Posted on 08/05/2019 8:10:25 AM PDT by Salvation
As I write this (late Saturday evening), the deadly shooting in El Paso is only hours old and the facts are still being sorted out, but evidence is mounting that this was motivated by hatred for Hispanics and immigrants. Such incidents have become all too common in the United States, and, frankly, the death toll from them in recent years (in the U.S.) has far exceeded that rooted in Muslim extremism. The enemy is within.
In the cauldron of anger that America has become, violent rampages are now weekly occurrences. Overt or barely repressed anger seems to be the new normal in America. Without civil discourse rooted in shared values, it is easy to resort to invective, demonizing, and fearmongering. The sickest among us drink this poison and succumb to it.
Saddest of all, it is doubtful that an event like this will cause us all to stop and seek the way of peace; it is more likely to have the opposite effect. The blame game began on the national news almost immediately after the reports started coming in. Speculation went directly to how this incident will benefit or hurt various national political figures. Major networks were running to presidential candidates to get their reactions. Some of the victims had not even breathed their last before the whole matter had been politicized. Talking heads were being lined up to give “expert analysis” on who is to blame, how this will influence the ongoing gun-control debate, whether this should affect immigration policies, whether the incident demonstrates that America is a racist nation, and/or whether this should be viewed as the solitary action of a lunatic. Many will want to know who should have seen this coming but did not report concerns. There is and will be a lot of heat but very little light.
We are all to blame in some sense. To some degree we all contribute to this bubbling cauldron of hostility, to the rage that is often no longer below the surface. Almost no one will own up to his own role or that of his particular faction, however. It’s the other side; they are the ones to blame: It’s Antifa’s fault; no, it’s the white supremacists who are to blame; no, it’s illegal immigrants; no, it’s Trump; no, it’s the Democrats; no, it’s the Republicans; no, it’s the NRA.
My fantasy is that the President, congressional leaders of both parties, and other key leaders would all gather and declare a time of prayer, fasting, and cooling off. Imagine each of them saying something like this:
I am partially to blame for this and so is my party. We have contributed to the atmosphere of anger and blame that has driven some individuals beyond the boiling point. I realize that I harbor too much hatred for my opponents. I have failed to listen to them. I have failed to express my disagreement with them in a respectful manner. I have engaged in personal attacks or have repeated those of others. I have demonized my opponents and delighted when others did so. Yes, I and my party have contributed to the epidemic of anger in this country. Admitting my part, I reach out to my political adversaries and ask them to consider theirs; I suggest that we are all to blame. I hereby commit to engage in self-scrutiny and to curb my personal attacks on those with whom I disagree; I ask my opponents to do the same. I would like to participate in a month of national mourning, repentance, and reparation for the damage that has been caused and to which I have contributed. May God have mercy us and grant us a time of peace and change.
I know this is naïve, and perhaps I sound “preachy,” but I can dream, can’t I? Even if none of these public figures will do such a thing, what about us? Is it possible for you and me to watch our words and our behavior? To avoid ascribing the worst of motives to those with whom we disagree? To stop eagerly passing on every rumor and allegation we hear or read? We will never all have the same position on every issue, but can we express our disagreement with respect and charity?
Unfortunately, the more likely outcome of today’s shooting is that the anger and blaming will escalate even further. And then in about a week’s time there will be another shooting, and we’ll go through this all over again. [Update: Before this “went to press” there was another shooting, this time in Dayton, Ohio. Apparently my “in about a week’s time” was too optimistic.]
Things are getting hot in the U.S., but although the “warming” is man-made, it has nothing to do with climate change. Satan thinks the weather in America today is just fine.
Help us, Lord, and may the dead rest in peace, far from this angry, overheated world.
When evil days are upon us and the worker of malice gains power, we must attend to our own souls and seek to know the ways of the Lord. In those times reverential fear and perseverance will sustain our faith, and we will find need of forbearance and self-restraint as well. Provided that we hold fast to these virtues and look to the Lord, then wisdom, understanding, knowledge and insight will make joyous company with them [From the beginning of the Letter attributed to Barnabas (Cap. 1, 1-8; 2:1-5: Funk 1, 3-7)].
Monsignor Pope Ping!
Unfortunately, there is one political party that is not “declar(ing) a time of prayer, fasting, and cooling off.” And that ain’t us normal folk.
At first “we are all to blame” was more than a little offensive to me. But on some reflection, maybe we do own a share. We have tolerated the Brown Shirt Media for far too long.
Monsignor, you’re wrong on this one. There is original sin, but there is not collective guilt. The guilty ones are those who did the killing.
“We are all responsible” is stale 1960’s liberalism.
As I posted on another thread:
George Washington urged the Swiss system; i.e. arming and training our youth as part of their preparation for responsible citizenship. He specifically recognized the moral character building aspects of the Swiss system. As you may know, Switzerland has, traditionally, had an extremely low crime rate.
Right & Duty To Keep & Bear Arms.
(See, in the above, Washington's sage advice to Congress, It indicates the dangerous omission in 21st Century America. The point is essential to counter the Leftist hand wringing assault on our liberty; an essential key to a truly American future.)
I am a born again Christian Catholic. I love my church. But I’m sickened by how our culture of death was propagated specifically through the failure of the Catholic clergy over the last 50 years to embrace orthodoxy and defend the truth no matter what the cost. Last month I was lectured on the great sin of pollution. Two weeks ago I was told to embrace the illegal immigrant with open arms. Catholic universities have betrayed the faithful. When humanae vitae was promulgated by Paul the vi priests and bishops laughed in his face. The pill paved the way for the breakdown of the family. Sex was no longer sacred. It was a slippery slope all the way to Adam and Steve getting married. Now we’re being lectured about how a sick human massacres people. And that it’s a political point of leverage. My anger is at the judas’s that have filled the church for too long. our culture is so far gone spiritually and morally that I’m afraid we’re at a point of no return. Woe to you who call good evil and evil good. “The road to hell is paved with the skulls of priests and monks. And the lamp posts are the skulls of bishops.”
Remember the words of Our Lord,”it is impossible that scandals not come, but woe to those by whom they come. It would be better than a millstone be tied around their neck and they be cast into the sea!” there is absolutely no sane reason to believe that the number of mass murders will decrease given the spiritual desert in which we live. Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition.
I do not spread hatred and I had no effect on the psychopath who perpetrated this. Sorry, Msgr. Pope
If you’re trying to say I should not want laws to be followed but I should apologize to those in congress who refuse to even recognize those laws, you would have to on once me that that would have any effect on psychopaths including those in congress literally hell bent on defying laws in place that protect me and my beloved country.
People need to get serious about what is really going on
“My fantasy is that the President, congressional leaders of both parties, and other key leaders would all gather and declare a time of prayer, fasting, and cooling off.”
Glad this guy isn’t in government today, because it’s just as he says, a fantasy!
But while you’re at it Monsignor, how about having your church start obeying our country’s immigration laws? You and “your buddies” in other “christian denominations,” continually work at crossed purposes to our country at our southern border. Make me President, and I’d see you prosecuted for what you are doing there.
Whew! Thank you for that extensive reply.
But you’re absolutely correct that spirituality & regard for the Love of God has been leached from our common culture. It’s a desert out there. Thank the Lord I live in the South where churches are well attended on Sunday. I say that as a Catholic in a 95% Protestant state.
I have my own stories of toting souvenir WWII rifles to high school for Veterans’ Day displays.
Pope Paul V1 said if you would have peace work for justice.
The sending countries must be made just, the immigrants of all type must be just and come legally, America must be just and protect its legal population from disruption by illegal entrants and cultural disruption by too many immigrants of all kinds.
We can do it. It is a matter of political will.
Very very nice sir!
What about praying for them?
I always pray for our government and politicians.
What’s your point
“evidence is mounting that this was motivated by hatred for Hispanics and immigrants”
What if the real reason for the shooting(s) was motivated by the desire to give the gun-grabbing Liberals something to scream about?
Maybe the hatred of immigrants thing was just the excuse they used.
Behaving in our personal life while doing nothing to stop abortion, euthanasia, destruction of the family, and corruption of our schools, is NOT living up to our God given responsibilities.
There may not be collective guilt, but there is certainly collective punishment!
“My fantasy is that the President, congressional leaders of both parties, and other key leaders would all gather and declare a time of prayer, fasting, and cooling off. “
I share this dream.
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