Sometimes, things that happen in that country to the south of Canada really freaks me out...
While I should probably be more freaked out about what happened in Virginia yesterday, I am more concerned with stories like this. In another area of that state, they will be holding the "Bloomberg Gun Giveaway" that is basically a lottery of sorts where the winner will walk away with a free handgun or rifle valued at up to $900 US. However, in order to enter, you'll have to spend at least $100 at one of three gun shops in the town. And, apparently, the draw will still take place even after the shooting at Virginia Tech.
I don't want to talk too much about yesterday's events however, I did want to mention that often times, desperate events like this happen because of exclusion. And it is only after an event like this that people begin to wonder - yet again - what the reason was for this. But now it's too late. Perhaps, we need to be proactive and stop excluding people for whatever reason it is that makes others feel superior. Skintone, ethnicity, sexuality, "cool" factor are just some of the reasons that people are made to feel inferior.
Having been the victim of this kind of taunting myself, I can identify with the whole exclusion feeling. Luckily for me, I chose the "humour" reaction and not that of violence. However, there is a fine line, let me tell you. Nobody likes to be singled out and taunted. And I cannot say that this is what the shooter in Virginia was experiencing. All I want to say is that if we tried harder to be inclusive with others, than perhaps we could spare ourselves the fear and death.
Here's another article from the Guardian that reported on the results of a study that suggests that the $1 billion dollars spent in the US on a teenage abstinence program was a waste of money. It appears that the program in no way affects teenagers decision to have sex. (Gosh. Shouldn't the government have learned from Jessica Simpson? Didn't she and Nick get married so that they could have sex? They swore to abstinence as well)
Upon discussing this with someone today, his comment was that perhaps the US really does have to change it's policy to "Make love, not war"...
While I should probably be more freaked out about what happened in Virginia yesterday, I am more concerned with stories like this. In another area of that state, they will be holding the "Bloomberg Gun Giveaway" that is basically a lottery of sorts where the winner will walk away with a free handgun or rifle valued at up to $900 US. However, in order to enter, you'll have to spend at least $100 at one of three gun shops in the town. And, apparently, the draw will still take place even after the shooting at Virginia Tech.
I don't want to talk too much about yesterday's events however, I did want to mention that often times, desperate events like this happen because of exclusion. And it is only after an event like this that people begin to wonder - yet again - what the reason was for this. But now it's too late. Perhaps, we need to be proactive and stop excluding people for whatever reason it is that makes others feel superior. Skintone, ethnicity, sexuality, "cool" factor are just some of the reasons that people are made to feel inferior.
Having been the victim of this kind of taunting myself, I can identify with the whole exclusion feeling. Luckily for me, I chose the "humour" reaction and not that of violence. However, there is a fine line, let me tell you. Nobody likes to be singled out and taunted. And I cannot say that this is what the shooter in Virginia was experiencing. All I want to say is that if we tried harder to be inclusive with others, than perhaps we could spare ourselves the fear and death.
Here's another article from the Guardian that reported on the results of a study that suggests that the $1 billion dollars spent in the US on a teenage abstinence program was a waste of money. It appears that the program in no way affects teenagers decision to have sex. (Gosh. Shouldn't the government have learned from Jessica Simpson? Didn't she and Nick get married so that they could have sex? They swore to abstinence as well)
Upon discussing this with someone today, his comment was that perhaps the US really does have to change it's policy to "Make love, not war"...
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home