Logic over emotion

So, I have been reading a ton of posts from all sides of this. A good portion of them have the same tired rhetoric. “Ban guns!” vs “Leave ma guns alone.” ..

Anyone who knows me, knows I am on the “Leave ma guns alone.” side. Yet, that’s not what the issue is here.

The issue is snap choices made with emotion.

Let’s use logic.

I’m going to use a situation that one can be calm about. This is a situation. I am not saying it’s even remotely comparable on the level of emotion and horrific actions. That’s the point of it.

You are driving to work, running late, and as soon as you are a block away, your car dies. Just sputters, and the engine stops running. You coast to a stop, in a LEGAL parking spot.

Do you:

A. Get rid of your car because you were late to work?
B. Get rid of all cars of the same make, because you were late to work?
C. Set your alarm clock 30 minutes earlier and get gas in the car the following day?

A logical person, would find the root cause, and solve that. Not jump to option A or B.

So please, while it is hard to remove yourself from the emotion of the situation that has transgressed. While everyone is horrified at the outcome. Let us join together and find the root cause. Then fix the root cause.

Now, I of course have my uneducated opinion on what the root cause is. I of course will even express it.

Parenting.

Yup, one simple word that means so many different things. Proper parenting, care, and actual teaching of children things such as responsibility and outcomes can change so much. Being able to turn to your neighbors when you need help, and having them help with the child. For there used to be a saying.. Take a village to raise a child.

Anymore, that village has become the law, not the parent.

So, remember a few things. When you see a child, ANY CHILD, remember that your actions to that child and in front of that child, fuel that child’s experiences. Good or bad.

When you see horrific things like what happened occur again, don’t look at the means it was done with, but the why. For it is the why being solved that will truly stop it. There are always a means.

Above all else, even when some one is screaming in your face “YOU ARE WRONG!” remember. Most people react with emotion first, help them step away from that, and then work with the logic.

Finally… Leave ma guns alone. :p