There were 3 drive-by shootings in the Des Moines metro area
this morning, with two injuries resulting and a bevy of school closings and
lock downs. The shootings were preceded with social media threats (via Yik Yak)
on Sunday. This kind of event both saddens and angers me.
Do you know the thing I actually find the most interesting
about this all? The social media component. Some idiot gets angry and decides
to hurt others. But they don't just do it anymore. They have to talk about it
first. Online.
I think this is at once an opportunity and horrific.
The opportunity? Can you imagine if the Columbine kids had
posted to social media rather than filming home videos to their parents? Or if
Adam Lanza had posted something prior to ravaging Sandy Hook? Is there a cry
for help in posting something socially? Or just insanity? Or ego? Does it
matter? They are putting out a message that says “deal with me – I mean it.” I
appreciate the heads up. Ideally they could be caught and helped. They are
screaming, “help me” even if they don’t know it.
The horrific? Way too many things to even think through,
beyond the brutal killing of others. No wonder we have so much more fear in our
diets anymore. Forget surprise incidents. We now can anticipate terror. We can
dwell on it. Make it bigger than it needs to be. We can ruminate on “what ifs”
that feel more real than general fears, because they come with actual threats
that may or may not happen.
At the end of the day, every day, I choose love. Even when
someone chooses his gun and rage.
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