Name:   copperline - Subject:   Counterpoints Date:   6/13/2016 10:39:31 AM

Let me post a counter-point here but first let me say that what has happened in Orlando is absolutely tragic, and more than a little frightening as we go forward.   We need to be thoughtful, and measured, in our response to these things… especially since we cannot seem to agree on an approach that might make a difference. 

Conservative thinkers are reacting with a renewed defense of carrying weapons so we can defend ourselves against attackers, Liberals think that unrestricted carrying of guns makes life in our communities more dangerous.    Conservatives think this is another example of the murderous intentions of Islam, Liberals fear this will provoke more calls for restrictions on religious liberty.  Everybody seems to agree that the world is becoming a more dangerous place, but we can’t seem to agree on where the dangers are coming from.

My thing is to try to find what we have in common as we look at this.  We have to start somewhere, and the conservative/liberal gridlock around the issues isn’t helping much.   Maybe if we start from points of agreement, we can find a way thru this. 

We are only a couple of days into examining the Orlando shootings (remember that only a few miles away from this gay nightclub, a young singer was gunned down by a deranged fan only the week before), there may be couple of things we should note.   First, this shooter appears to have a history of anger issues rather than religious radicalism.   He was physically abusive toward his wife, known to co-workers for a bad temper and observed to have fits of outrage prompted by race, sexuality, etc.. such that co-workers didn’t want to have shifts with him.     To me, that points in the direction of mental illness rather than political or religious motivations, but at the last minute the shooter choose to associate himself with ISIS … perhaps because he wanted to elevate himself into something greater and more powerful than just the angry misfit that he was.   Cloaking himself at the last minute in a religious frame may mislead observers to think this was his primary motivation. 

The common denominator in the shootings in the church in South Carolina, Virginia Tech, Fort Hood, San Bernadino, Sandy Hook, the Oklahoma City bombing, the Unibomber, many others….  All may have the same two foundations.   Intolerance & rage filled over-reaction to social differences, and such incredibly poor anger control that you have to suspect mental illness. 

OK, so we can’t agree on gun control or whether we should be going to war with Islam… but perhaps we could agree that we all share too much intolerance for each other.   We resort to name-calling & insults too readily, condemn opposing viewpoints, and engage in varying degrees of character assassination rather than discussion.   We tend to see those who disagree with us as the enemy, as some other who we need to defend ourselves from.   

Two more points that may be worth noting right now:   First, “Think globally and act locally” suggests that we might not be able to change the whole world, but we can start with our little corner of it.   Increasing our own tolerance of each other, advocating for more cooperation & understanding could start right here on this forum.   Secondly, Pogo was absolutely right.   We have met the enemy, and it is us.