A Call to Order
Due to the horrendous shooting event in Uvalde, Texas, I must once again divert my attention away from this week's intended reading to cover something that is much more important, a remembrance of the innocent souls who lost their lives at the hands of a disturbed young man. I hope you join me in a moment of silence to keep their family, friends, and those impacted by this senseless loss of life in our thoughts and prayers.
Sadly, as quickly as we come together to support in the wake of such tragedies, we turn on one another while searching for answers. Before the investigation can reveal the facts and truth about the events leading up to this heinous crime, we begin to blame everyone else in the process. We lose sight that this was the actions of an unstable young man who lost touch. I have seen the call for more gun control, accusations of failed legislative action, critiques of the police response, failure to report and monitor social media, and of course, the political finger-pointing to gain an edge in the polls.
So, who is to blame? I am beginning to see that the blame lies in all of us. America, we are changing in the worst way. We all demand more personal freedoms only to later infringe upon the liberty of our neighbors. How have we come to a place where only I matter and no one else? What happened to love thy neighbor? If the prevalence of violence is not proof positive, what else can be?
Violence in America is everywhere. It is documented in every "viral" video that hits social media. School-age fights, neighborhood brawls, road rage, violent demonstrations, mass destruction of property; this list goes on and on. And "we" stop and film it with our cell phones rather than stop the violence. So what are we teaching the next generation? That a moment of fame on social media legitimizes our violence and blatant disregard for others? And if a mass shooting of innocent school children is not enough to convince you that we have lost our way, then just know that in the first 145 days of this calendar year, we have seen just over 210 mass shooting events nationwide. This evil does not lie in our firearms; it comes from our hearts.
When President Lincoln spoke the words, "a house divided cannot stand," he was, speaking to a nation split on the issue of slavery, but how true are those words today? Unfortunately, in America, we are more divided than ever before. From our political views to the actions we inflict upon others. The continued disregard for the life and liberty of our neighbor cannot be if we wish to thrive as a nation and as a community.
In so many of my writings, I speak on vigilance, developing our personal awareness, and being hyper-sensitive to our environment and the threats that may emanate from within it. I will make that same plea now as I call upon each of you to remain vigilant in the care and concern for our neighbors. Watch over one another as the shepherd does the sheep. We will only change the growing violence in America when we change our hearts.
Here at Boss Security Screens, we are brokenhearted for the souls lost in Uvalde, Texas, and we extend our thoughts and prayers again to everyone in that community. I also want to thank the first responders who put their lives on the line every day to save others.
Until next week, stay safe and be vigilant.
Written by,
Michael Johnston
Chief Security Advisor at Boss Security Screens
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