My response to reactions to this week's tragic killings is going to be delivered in the form of my holiday wish list:
1) As a nation, we stop taking every tragedy as an affront to our "way of life" and as an excuse for a retreat into scandalously emotional navel-gazing and ACT to solve the problems involved- no more guns for civilized people, better care for mental illness, and a recognition that... all those quiet, nerdy, dark, gothic, misfit, sexually-questioning people everybody loves to heap disdain and ridicule on turn into the serial killers from suffering abuse at this society's hands.
2) We appreciate the plight of the millions of people whose problems though not touching on mortality still require empathy and assistance- those of us without a job, health insurance, the ability to take a vacation to gain some peace and perspective, ETC. While not as grandiose as headline murder, these necessities of life deserve empathy and support. A little less time on self-preservation and more on inspiration- of both ourselves and others.
3) That our news media realize that emotion is not the story- the story is the problem to be solved.
4) That it doesn't take abject tragedy for us to appreciate the essential need to respect, value, listen to and care for each other- not because it is American or religious, but because we are human beings and it's Right. Less about family values- more about valuing families- arising from birth, friendship or citizenship in the world.
5) Let's encourage honesty and creative expression and appreciation of beauty in 2013 with less numbing violence in the addiction to sports, bad movies and bullies of all sorts.
6) Let's put down the cell phones and email and FB and actually go out and have coffee with a friend to talk about our lives.
7) Let's all (including our antiquated Supreme Court) wake ourselves to the reality that people love different others in different ways and that the genie of sexual choice is out of the bottle and not going back in! Freedom always wins- eventually- because it is required for our existence. Our gay people need to reach outside their own circle so that we can all be family. Straight people need to get over themselves and accord others the equal right to expression, love, marriage rights and benefits.
8) Dump the foul fake "religious" and church-created teachings and lies that keep women, minorities and gay people down. Let's walk the life of Christ- not in fear and judgment and self-loathing which keeps us at the mercy of the powers that be- but with the bravery and strength and faith of Jesus the rebel, the outsider, the different, the questioning and the transcendent.
9) Let's all get outside of our boxes and ask more questions. There is much more to our life than just our lives.
10) Above all, let us question and oppose those "conservative" members of our government who are anything but- who waste and squander resources, people, good will and high intentions. For our few worthy and courageous leaders we should offer up our voices and support. And from them, we should demand they reach for the stars.
SO SAY WE ALL
1) As a nation, we stop taking every tragedy as an affront to our "way of life" and as an excuse for a retreat into scandalously emotional navel-gazing and ACT to solve the problems involved- no more guns for civilized people, better care for mental illness, and a recognition that... all those quiet, nerdy, dark, gothic, misfit, sexually-questioning people everybody loves to heap disdain and ridicule on turn into the serial killers from suffering abuse at this society's hands.
2) We appreciate the plight of the millions of people whose problems though not touching on mortality still require empathy and assistance- those of us without a job, health insurance, the ability to take a vacation to gain some peace and perspective, ETC. While not as grandiose as headline murder, these necessities of life deserve empathy and support. A little less time on self-preservation and more on inspiration- of both ourselves and others.
3) That our news media realize that emotion is not the story- the story is the problem to be solved.
4) That it doesn't take abject tragedy for us to appreciate the essential need to respect, value, listen to and care for each other- not because it is American or religious, but because we are human beings and it's Right. Less about family values- more about valuing families- arising from birth, friendship or citizenship in the world.
5) Let's encourage honesty and creative expression and appreciation of beauty in 2013 with less numbing violence in the addiction to sports, bad movies and bullies of all sorts.
6) Let's put down the cell phones and email and FB and actually go out and have coffee with a friend to talk about our lives.
7) Let's all (including our antiquated Supreme Court) wake ourselves to the reality that people love different others in different ways and that the genie of sexual choice is out of the bottle and not going back in! Freedom always wins- eventually- because it is required for our existence. Our gay people need to reach outside their own circle so that we can all be family. Straight people need to get over themselves and accord others the equal right to expression, love, marriage rights and benefits.
8) Dump the foul fake "religious" and church-created teachings and lies that keep women, minorities and gay people down. Let's walk the life of Christ- not in fear and judgment and self-loathing which keeps us at the mercy of the powers that be- but with the bravery and strength and faith of Jesus the rebel, the outsider, the different, the questioning and the transcendent.
9) Let's all get outside of our boxes and ask more questions. There is much more to our life than just our lives.
10) Above all, let us question and oppose those "conservative" members of our government who are anything but- who waste and squander resources, people, good will and high intentions. For our few worthy and courageous leaders we should offer up our voices and support. And from them, we should demand they reach for the stars.
SO SAY WE ALL
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