This topic, while tragic, stirred a lot of response. I'm sorry if I neglect to take sides on the issues of Gun Control, Religion, International Policy, Psychology, or any other hot topic for that matter in this post. I have but one thing to say, and forgive me if someone has already said it:
"Treat other's the way that you want to be treated..."
I would NEVER say that anyone "deserves" to be shot at, nor would I agree that any kind of violence is the answer to anything. I certainly don't know the messy details of what happened in Tucson; merely the what and the when... But I will say this; that shooter CHOSE a horrible reaction to some-thing or some-one. Nobody is born with the innate desire to murder. Some external provocation conditioned this response from him. That does not excuse what he did, nor does it justify people being hurt. What it does do is offer ALL OF US an opportunity to think about the way that WE treat people. It’s called “empathy” – putting oneself in one other’s shoes.
I lead a workshop at a leadership conference in college that focused on diversity. Particularly on the things we do every day that we are unaware of which may have a negative impact on someone else’s world. A few examples to think about:
When you go to the company cafeteria, think about the person washing your dishes before overloading the ketchup and dressing and leaving your garbage in the salad bowl...
When you are waiting in line at the gas station, remember, they are human and doing the best they can to serve the morning rush...
When you find someones lost wallet and it is stuffed with $300 cash, what if that was all that was left after cashing their paycheck? What if they still had to get groceries for the family and pay the utility bill?
In a nut shell: GET OUT OF YOUR OWN LITTLE WORLD! Yes, you have a life, but we all exist TOGETHER. I may be a lowly peon in the corporate ladder, but my friend Katie graduated with an HR Degree-maybe she’ll be the one who moves me up some day. Katie’s brother Joe is an MIS graduate and he’s going to fix mine and Katie’s computers when they go down. Joes friend Melissa is a Nursing graduate, she’s going to take care of all three of us when we are sick. WE CAN’T GET THROUGH LIFE ALONE. The world is an interdependent place. Just once, stop and think about how OUR actions now can cause an unforeseen, tragic, conditioned response at some point in the future BEFORE you throw someone under the bus…
Well said, sir :)
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