I am writing this from my reflections of a child of the fifties and sixties because I am hurt and dismayed from the events surrounding us today. The church shooting in Texas yesterday brought me to tears and I just wondered what has happened to us.
Of course, there was bad things I remember from growing up during that time. I remember hiding under our seats during drills for a nuclear catastrophe and being hustled back to our home rooms after the news of the JFK assassination in elementary school and I remember my school being integrated for the first time in which I was ashamed of some of the other students actions. There were crimes and shootings happening then, but it always appeared the schools and churches were the safest places to be outside of your very own home. There was civil unrest, riots and marches, but it seems really bad things were uncommon.
Today it appears that evil and disrespect for human life is all to commonplace. I don't write this to try and offer answers to our problems because they are too complicated. I hope we can take a look at ourselves as citizens and members of an American family to see what we as individuals can do find answers to the complex problems facing our current society.
If you attend church, then pray and become active in your church affairs. If you don't go to church look and see how you can benefit your community by volunteering or being active in your local political scene. Vote for individuals who are running for political office who show or appear to have concerns for their constituents.
I know we can't return to the days of "Father Knows Best" or Ozzie and Harriet" but we can work toward a safer society because all is not lost yet, but it is coming. We need to support efforts to curb drug abuse, sexual harassment and mental health issues. Our own people are killing us more so than any other time since 9/11 and much worse because it is happening in our safest harbors such as churches, schools and our own homes.
Like I said these are only my thoughts from a quieter time. but I am going to dedicate my life to making our country a safer place....will you?
Clifton W. Duggan
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I completely agree. I miss the times of “Happy Days” and Fonzie was the tough guy. Wow.
Read our history Book/Bible. We obeyed and seeked God, we were blessed. Then we turned from God and punishment followed. This pattern repeats itself over and over for hundreds of years.
We have become like Sodom and Gomorrah. Being nicer ain’t going to cut it. It’s not a man thing. The man thing is sin and nothing more. We need repentance and “taking a knee(s)” and calling out to the God of Abraham Issac and Jacob and nothing less.
Bond Servant of Jesus Christ,
Michael Burns
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Mr. Duggan,
Your question is simple and at the same time deeply puzzling. All that has been on my mind recently is the extent to which we have bathed our country in violence. Movies, television, video gaming, etc. Action movies are rated on the body count, explosions, revenge, and the use of more deadly weapons.
On the other hand, our nation has had much more violence against churches and schools than you may be remembering. Google church shootings, bombings, arson, etc. in the US. Do the same for schools. The most deadly school attack was decades ago and did not involve guns. Research "Bath School."
News outlets and social media have turned up the reporting and commentary on these evil attacks to the point where it is deafening. Yes, we want to know about these tragic events. We want to understand the who and why. However, I had to turn my TV off after several hours of microscopic story line, guest commentators, dramatization, and the pure gluttony of the media blitz. Public saturation is part of the problem in my humble opinion. I sincerely worry that troubled individuals watching this programming are taking notes, gaining inspiration, and dreaming of their 15 minutes of fame and a place in history.
In a nation where we have abandoned virtually every shred of morality and discipline, we are reaping what we have sown. Evil is real and we have invited it to live with us.
Teddy Ladd
Ooltewah