Been pretty quiet the past few days. Did a lot of catching up on rest and just thinking about life and the world in general.
What is wrong with our world? Nothing, our world is fine, it is some of the people living in it that are the problem. I just do not understand the actions or attitudes of a few. I have always thought about the general population like this. About 90% are good honest people just doing their best to raise their families and get though the day. About another 5% are exceptional, Earth Angels going far beyond anything that could be expected in helping others. Then there is the remaining 5%. Sadly, this small group is the group that attracts the most attention. The nut cases, the criminals, the idiots, that relatively small percentage of the population we have somehow allowed to take control of or at least dominate our lives.
I am a very proud Canadian and I can see this in my own country. I can even see it in my own neighborhood. I read different blogs from different places and different cultures around the world and over all the situation doesn’t seem that much different anywhere.
Over the past few days I have been watching and reading about the terrible tragedy at Virginia Tech. My heart and my prayer go out to all the families, I can’t even begin to imagine the pain. Such needless, senseless pain being suffered by so many. Every moment of life is so precious and to be robbed of any of it, It almost brings me to tears.
There must be some answer to this, but it is beyond me. How can 5% of the population administer such fear and seemingly even destroy at will an part of our society at will. OK, 5% is a number I have just plucked out of the air, but I am sure it must be somewhere close to being accurate.
Now I am not picking on the Americans when I say this as I am sure it would likely be the same everywhere. But after this tragedy, I am sure there will be a lot of speeches blaming this or that. There will be committees formed with endless studies done. An endless line of people will be fighting to get in front of a TV camera. Who is to know, maybe even just wanting to be seen on TV to further their own ambitions. I know not all, but some will be trying to advance their own goals or agendas literally on the backs of these poor students and their families. As a society what have we allowed ourselves to come to?
I am all for equal rights for all. The key word here is equal. How do we justify the personal rights of this small minority of the population being greater than the actual right to personal safety of the greater majority. I don’t understand.
I know this tragedy will spark great debate in governments and schools around the world. There will be endless discussions but when the dust settles there will likely be very little change if any. Politicians generally seem to be afraid to take a solid stand on contentious issues, always afraid of offending and possibly loosing the political support of this group or that group.
In the past what have I done as an individual, nothing but sit back and complain about the government the police and the world in general. Who do I complain to just my friends, neighbors and really anyone else. Except those in a position to do something. Are we all like that, we sit and complain but are willing to do nothing about it?
What can we do about it? Complaining to our various government officials would be a start. We all know they want to get reelected and if it is made obvious a large enough segment of their voters are dissatisfied, they will start trying to bring about change.
As an individual can anyone change the world? Not likely, but we can help to change our little part of the world. If enough little parts of the world are changed, pretty soon that equals a big change in the world.
How can we realistically expect anything to change if we all continue to do nothing but complain to ourselves? I once heard this from a wise lady. One definition of insanity could be, doing the same thing, in the same way day after day and yet being disappointed when the outcome remains the same
Dying mans daily journal 
Well Bill, I am glad that you tackled this one first. I have been thinking about the tragedy myself, and I agree that we must do something. I prefer to think I am doing my part by living my life well and honestly, by raising self aware and politically astute children, and by keeping true to my moral compass.
I think if we all tried just a little harder the world could improve significantly.
As to your assertion that ‘5%’ of the population is the problem, I tend to agree. I think to them we can begin to show some compassion and understanding for the self loathing that they must feel. Those we can’t help, we need to deal with in a humane way.
It is a real shame what happened and that the gunman was protected throughout the process. I’m ashamed of those people who are American’s looking to advance their agendas through tragedies like this.
It’s difficult to know what to do. Years ago there were protests and sit-ins, etc… I wasn’t even born when all of that happened. I think my generation is at a loss. We’re told to write to congressmen in school, but we don’t write letters anymore, we are email senders. They don’t read our emails and we don’t take the effort. It just seems so overwhelming for myself that we’ll never get anywhere, so why try.
Like you said, all will be talked about, nothing will change. Another event will occur and we’ll move on. It’s a shame, I wish there was someone who had the answer for people to follow, but with the policitcal webs here in the US, it’s very confusing which direction to go!
Hi Bill, what a horrible thing to happen…yet again. I cannot begin to comprehend the level of pain the parents and families of those killed will have to endure and for the rest of their lives too….
Technologically, we as a human species, are moving forward at tremendous pace, Socially, we are not.
Its almost pointless looking for a simple answer, is this part of our evolution? Will we be able to change at some time? Do we really learn anything from our behaviour? Its a world of questions with very little in the way of satisfactory answers….
Can we as individuals change things? I think not, we are being more and more “processed” and shut out, only the rich and powerful can effect a change and only the odd individual who somehow captures great media attention…
Politicians? Almost another name for corruption it seems what with their own personal agendas….
To finish this personal rant maybe its interesting to note that its only a minute percentage of people who actually run the world!! Think of that for a minute, the political leaders and the heads of massive business – these are our leaders, we are controlled by a very few…
Sorry about this comment, it sounds like a rant to me!! Well, as long as the decent people can keep showing some love, who knows?? 🙂
It seems to me that what you are doing with this blog, Bill, is exactly what is needed. Maybe if all the thousands of us who read the the thoughts you have been passing on, then go out and set priorities like the kindness to others that you talk about or learn from the loving way you respond to family, friends, and even we who are strangers to you; maybe the world would be impacted. The kingdom of God is compared to a mustard seed in the Bible and recently I heard a description of that seed. Though very small it will tenaciously grow almost anywhere and become very large in the most unlikely of places. We can all make a difference and I thank you Bill for being willing to lead the way. Maybe if there had been someone like you at some turn in that twisted young man’s life, history may not have included such a painful, tragic chapter.
I’ve typed and backspaced and typed and backspaced some more.
It’s not often I’m at a loss for words.
I’m not even sure that’s the case. It’s more of a loss of the ability to organize the words.
I’m just horribly sad, Bill
I not willing to do the chaos, devastation and fear of the moment over and over again. I don’t need to watch it to feel it.
I’m not doing the ‘head in the sand’ deal.
I’m accutely aware of what transpired.
The world sees that I get the information without me turning on the television or opening the newspaper.
At this moment, I think I’m simply grieving…. for all of us.
Your comments regarding the state of the world today were both poignant and pertinent. I, too, often wonder why the majority seems to kowtow to the minority so often, and why our governments seem so fearful of speaking out. As an American, I see our once-proud nation more and more becoming the world’s doormat.What ever happened to the idea that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few? And why are we so content to let those few do their will while we sit back and do nothing? The Virginia Tech tragedy seems to me to be symptomatic of the ills of the world at large…………….even when we know what is wrong, we do nothing to fix the problem.
Thanks for letting me rant
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Hi Bill,
I hope you are okay today. I missed your thoughts. I managed to organzie some of my own though! Have a good weekend.
Hi Lynne, thanks for the comment, please feel free to “rant” any time
Bill