Sunday, December 16, 2012

What Can One Do

I am in shock from Friday's tragedy in Connecticut. Here in Quebec, we just marked the 23rd anniversary of what has come to be called, The Montreal Massacre [Dec 6.1998]. I have written about it here [Link] and here [Link]. At that time, Ed Bantey wrote a wise and moving piece for the Montreal Gazette.

"In so many ways, each and everyone of us is responsible for what happened at the polytecnique. We are the one who allow guns to be sold or placed in the hands of unstable people. We do a lot of talking about mental health but turn our backs - as do the politicians, when it's time to put up the money to help the victims. We buy and rent video games and toys for our kids that glorify violence. We make it profitable for cinemas and television stations to run films that render violence and aggression banal. We allow breweries to push their products on the young and render lip service to the fight against drugs. We sit by while society breaks down and poverty and unemployment are mere statistics. Then when the monsters of dis-integration wreak havoc, we wonder why."

Again, it's time to do something, the question is always what; and how. First step, sigh the petition at Avaaz. [link here]


Stars and moon pour their healing light upon you [from a Gaelic Blessing]

6 comments:

  1. I have always hated guns. I would never even let my kids play with toy guns when they were young. And yet, we can never stop the maniacs from their killing work can we? Look at Hitler. He didn't need a gun did he?

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    1. Thanks Roberta for your comment, while I don't think we can stop all the gun related death, I really believe we could be doing a lot more to strengthen gun laws. Statisically this seem to be very effective.

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  2. you are absolutely right. excellent liz. your city is one of two (ottawa) closest to me, though i'm in n.y. and here, there is much hunting, and also much purchasing of firearms, many are intended for use on people not "game" animals. it's crazy.

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  3. Thank you for posting this Liz. Friday's tragedy literally hit too close to home.

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    1. I have been thinking of you so much in the last few days Jennifer, and while I generally shy away from being so overtly political, this carnage has to stop.

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I appreciate your thoughts and comments; thanks for taking the time.