Shoo-Fly, don't bother them
Someone please explain to me what on God’s green Earth could those Amish little girls have done to that sick psycho bastard that made him feel like he was justified in shooting them? I know he was sick, mentally. That much is obvious, and according to NBC news, he was taking revenge against something that happened to him 20 years ago. 20 YEARS AGO!!! Do you know how pointless that excuse is to me? How many of us have had something horrible happen to them when they were twelve? Eight? Six? Now how many of us intend on taking that anger and frustration out on people today? (Hopefully) Not one of us!!
Don’t get me wrong- I know kids can be cruel. I know this because for a short time I was a bully of the highest order in elementary school. It was a short lived reign. I was dared to do a horrible thing to another child who rode my bus, and I did it. I did it to be accepted, and I actually made myself sick. In ELEMENTARY school, my own actions against one child made me sick. I learned then and there that acceptance wasn’t worth the cost of my soul. I was lucky. Many, many years later (far too late in my opinion), I apologized to that child. I don’t think my words were eloquent, or even mildly sufficient, but they were heartfelt and even tearful, and he forgave me, and we are friends today because of the grace of that boy, and the understanding he had that was mature beyond his years.
My point is this. I don’t ever expect him to bust through the doors of my home and blow my kids away because I was mean to him one day 20 years ago. He functions with most of society in the way we can either a) forgive the hurts of childhood, or b) remain angry, but not act upon that anger. So, what makes the difference that puts this one man over that societal divide of decency? What was so awful that he decided to exact his revenge upon children that were completely unrelated to his personal incident?
I assume I am not alone in the fact that I don’t understand this. And I’m not sure why this one horrible incident strikes such a chord with me. Perhaps it’s because I have been to Amish Country (that county, in fact), and seen the beautiful and peaceful way they live with one another. I have the utmost respect for a group of individuals that hold onto their beliefs so tightly, in a society that runs so perpendicular to them. Especially when those beliefs are not harmful, or hateful, or hurtful to anyone. So maybe that’s it. Perhaps I am just angry at the carelessness of this man who brought the very nasty realities of the ‘modern’ world into the peaceful calm of that little school room, like a big unruly guest stomping his muddy boots on a little grannies tearoom rug. I wish I could go back and repair the calm that community knew prior to his intrusion. But I’m afraid that some stains will not wash out of a rug.
Pray- to whomever or whatever higher power you pray to, for the families of those girls. How bereft they must be. For the loss of their daughters. The loss of their way of life.
The loss of their innocence.
Don’t get me wrong- I know kids can be cruel. I know this because for a short time I was a bully of the highest order in elementary school. It was a short lived reign. I was dared to do a horrible thing to another child who rode my bus, and I did it. I did it to be accepted, and I actually made myself sick. In ELEMENTARY school, my own actions against one child made me sick. I learned then and there that acceptance wasn’t worth the cost of my soul. I was lucky. Many, many years later (far too late in my opinion), I apologized to that child. I don’t think my words were eloquent, or even mildly sufficient, but they were heartfelt and even tearful, and he forgave me, and we are friends today because of the grace of that boy, and the understanding he had that was mature beyond his years.
My point is this. I don’t ever expect him to bust through the doors of my home and blow my kids away because I was mean to him one day 20 years ago. He functions with most of society in the way we can either a) forgive the hurts of childhood, or b) remain angry, but not act upon that anger. So, what makes the difference that puts this one man over that societal divide of decency? What was so awful that he decided to exact his revenge upon children that were completely unrelated to his personal incident?
I assume I am not alone in the fact that I don’t understand this. And I’m not sure why this one horrible incident strikes such a chord with me. Perhaps it’s because I have been to Amish Country (that county, in fact), and seen the beautiful and peaceful way they live with one another. I have the utmost respect for a group of individuals that hold onto their beliefs so tightly, in a society that runs so perpendicular to them. Especially when those beliefs are not harmful, or hateful, or hurtful to anyone. So maybe that’s it. Perhaps I am just angry at the carelessness of this man who brought the very nasty realities of the ‘modern’ world into the peaceful calm of that little school room, like a big unruly guest stomping his muddy boots on a little grannies tearoom rug. I wish I could go back and repair the calm that community knew prior to his intrusion. But I’m afraid that some stains will not wash out of a rug.
Pray- to whomever or whatever higher power you pray to, for the families of those girls. How bereft they must be. For the loss of their daughters. The loss of their way of life.
The loss of their innocence.
