The Unthinkable Happened
It somehow feels different when it's at your backdoor
This post wasn’t planned. I’m preparing for major lobbying efforts in 2025, and have a boatload of work and meetings to attend to. With yesterday’s tragic shooting at Abundant Life Christian School, however, I feel compelled to write. All acts of violence are unthinkable and tragic, yet it seems more surreal when it happens so close to home.
Though I feel deep sadness for all impacted by this tragedy -the children, teachers, and loved ones who will be scarred for life- most of my thoughts (and prayers) are admittedly with law enforcement. Police officers are thinking, feeling, breathing, biological beings who experience a range of human emotions. Even the psyches of veteran cops, skilled at compartmentalizing, must be deeply impacted by bearing witness to grisly crimes and seeing the worst of humanity on a regular basis.
They deserve our empathy and compassion.
Yet these men and women, who willingly rush to danger for complete strangers without hesitation, have been treated with blatant contempt. They’ve been used as political pawns by elected officials and rogue district attorneys, and demoralized by a citizenry that relies on a shameful media complex for its misinformation.
This is shameful.
While I won’t speculate about the motivations for yesterday’s tragedy -at least not without more details- I will reiterate my stance that we are a spiritually and culturally broken nation with a burgeoning mental health crisis. We can’t legislate morality, and as I’ve argued, our problems run much deeper than guns.
In that 2022 article, I cited a Wall Street Journal editorial that made an astute observation:
“Firearm laws were few and weak before the 1970s. Yet only in recent decades have young men entered schools and supermarkets for the purpose of killing the innocent. That a teenager could look at a nine-year-old, aim a gun, and pull the trigger signals some larger social and cultural breakdown.”
Some people say that there’s no such thing as the good old days. It’s true that no generation is perfect. Psychopaths and deviants are as old as the planet. Yet as someone who grew up in the 60s and 70s, I can also confirm that there wasn’t a need for metal detectors in schools and amusement parks. And I don’t recall hearing about school shootings until the 90s. What a relatively carefree life we were blessed to have lead.
Much has changed since then.
I don’t have all the answers. Nobody does. Plus the human brain is complex. Why do some people who’ve been through trauma become cold-blooded killers while others exhibit exceptional resiliency?
Perhaps if we were to become a serious, unselfish nation capable of having productive, honest adult conversations, we could figure this stuff out and create a better world.
The picture above was taken at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. It depicts the sacred space where Jesus spent some of his days. Looking at it brings me solace, as I hope it does for you.
Best.
For the Blue is a solutions-based initiative. I’m just an American patriot asking questions. I don’t work with any political party and I answer to nobody. For me, the health of the nation, due process (including for police officers), the rule of law, and respect for individual liberties, will always transcend party affiliation. I welcome your thoughts, even if you disagree; though personal attacks will be ignored. You can reach me at fortheblue@substack.com.
Ms Paula. On point as always. The problem begins at the home. Thank you for your insight!
Police have been treated badly, but you should also mention it isn’t only society’s fault. Much of it has been self-imposed.