Like most of us, I’ve been reading and watching news reports about gun safety, mental health and school safety issues in America. Earlier this week, I read about a demonstration by a group who placed 7,000 pairs of children’s shoes on the Capital lawn to represent the number of childhood victims of gun violence since Sandy Hook in 2012. The picture was moving and gut wrenching. Its purpose was to make a strong, visual impact to send a message to Congress urging gun reform. What also made a strong, piercing impact were the comments posted about the demonstration.
I stumbled across the news report on my Facebook feed. Hundreds of thousands of comments were added under the post. Thousands were in support of the movement. While thousands more were made to promote other topics, or demoralize the organization and its cause.
When did we become an EITHER/OR society?
Good or bad, social media has given us all a voice. But, when did decency and common courtesy become null and void in the way we communicate with others? I can’t help but ask the adults who posted these comments the same thing I ask my teens when trying to teach them about right and wrong: Would you be using the same language if you were standing in front of these people using your voice? Or, are the keyboard and screen providing the ammunition you need to fire off the cruelest, most hurtful messages you can create?
EITHER you are with me – OR against me. Right?
Here is a summary of some of the the main themes posted as comments/opinions/questions to the demonstration post:
Why aren’t we putting shoes on the lawn for the number of aborted babies in the U.S.?
Why aren’t we doing anything about bullying?
Why are adults using kids to push their agenda?
Why don’t these delinquent kids get their butts back in school?
Why is the media helping to push the liberal agenda?
What about the issues with the police… or FBI?
What about car accidents, they cause more death than guns, let’s ban cars.
Why are these kids more interested in looking at their phones hoping to make it on the news, than the issue they are supposedly supporting?
Really? Here are my questions to those who posted:
Why are you so filled with hate that you cannot let a peaceful group speak out about what they believe in?
Why is your first defense to insult and ridicule others when you disagree?
What are you teaching kids about acceptance of others and their views?
Why is your agenda more important than what these people have worked hard to peacefully share?
Why do we, as a society, constantly shift blame and point fingers?
And, to parents I ask:
I understand that this issue is divisive. But, can all agree that mass school shootings are horrific events that should be stopped?
Can that agreement bring us together so that we can we commit to listening intently when others present their views?
Can we agree to listen with purpose rather than immediately shutting down others with our own thoughts?
Can we teach our kids about kindness, compassion, love, and forgiveness? Can we create change within our hearts so that we can plant seeds of goodness rather than poisoning the soil?
There are many ways we can be a good role model for our teens. I’m choosing to participate in the March For Our Lives on March 24th. While there, I won’t be bashing others for their beliefs. I’ll be voicing my opinion for what I feel is one of the things we need to do in America to help prevent future mass shootings.
