Editorial

It isn't the guns but mindset of shooters

Saturday, July 9, 2016

Like everyone else, I (hopefully) get up every morning and go about my daily routine. Our days are built around our own personal priorities - family, work, church, etc.

All of us would like to think we are doing the right thing - we volunteer, we try to help others in need, we try to be honest and we know the difference between right and wrong.

But the world outside of our personal experiences is crumbling in so many ways.

And the problem is we are completely clueless on what we can do, what anyone can do and how this massive decline in American civility will come to an end.

Two police shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota are cause for great concern for all of us. The minority community needs to understand that all Americans are sickened by what may well be fatal mistakes by law enforcement.

The minority community believes - with some degree of accuracy - that there is a different set of rules in our society.

And in a different context, the warped decision on the actions of Hillary Clinton should show all of us that there is indeed a different set of rules for the elite.

But this all brings us to Dallas and the unspeakable tragedy there.

As a society, we'll survive Dallas, we'll survive the fatal shootings and reluctantly, we'll somehow survive the Clintons dodging yet another bullet.

But also as a society, we lost something this week. The pessimists among us would believe we'll never regain that which we once had.

For those crying that the singular problem is the lack of gun control, give them gun control.

That's right. Put added teeth into the proliferation of guns in this nation and impose stricter requirements for gun owners.

But here's the nasty truth.

Additional gun measures - even draconian measures that would impose hardships on gun owners - will not stop evil.

The issue in Dallas has little to do with the weaponry involved. It has all to do with the mindset of the individual holding that weapon.

Law enforcement cannot be painted with a broad brush by the actions and mistakes of a few. Just as all crime cannot be painted with the same broad brush when it comes to minority involvement.

The overwhelming majority of citizens - both black and white - are law abiding, honest and concerned about the future of this great nation.

And yet rightfully, we must focus on those who carry evil in their hearts and believe you can right one wrong with another.

We may remain clueless but we are far from helpless.

Until we honestly recognize the core problem, we'll continue to use Band-Aids that will cover the wound but not solve the problem.

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