us. How has this happened? It's a reminder, not the only one, of a culture that has been created. I'm not sure how we got there, but there we are.

I'm sure there are some simplistic answers out there, such as the violence on television and in video games. There are others as well. But we'd better get to the reasons if we want to have any chance of getting rid of these all-to-common occurrences.

I know, I know.... But I think we've created another rotten culture, one that holds nobody responsible or accountable for their actions. Oh, let me amend that. We are quick to give awards, acclamation, prizes, ribbons, etc. for the slightest of good (note the last time you passed a school that wasn't a "Blue Ribbon School" or "State Exemplary School" or a league that didn't give every kid some sort of trophy or award). But bad things? No, No, No...we never acknowledge the people who may have done things (with good intentions, no doubt) that weren't so hot. It's "Let's move on," "Let's not cast blame," "Let's not point fingers," "Let's get beyond this," etc.

How have we made it acceptable--and it's far too acceptable to far too many people!--to unleash a barrage of bullets on a house because of some disagreement over seating at a baby shower? And how many other silly, stupid things have led to other recent shootings? A 9-month old baby??????

As disheartened as I am (Look at the likely choices we'll have for President in Nov. Out of a population of 307 million, these are the best we can find? If so, heaven help us!), I take solace in the words of W.E.B. DuBois, written 90 years ago. He wrote, "Abraham Lincoln was perhaps the greatest figure of the nineteenth century. Certainly of the five masters, Napoleon, Bismarck, Victoria, Browning and Lincoln, Lincoln is to me the most human and lovable. And I love him not because he was perfect, but because he was not and yet triumphed. The world is full of illegitimate children. The world is full of folk whose taste was educated in the gutter. The world is full of people born hating and despising their fellows. To these I love to say: See this man. He was one of you and yet he became Abraham Lincoln."