Arizona Shootings

In times of tragedy we look for reasons and we look for villains to help ourselves understand that which is not understandable. We as a society have blamed propaganda, music, books, weapons, politicians and even "God". In a way it is a natural process of the logical brain since logic searches for itself.

Yet in this desperate search for logic we often end up being illogical. The recent shooting in Arizona once again has Americans scrambling to find answers and in this scramble the proverbial finger starts wildly pointing from left to right and right to left. Political blame began bouncing through the airways within minutes of a human carnage before the blood had even begun to soak into the littered pavement.

In a time when Americans should and could prove an ability to draw together to face the ugliness of an act perpetrated not only on the victims but on civilized society itself-we, the common people who know nothing motivated the suspect other than mental imbalance-are forced to be represented to the rest of the world by irresponsible "leaders" and media drama builders. Our logic and our ability to reason are lost in the rush for ratings.

To look for logic in the actions of Jared Loughner, the shooter is as illogical as looking for logic in the actions or mind of Charles Manson. To lay blame on the voices of other free Americans or their beliefs shows a decided inability to see reality. Millions of humans listen to politicians, news media, talk shows, music, and fanatic ramblings without being "brainwashed" into running out into the streets to commit uncivilized, unstable deeds. Millions of people walk into a jewelry store each day without planning a heist, millions carry guns never pulled, thousands lose jobs without planning a mass murder of their co-workers, and millions more disagreed with Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' political views-yet only one in millions decides to commit criminal acts.

To lay blame on any view, word, or weapon would be logical if millions, thousands, or mere hundreds were committing these acts. Yet when one lone individual creates a tragedy, regardless of the reasons that individual gives-the act can be blamed only on the twisted, illogical brain of the perpetrator themselves. Charles Manson's insanity was blamed on a song by the Beatles, yet the Beatles have sold over 500 million albums worldwide. Did this give us a potential of 500 million mass murderers? Or would logic say the songs were not the culprit, the mind of one human who just happened to like the songs was the culprit.

I myself find it offensive those who have the ability and the power to have their voices heard are acting in illogical, irresponsible ways. Officials of the law voicing their political beliefs on national television, talk show hosts screaming blame from one political fence to another, activists using the death of fellow humans to attempt to further their own agendas...all to me...are as illogical and mentally unstable as the one who committed this horrendous deed.

No law would have stopped this man. No political win would have stopped him. No lack of weapon, no smile, no speech. Had anyone known of his fixation on Ms. Giffords he may have been delayed or stopped but apparently his ramblings themselves were too hard to decipher. Flinging mud across ridiculous political fences or rushing to pass laws will not change his actions and will not prevent a future catastrophe. Throughout the history of man and animal there have always been random weak links that eventually break. We can not possibly control or know the mind of every individual walking amongst us. We can not predict when they will snap or how they will. We can not assume to know the weapon they will choose or the destruction they plan.

What we can control is how we react to these acts of unstable minds. We can control the need to point fingers and lay blame. We can learn to accept and be thankful that we can not comprehend committing heinous deeds. Because once we can comprehend or find logic...then...we as a society are really in trouble. I myself find comfort knowing millions do not understand and the perpetrators are only one tiny speck in all of humankind.