Dedicated to Protect?
Some random thoughts on a recent shooting that was too close to home for me and random other self-reflections.
This morning I started writing a post on Facebook and then I stopped to get my family ready for work and school. I saved the post to a google doc and went about my day. Then I had an experience coming home from dropping my son off at school which led to a new post related to the first but set off by another direction influenced by something I noticed in my community.
This will probably be a mess of an article related to a brain dump of feelings and emotions and random reflections on HOW to end or minimize public and mass shootings as well as violence, anger and hate we see so common in society these days.
So let me start with the post I actually DID publish on Facebook with some minor edits clarifying things a bit more as I reread things.
DEDICATED TO PROTECT? FB Post…
Dedicated to Protect?
As I’m on this truth seeking path and becoming more and more aware of social conditioning I start noticing odd things.
This morning I’ve been reflecting a lot on the school shooting where my kid catches the bus and how yesterday they just arrived after the shooter was caught and 2 kids were shot. 1 is dead.
I spent a lot of time this morning trying to be more loving or patient with my kids even when they were driving me crazy in the typical morning hub-bub.
I spent a lot of time wondering how we inherited and contributed to this seemingly broken system we call humanity. I reflected on how to forgive and help this troubled shooter. I reflected on how we as a society could help the families, friends, and employees of the school dealing with the trauma created by this one kid.
I reflected a bit on how our obsession with guns and “stuff” led us to think… we NEED to “protect” ourselves, and our stuff, and how much that thought gets under my skin.
I originally was blaming films, tv, music and other media consumables as part of the problem.
Then after dropping my son off at school and extra hugs… I get stuck beside a cop at a red light to read the words “Dedicated to Protect”.
All I can think is WTF? What happened to “Serving”? Wasn’t it “protect and serve” at one point? Do we no longer need to “serve” our community? It (our society), is SO dangerous, we only need to PROTECT it?
This lead to many feelings.
One of outrage because those employed with guns are promoted as PROTECTORS when sometimes they too are the killers of innocent citizens. Sadly in Fort Worth were the police are called to “protect” us not too long ago a police officer shot and killed a home owner in her house through the window at night. Worse, of course, it was a black woman – Atatiana Jefferson, shot by a white male cop.
I guess my point is that maybe “protection” is not what we need.
Then I got pissed about promoting PROTECTION as something they think society needs or wants, so much so, they made it their slogan. WTF?
In my life I personally had more bad experiences with the police than helpful ones. I don’t trust them to PROTECT me nor do I feel I NEED protected.
Sadly if the police are leading with propaganda that we NEED protection, I think we are doomed. No wonder we’re obsessed with feeling endangered all the time and in NEED of a weapon for personal protection. The cops and/or the city are planting and watering those seeds.
What if we planted and watered the seeds of…
- “Dedicated to Seek Understanding”,
- “Dedicated to Peace”,
- “Dedicated to Unity”,
- “Dedicated to Love One Another”,
- or the old one “Dedicated to Serve”?
How might this set the tone for a police officer’s day if they were not positioned as “heroes to protect” us, but as “service leaders to support and lift people up”?
Words are important. They influence us greatly (both consciously and subconsciously).
One of my favorite sayings from the Damapada (I think) goes like this…
The thought manifests as the word;
The word manifests as the deed;
The deed develops into habit;
And habit hardens into character;
So watch the thought and its ways with care,
And let it spring from love
Born out of concern for all beings…
As the shadow follows the body,
as we think, so we become.
As a society does thinking we NEED protection send us into victim mode or feeling helpless? Does it create a culture divided into “good vs bad” instead of seeing “all people as good” and some of those good people who are influenced by trauma or harmful propaganda that leads to bad deeds or actions?
Anyhow…
There’s a lot on my mind this morning.
May we find ways to heal our traumas, hurts, heartbreaks, and losses.
May we find a way to heal our hearts of hatred and fear and learn to see the good in others as well as forgive those who wronged us or harmed us or others in any way.
May we find ways to do and be better with one another and with ourselves.
May we find ourselves in lives that are more precious than any amount of stuff, and find a way to value life without the need to “protect” it with weapons.
May we find ways to build community instead of walls to separate us.
Final thoughts…
I debated on adding the original post as the thoughts are aligned and seem from the original motivation for this post… talking about, thinking about, and discussing public shootings and how we might be able to stop them.
Although the original post is related, I think this is enough to digest at this point. I moved this FB post to my blog because I think I will need to reflect on this thought again and it is easier to find on my blog, oh and I think others should have access to these thoughts if they read my blog or if they find it on google.
Thank you for reading this post.
If you have other thoughts or even opposition to any of these ideas please feel free to share them with me as this is an important conversation and we should be discussing this topic from all points of view.
I have been wrestling with the school (or public) shooting thing for nearly a decade. It really weighs on me and I truly want to find a way to move in a better direction. Last June, I shared this crazy idea related to it – COULD BEING A BETTER FRIEND, PARTNER, OR NEIGHBOR, HELP STOP MASS SHOOTINGS?
Sending Love & Ongoing Support to the Kids, Families, and Community at Lamar High School, as well as Trying To Find Forgiveness for the Shooter and His Unskillful and Probably Misguided Actions
May we learn from this and all public shootings past, present and even those that will happen in the future in other communities. We can do better.
It breaks my heart seeing the comments related to some of the Lamar school posts. We have a LOT of work to do. It all starts with us as individuals though. It is too easy to blame the cops or the school or any other group of issues, people, or things. We MUST find ways to remove the violence and anger from our own hearts before we can get anyone else to change.
Please help me find better ways for ME it be better, ways for YOU to be better, ways for US as a society to be better.
Maybe I'll end things with a Loving Kindness Meditation. Give it a try and may we find a healthy way to move forward.