As a writer and one-time American studies major, I often find myself looking at news and media and wondering how much of what I'm hearing is truth and how much is a step to the right or left of fact. After the horrible tragedy Monday, I listened to several news reports and watched with horror as the number of dead rose. There are no words in any language that can describe such carnage, or that can adequately express the grief of those who lost loved ones in such a violent senseless way. I don't mean to be part of the cacophony of voices expressing opinion, horror, or national grief. There is no way my shock can compare to that of parents, students, wives, husbands, children who are living first-hand the consequences of selfish and sinful humanity. I won't dare touch on motive, won't mention the killer, won't debate sin versus sickness. To those who lost people close to them, those things don't matter.
What matters is that they lost someone they loved. That someone is not a group lying broken and bloody on a classroom floor. S/he is an individual, loved, cherished and now gone. As the media repeats over and over again that this is the worst mass murder in American history, one must ask - would this much attention be given to one soul, one broken body, one grieving family? Are we horrified by the sheer number of deaths, by the violent manner of the murders, or are we truly grieving the humanity lost that day?
Media and opinion aside, let us not lose sight of the fact that this act was not committed against a group of thirty-two, but rather against thirty-two individuals. Each should be mourned, his life remembered not because he was part of a national catastrophe, but because he was loved.
Shirlee's word count for Tuesday - 2,025
2 comments:
Dear Shirlee,
Thank you for your thoughts and comments on the tragedy at Va tech on Monday. I agree with your statement about the individuality of each victim of this horrific act. When ABC had their special report last night and they showed pictures of some of the victims and spoke about their lives, my heart just broke anew for each of their families. I know I held my daughter a little closer, a little longer this morning when I dropped her off at daycare at her school.
I can't imagine what each of these families must be going through at this time. I really don't know how anyone can cope with the loss of a loved one without God in their life.
We as Christians don't have all the answers, but we know THE ONE who does. It's hard to know how to pray in the face of all we are bombarded with in the media, but I know we must pray and trust.
My usually quiet husband said last night that this will forever change the way he looks at university life. He will always worry when our son goes off to college. (which, isn't for another 11 years)
I'm sure all parents worry no matter what, but this will make a huge impact on parents everywhere as they drop off their kids, entrusting their safety to the schools and universities.
I also feel for the administrators of the school. So many are quick to judge and I can't imagine the stress and grief those people are going through right now.
Touching post, Shirlee.
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