Questions Without Answers

It seems like only a few days ago news channels were announcing the then latest school shooting.

It also sticks in my mind when Columbine High School was the target. I recall scenes like these and think of the quote: “We have found the enemy, and he is us.” The phrase is actually a parody of a quote from the War of 1812: “We have met the enemy and they are ours.”

Sadly, the parody makes as much sense as the true statement. We have met the enemy, and too often we are looking in a mirror, not through a window.

Nationally, we continue to brew a perfect storm. Law enforcement are welcome only when we need them; not when we step outside of the law.

So while we’ve gone through a long season of cut back law enforcement funding, do away with the military-looking equipment and early parole people who deliberately left blood on the streets.

The moral line in the sand is a moving target. People expect that because they protest in the streets, the Supreme Court should change their mind, although the case referenced hasn’t had an official ruling. Whether it is children in the home or enemies on the battlefield, the line in the sand, that definition of where a person can go and no further, defines values. It defines at what point you either stop and recognize authority, or expect consequences.

The timeline published by a Texas media source says the gunman had been actively seeking possession, legally or otherwise, months before the school shooting. There was an argument between he and his grandmother resulting her getting shot.

The “hiccup” in the timeline, according to early reports, is a back door was left open. Maybe a hot day and the air conditioner was under-performing. We don’t know yet. The same timeline implies the shooter chose this particular school almost randomly. It was a short walk from where he wrecked the car he was driving.

So where am I going with all of this? We are living in an evil world where we want our way, then cry foul when something goes wrong. We want immediate reliable answers to questions that may be layered. It is possible the dramatic headlines are a result of other factors.

What motivates a person to pick up a firearm with deadly intent? Would that person have done the same act with a different object? The bigger question: how can society, lawmakers specifically, prevent another incident if we don’t research the cause?

This is a time when we are set for another incident if we are not willing to see all of the facts before making a decision, consider mental and spiritual health and the disregard for the value of human life, when analyzing a situation.

The history of school, public place, shootings didn’t start overnight, although the history is shorter than many recognize, and it won’t change course overnight. However, focusing on only one part of the problem will not help solve the real issue.

Maybe part of the problem is we continue asking the wrong questions. Let’s face it: if you want the right answers you need to ask the right questions. Example: if there is a pool of antifreeze under your car, first ask if it is from your car, then call a mechanic. If society is seeing an uptick in what some call “soft targets,” ask why? Why do people care so little about others? What causes so much rage and bloodlust they are OK with “suicide by cop”?

Meanwhile, news consumers demand an instant, full and accurate answer to a question that requires many of us to have our own comfy couch and therapist.

The outcry for more gun control laws were reaching a fever pitch before funerals were planned. It is emotions verbalized, emotions that can be misleading. Laws are only effective when they are applied.