Choosing culture of peace or violence
It has been weeks since the massacre in Parkland, Fla. The nation continues to swirl with controversy over how to prevent another tragedy. Gun control, banning assault weapons, better mental health screening and treatment, more secure schools and arming teachers are some of the solutions being considered. There is no doubt that something must be done and our government has a responsibility to face this issue with a sincere desire to solve the problem.
Yet we must not look for easy solutions that will quiet the voices and place a Band-Aid over what many of us consider a terminal illness.
To truly solve any problem we must be willing to look deeper than what we see on the surface. There are 96 deaths by guns in the United States on an average day, many times more than any other country (not at war) in the world. What is at the heart of this violence that seems to plague us? Are we willing to look at our culture, our history, our traditions that seem to perpetuate and glamorize war, support violence in entertainment and video games and encourage harmful forms of competition instead of cooperation?
Could 13,000 gun homicides a year be a symptom of a greater problem? Has violence become such a “normal” way of life for so many Americans that we have lost our moral compass? How did we become a culture of violence?
If we look at our history we will find many examples of how our country has used violence to become so powerful. Think about genocide of the indigenous people, the slave trade and the dehumanizing and killing of African-Americans, of wars beginning with our Revolution and continuing to this very day, with few years of peace.
Our fascination with violence in movies and video games, our TV programs that feature teasing, embarrassing and making fun of others, our mistreatment of the Earth as we trash our oceans and rape our land, are all forms of violence. These cultural norms have contributed to the development of disrespect and insensitivity to each other.
Is this acceptance of violence as a normal way of life, and the way we solve our problems, the root cause of our fascination with guns?
If so, how do we turn this around? We must first of all acknowledge our dark history, from Christopher Columbus to the Iraq War, our mistreatment of different races, our use of nuclear weapons on Japan and our continued fascination with everything military. We have to recognize the price others have paid so we can have all the luxuries and the comfortable lifestyle many of us enjoy.
Once we recognize that, we must look at the whole picture. We must find ways to turn this around.
I think the student movement has already demonstrated that a change is in the air. Young people are much more tolerant of differences and are willing to learn ways to solve problems in a nonviolent way. They better recognize the danger of destroying the environment and see the world as interconnected. They are aware of their responsibility to future generations.
Their attitude and passion gives me a glimmer of hope that we can change from a culture of violence to a culture of peace.
Is our acceptance of violence as a normal way of life, and the way we solve our problems, the root cause of our fascination with guns?
Madeline Labriola is a retired school administrator and a member of area peace groups including Westerly Area Peace and Justice and Pax Christi RI. She lives in Westerly. You can contact her at mlabriola@mac.com.