Mark’s Musings – July 13, 2016

Mark Fortune

I feel totally unqualified to even begin writing about the events in Minnesota, Baton Rouge, Tennessee and Dallas last week. But I also do not feel that it can be ignored. It seems that our country is imploding in on itself as people are taking out their anger on our law enforcement community and other random innocents. As the names and their lives become familiar to us these people become more than statistics or nameless victims. Now we know their story, their families and about the life they led.

Our hearts and prayers go out to all of the victims of these calamities. Where we go from here might be an oft asked question. It should be. Does anyone know? How do we as a nation come together and begin some sort of healing? Where does the healing start? How does it start? And perhaps the most important question of all, by whom? The simple response – all of us. It has to be that way.

With the Republican National Convention coming to Cleveland July 18 to 21 let’s hope and pray that the security forces that are marshalled by the city officials are more than enough to prevent any tragedies.

That is followed by the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia July 25 to 28. Let’s hope and pray for a peaceful gathering there as well.

Regardless of who is elected President as the nominations are pretty straightforward at this point – our new President that takes the oath on January 20, 2017 and takes office at noon on that day has some real challenges that go beyond jobs and immigration. It’s going to be a huge challenge and will certainly be on the agenda at the respective conventions.

But is this problem one that is even beyond the scope of the federal government to fix? I believe so. This problem can only be remedied by a change of hearts. When that happens we will start to heal. Rules and policies will not and cannot change hating hearts and minds.

There has been a tremendous outpouring of love and kindness following these tragedies. Protestors and friends of the victims alike have come together to denounce evil. That is a good start. This issue ultimately affects all of us in this great nation – regardless of where we live.

And we have seen the good and bad of social media during these crises. I believe that it can be used for more good than bad in the hearts, hands and devices of the right people. Blasting something out on Facebook or Twitter or any of the other social media channels in a fit of rage only fuels the fire that threatens to consume us. The old saying used to be “Think before you drink”. Maybe a new slogan should be “Think before you press send.” Okay, it doesn’t quite have the same ring to it, but you get the idea.

The positive must outweigh the negative. We all need to search to find the positive – somehow – in all of this. I believe that it’s there somewhere.

Category: Mark's Musings, Opinion