The Hamster Wheel Of Gun Violence And Citizen Helplessness Posted by Pile (15906 views) [E-Mail link] [ Beating Dead Horses ]

[ Rants ] It's that time of the year. Domestic terrorist shooting time. It seems to have a season, not unlike fishing or harvest time.



Along with it comes another season: Blaming, Whining and Complaining.



Will Americans actually do something or are they cursed to merely complain and flail their arms in the air helplessly?



The current issue of GQ magazine has an editorial by someone named Drew Magary, entitled "Las Vegas Is What Happens When America Happens"



I can relate to what the author is saying, but while he crystallizes everyone's frustrations, he also epitomizes the cause of the problem: helplessness and detachment.



"It’s already begun. As I’m writing this, over 50 people are dead in Vegas and already the fruitless cycle has started. There are liberals like me begging for gun control that will never come to pass (I can only look back at this post and laugh bitterly)"



The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.



Yet this is what people do, over and over again.



He's right. This does appear to be a characteristic of the new America, but it's not merely related to gun violence. There seems to be an ever-waning sense of personal responsibility the populace feels regarding everything bad that happens. We toss our arms up in the air and flail every now and then, but we really aren't willing to do much more than that. And every now and then we poke our heads up and get angered that the world has not changed for us like we wanted.



"Because by now, I don't know what I can do to change the fundamental anatomy of America"



Comments like the above can be maddening, because in reality, this guy, like all of us have been wearing the ruby slippers all along. We're more accustomed to complaining about problems than solving them, but the answers are there, right in front of us if you want to pay attention...



I would submit the first step in this process is to give America an MRI.



Examine at its core how it works.



You don't like the laws?



Rather than scream that laws need to be changed, take a good look at how laws are made, the process, by whom, how those people get in power, and develop a plan to address it?



Wouldn't that be better than barking orders into cyberspace?



The tea party went from nobody to completely running every branch of the government in less than 20 years.



The left sat by while they took over, wallowing in their helplessness.



And still, they don't want to acknowledge how brilliant their plan was?



The left could follow the same pattern and win.



Start local. Stay issue-oriented. Maintain solidarity with those on your side. Don't try to re-invent the wheel - pick the dominant political party you're closest aligned with and take it over - from the inside. Little by litte, one piece at a time.



This is how the tea party took control. They didn't immediately demand the Bill of Rights be amended. They planted their seeds locally and nurtured them.



This "outsider coming in to save us" plan continually fails. Stop doing it.



The left tried this a little bit, but then gave up when everything didn't work perfectly.



The right, kept going, trying, and they won. This is why they run everything now.



And still, the left want to throw their arms up in the air and say "This is America. We're screwed."



Really?



25% of the country took over the other 75% and the 75% are "screwed?" Awww, poor majority of Americans. WTF happened? Not our fault! Waaaaah!



That's a shame. It's crazy that the smarter half of the country is so clueless.



We just watched the biggest group of idiots ever in the history of America take over the country right in front of our eyes and we're like, "Durrrrrrr How could this happen?"



Right now, the tea party people know exactly who they're going to vote for in the next election. They've been building local coalitions for years.



The liberals.. they have no idea. They can't even name anybody who's planning to run against the republicans. But darned if they're not awesome in re-posting condemning tripe about Trump every five minutes on Facebook.



Come the midterm elections next year, the right will have everything lined up to maintain power. The left will poke their heads away from their iPhones for about 10 minutes and say, "We have no chance to win. We're in a red state. Waaaaaa" and pen a few more whiny facebook posts lamenting how much everything sucks."



Social media is full of temporary directors of the movie called, "America." They always appear just after a tragedy, barf out their simple solution for fixing things, and then retreat back into posting pictures of their lunch, cats or fridge artwork.



"Ban guns now!" "Repeal the second amendment!" Sounds great in theory, but how are you going to do it in practice? If the voice of reason appears within these threads it's attacked for being arrogant, dismissive and condescending. Yea, I'm part of the problem, having the audacity to ask how you're going to repeal the second amendment when you can't get a law passed that says it's a bad idea to shoot someone dead for looking at you funny.



I often ask what's going on? Do people really want change, or do they just want to vent? Because these arbitrarily, reactive demands appear toothless and unrealistic.



It's reminiscent of children playing in a playground saying to each other, "What do you want to be when you grow up?"



"I want to be a cowboy!"



"I want to be a princess!"



"I want to repeal the 2nd amendment!"



That's amusing and poignant when you're 5 years old, but if you're 35 and you're still harping, "I want to be a princess!" Perhaps you do deserve some eye-rolls?



Hey, I'm not saying don't dream big. But if you're going to demand big change, have a big plan. I'd like holodecks and faster-than-light space travel, but posting that on Facebook, unfortunately, probably doesn't get us even a millimeter closer to that goal.



You say you want gun control? Great. How? Oh you live in a red state and don't want to get off your ass to campaign because you think it's futile? How conveeeeenient! Oh you think it's impossible to de-throne the republican incumbant in your district? Despite the fact that probably only 15% of the eligible voters actually voted for him? And you want to convince us you're serious and worth paying attention to when you bark out orders, but aren't willing to really work to make these things real?



Perhaps one day, we as a people will accept responsibility and recognize that true change takes time, and happens in little bits? And it requires focus and dedication. If you get butthurt because someone, on your own side, on social media doesn't find your arbitrary dictate on society realistic, how are you going to deal with true adversity?



I keep waiting for the losing team to start paying attention to how and why they're getting their asses kicked, but they seem to primarily enjoy wallowing and complaining. We can have change, if people care enough to work. Focus on small, incremental wins and move forward that way. I apologize if I'm too snarky and not more diplomatic, but it's very frustrating to hear concerned citizens rail on about social problems, but never gain any ground. There is a way. There is an alternative to endless complaints if you're serious.









Name: (change name for anonymous posting) Title: Comments: 1 Article displayed.