There are those (some very close to me) who believe that the moral decline in our country is responsible for the massacres in our country. I gotta say, no. I don't like the moral decline, no I do not. But it is not responsible for mass shootings. Guns are.
I keep thinking about the first time I saw the TV show "Rosanne." I was in college. This new sitcom came on. We sat down to watch it and I was just horrified by the way those children spoke to their parents: were ALLOWED to speak to their parents. The way the parents spoke to the kids, and to each other. All my childhood programming (healthy and not) jumped up and I said, "I can't believe they talk to each other like that!" I was really upset by it. My roommate scoffed, "Oh, it's just TV!"
No. It's not just TV.
That night remains etched on my mind as the first time I was aware in that way of the rise of rudeness and disrespect. That was in 1986, so...32 years ago. And look where we are now. In my opinion, "reality" TV is a scourge. The internet in general and Youtube in particular have not done us any favors in the area of supporting civility.
But that didn't create the gun violence epidemic. It didn't hurt it any...but guns and our worship of them are responsible. Guns, and politicians in the pockets of the NRA.
I thought of this as I commented on my friend Martha's blog today. She is reading through Mark for Lent and blogging about it, and I'm following along. Today she wrote about Jesus' response to the Pharisees when they challenged him about eating on the Sabbath, connecting it with the speech given by Emma Gonzalez (and those given by other students) in the wake of the Parkland shooting. The importance of speaking truth to power.
Emma used the phrase "We call BS" as a rhetorical device, and a very effective one. BS = "bullshit." Is that a lack of civility? Emily Post wouldn't like it, but no. It's stating the facts. It is absolute bullshit, what is going on in our country. I support gun control: not removing guns, but making background checks a requirement and stopping AR 15's and other military weapons from entering the public marketplace.
Perhaps most important: I support campaign finance reform. The system is rotten, rotten to the core. I am infuriated that my legislators have been bought and sold by the NRA and other corporate interests. The entire system needs an overhaul.
You can text "NRA" to 50409 and the Resistbot will look up the contributions your elected representatives have received. Read it and weep.
Next week I'm taking my granddaughter with me to vote. I remember going as a young child with my mom to vote: it had a big impact. I won't be talking to Nash about ANY of the above, of course, or about specific candidates or positions. But I will be showing her the most important tool we have as citizens.
Join me, won't you? Vote411 is an incredible resource from the League of Women Voters that will give you a ballot including only the races in which you are eligible to vote. You can have your results emailed to you, to carry to the poll for easy reference. The primary is March 6, and in my state, early voting is going on now. Vote 411 can help you find the information you need.
Our lives depend on your vote.
