I've been fighting with myself over the last couple of weeks with regards to what I want to write next. I have about 5 posts in various stages of being complete, but I am having a really hard time finishing them. It's like, I have the idea in my mind, I just can't find the words to appropriately articulate what I am trying to say, you know? It's really slowing me down. Well, that and Netflix.
I was actually about to get off my ass (figuratively) and do something about it this weekend. Yes, really! I was all ready to sit down and finish writing one of the posts, when I saw the news of people being attacked in Orlando. Suddenly, I wasn't interested in being funny anymore. It seemed grossly inappropriate in the face of something so horrific. How can I sit here and make jokes about superhero movies when there is so much malice and hatred in the world right now?
Normally, I'm pretty adept at just ignoring this kind of stuff. It's easy (probably easier than it should be) for me to separate myself from the terrible shit people do each other, because that shit isn't happening to me. It's a fairly uncouth way to look at it, but it's this sort of disassociation that keeps me from flinging myself off of a fucking bridge. But this... I don't know man. I'm having a really hard time shaking this thing. It's weird, right? San Bernardino and UCLA happened right in my back yard, yet the tragedy in a city I have never been to is the one that is making me sit here and completely reconsider my life choices.
So I'm going to use this, forum to work through it, because I don't really know any other way to cope. I'm sorry if it sounds like pretentious rambling, but read the title and subtitle of the blog, folks. Shame on you for clicking the link.
Besides the inexcusable carnage and the fear I have developed of leaving my dwelling, the issue I keep coming back to is how quick we are to assign blame. That's most of what I've seen over the weekend, and it's making me sick to my stomach. The pure rage I feel watching people attack each other over social media is almost indescribable. Like, it's taking everything I have to stop myself from throwing my phone against the wall and putting my fist through my TV. It's the Democrats' fault. It's the Republicans' fault. It's religion at large. It's Islam. Too many guns. Not enough guns. Obama. Clinton. Sanders. Trump. Gays. Straights. Trans.
I understand why we do it. We need to believe that this isn't just a random act of violence carried out by a random sociopath because if it is, it can happen to us. In our minds, it is imperative that we separate ourselves from "them" in order to create that nonexistent distance. We need to think they they deserve it because they are gay. Or because the liberals said this. Or because the conservatives said that. We need to rationalize because it gives us that false sense of security that we crave like an addict craves his drug of choice.
But guys, these people aren't even cold in the ground, haven't been laid to rest, and my entire Facebook feed is filled with ignorant, accusatory statuses and memes blaming each other for the acts of a single deranged maniac. I don't care what side of the aisle you sit on; this manner of thinking is incredibly disrespectful and more than a little irresponsible.
The people who died are just that: people. People with dreams. People who loved. People who hoped that one day, things might be better. People whose only crime was being brave enough to live in the way that made sense for them to live.
Don't be like that inhuman monster that refused to see these people as human beings. Do not use these people as ammo to further your own agenda. These people aren't political statements. These people aren't yardsticks by which to measure how effective or ineffective certain laws are. These people are not an 'I told you so' in order to support whichever candidate's asshole you're currently tonguing.
Mourn these people. Celebrate these people. Love these people.
Be kind to each other, assholes.
-James
We will soon return to our regularly scheduled program.
