One mantra that I drummed into my children, and anyone else who would listen, was, “What is this for?” Or after the fact, “Is that what this is for?” I continually challenged them to ask themselves that question before they did something.
It could be as simple as using a knife blade to turn a screw, or using a toy as a hammer to drive a nail back into the wood. We had a few broken knives and damaged toys, but thankfully, nothing big to explain.
This training played in my head as I read about five Michigan teens who were tossing tires and rocks off an overpass on I-75 at cars passing underneath. Several cars were damaged, and the passenger in one van was fatally injured by the missile.
Evidently, none of these boys, now adults in the eyes of the law, ever asked, “Is that what this is for?” “Rock, overpass, throw rock at car.” Nope, that is not in the handbook of sensible uses for rocks.
As a result, a young father is dead, a young family is fatherless, and five families are coping with criminal charges for their children. And that is not to mention the civil damages that will almost surely be awarded to the owners of the damaged vehicles and the gigantic award awaiting the murdered man’s family.
Yes, you read that right. It was murder. Second degree murder is committing an act that is capable of taking a life without a specific target in mind. Premeditated murder differs in the fact that a specific individual was targeted. The charges may be pled down to first degree manslaughter, but that is still a felony and usually involves significant jail time.
A youth director who led the group my children attended confessed to the kids and parents that he had been convicted, as a teen, of manslaughter. Years later, he was still affected by the consequences, both legal and moral. He warned them to consider the long term ramifications of actions before “doing something dumb.”
“Is that what this is for?” sometimes still causes me to delay an action until I can get the proper tool or whatever, but that delay is minuscule to the one resulting from misuse. (Do I ever get away with “cheating?” Occasionally, but more often I am stuck with repairing or replacing the damaged item and then completing the action with the proper equipment. The instances are coming farther and farther apart.)
Is that what this is for? It may save a life–even your own.
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
All That Is Not News
Here is an open letter to the news media in the Nashville area. “Everything that happens is not news.” An infamous group of societal misfits is planning a “protest” in Shelbyville and Murfreesboro. Another misguided group is staging a “counter protest” to the protest.
The ironic thing is that I am not sure that I, or anyone else, the groups included, is completely cognizant of what specifically is being protested. But if XYZ group is protesting, ZYX is going to respond. (Mirror image designation is deliberate.)
Anyone is free to protest under the free speech and expression accorded by our Constitution, but every protest is not news worthy. The news outlets do not park their trucks outside the live theaters to report on murders, muggings, and other malevolencies (is that a word? Spell checker underlined it.) malevolent acts that occur in the plays, operas, and other presentations.
They “happen” but they ain’t news. Everything that happens is not news. Shev’ul and the Boro will present competing theater, but no news. Stay away.
If something untoward does occur, treat it like any other news event. Dispatch a truck or reporter to let us know what happened. We do not need an on-scene, play-by-play account of the foolishness. All that, is not news.
The media do not station resources on I-40 junctions to catch the latest semi trailer as it overturns. It is sufficient to cover it after the fact. Our protesting protesters may turn out to be like the thousands of semis that navigate the tricky turns without incident. And there will be no provocation provided by free publicity.
Let’s not make the headline of our media a play on the New York Times: “All that is not news.”
The ironic thing is that I am not sure that I, or anyone else, the groups included, is completely cognizant of what specifically is being protested. But if XYZ group is protesting, ZYX is going to respond. (Mirror image designation is deliberate.)
Anyone is free to protest under the free speech and expression accorded by our Constitution, but every protest is not news worthy. The news outlets do not park their trucks outside the live theaters to report on murders, muggings, and other malevolencies (is that a word? Spell checker underlined it.) malevolent acts that occur in the plays, operas, and other presentations.
They “happen” but they ain’t news. Everything that happens is not news. Shev’ul and the Boro will present competing theater, but no news. Stay away.
If something untoward does occur, treat it like any other news event. Dispatch a truck or reporter to let us know what happened. We do not need an on-scene, play-by-play account of the foolishness. All that, is not news.
The media do not station resources on I-40 junctions to catch the latest semi trailer as it overturns. It is sufficient to cover it after the fact. Our protesting protesters may turn out to be like the thousands of semis that navigate the tricky turns without incident. And there will be no provocation provided by free publicity.
Let’s not make the headline of our media a play on the New York Times: “All that is not news.”
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
Affairs or Harassment?
The media is inundated with tales of one or another celebrity sexually harassing, abusing, or even assaulting different people. Most of the offenders have been married. Along with the angst at such behavior, we have a litany of queries or proposals as to “what can we do to solve this problem?” Incidentally the same question arises with each mass shooting that we endure.
Rachel Freeman, executive vice president of the Sexual Assault Center in Nashville outlines seven positive steps to combat the epidemic. (Nashville Tennessean 10/17) Like any chaotic event, the solution will take about as long to begin to have an effect as the lead-in to the problem took. Her ideas are admirable, but lack a firm foundation from which to launch. Hollywood, especially, has made a fortune from treating women and people in general as commodities to be exploited and not as individuals to be celebrated. Now we bemoan the inevitable results of such philosophies.
Affairs are often celebrated and even incidents of harassment are either ignored or minimized. In some instances, the harassment began as a mutual affair that became “one sided.” They can be innocuous until the acts become so egregious that they cannot be passed off as mischief or simple immaturity. They are then paraded all over the media, accompanied by proposed (probably futile) solutions.
Without embarking on an extended theological treatise, I would posit a single statement. “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” (This insight did not originate with me. Do not want to be charged with plagiarism.) This fundamental recognition of the worth of the individual can be expanded to all forms of sexual adventurism and perversion, including another shunned word, fornication.
The Ten Commandments were not given to “take away our fun.” They were given to reflect the holiness of God and to guide all of us in how to not violate the innate glory with which every person is imbued. Just ask any of the victims how much “fun” they had while being assaulted and even violated in the most cruel and degrading manner. Even now, ask Mr. Weinstein how much “fun” he is having. A little abstention, or better, attention to his wife, would have generated for him a much superior standing than he currently enjoys.
For comparison look at Billy Graham. His “celebrity” status exceeds that which many of our offenders sought or attained. Yet he remained true to one woman. What a strange idea. He would not trade places.
Our cultural obsession with self gratification leads to horrific consequences for those in contact with us, our families, and even our own being. Until we restore a foundational understanding of how people are to interact, we will continue to suffer the consequences of self imposed debauchery. The problem is accentuated by the current,”Me too,” campaign being waged on social media.
Incidentally, “Thou shalt not kill,” falls right in there with reflecting God’s glory in other human beings. Violating that, is not “fun” for anyone. This is almost universally testified to by the self imposed fatal shots that terminate most massacres.
We have sown the wind by banishing the Ten Commandments from our society. We are reaping the whirlwind. (Disclaimer: I did not originate that evaluation either.)
Rachel Freeman, executive vice president of the Sexual Assault Center in Nashville outlines seven positive steps to combat the epidemic. (Nashville Tennessean 10/17) Like any chaotic event, the solution will take about as long to begin to have an effect as the lead-in to the problem took. Her ideas are admirable, but lack a firm foundation from which to launch. Hollywood, especially, has made a fortune from treating women and people in general as commodities to be exploited and not as individuals to be celebrated. Now we bemoan the inevitable results of such philosophies.
Affairs are often celebrated and even incidents of harassment are either ignored or minimized. In some instances, the harassment began as a mutual affair that became “one sided.” They can be innocuous until the acts become so egregious that they cannot be passed off as mischief or simple immaturity. They are then paraded all over the media, accompanied by proposed (probably futile) solutions.
Without embarking on an extended theological treatise, I would posit a single statement. “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” (This insight did not originate with me. Do not want to be charged with plagiarism.) This fundamental recognition of the worth of the individual can be expanded to all forms of sexual adventurism and perversion, including another shunned word, fornication.
The Ten Commandments were not given to “take away our fun.” They were given to reflect the holiness of God and to guide all of us in how to not violate the innate glory with which every person is imbued. Just ask any of the victims how much “fun” they had while being assaulted and even violated in the most cruel and degrading manner. Even now, ask Mr. Weinstein how much “fun” he is having. A little abstention, or better, attention to his wife, would have generated for him a much superior standing than he currently enjoys.
For comparison look at Billy Graham. His “celebrity” status exceeds that which many of our offenders sought or attained. Yet he remained true to one woman. What a strange idea. He would not trade places.
Our cultural obsession with self gratification leads to horrific consequences for those in contact with us, our families, and even our own being. Until we restore a foundational understanding of how people are to interact, we will continue to suffer the consequences of self imposed debauchery. The problem is accentuated by the current,”Me too,” campaign being waged on social media.
Incidentally, “Thou shalt not kill,” falls right in there with reflecting God’s glory in other human beings. Violating that, is not “fun” for anyone. This is almost universally testified to by the self imposed fatal shots that terminate most massacres.
We have sown the wind by banishing the Ten Commandments from our society. We are reaping the whirlwind. (Disclaimer: I did not originate that evaluation either.)
Sunday, October 1, 2017
More on Protests
I am embarrassed. No, it is not those who disrespect the flag and the anthem, but we will address that a little later. I am embarrassed by the fans in England. After a rather emasculated version of the “Star Spangled Banner,” a lady sang the national anthem of Great Britain. (“God Save the Queen,” I believe.”) Her rendition was masterful and musically magnificent. (As for our anthem singer, my philosophy is, “If you can’t sing the song, don’t.” But I digress.)
What embarrassed me was that during the British anthem you could hear the full throated participation of the crowd. It was nearly possible to decipher the words, a challenge for any choir. And for an impromptu, “volunteer” choir to do such a job was amazing.
But even more amazing was the participation. It was not the wimpy mouthing of the words that mark American fans at nearly every venue during the national anthem. A lot of the Brits were singing and they were singing loudly.
If we, as Americans, are put off by those protesting during the anthem, let’s let them know by an overwhelming participation in singing that song. Let your patriotism show or rather be heard. Can’t sing? Most of those around you can’t either, but when you all let ‘er rip, no one can tell.
Sing, America! Show your pride and respect.
And for those who deny that the protest should be considered an offense to the flag, consider this. A lot of the same crowd that praises the protests are the same ones who are offended by people flying the Confederate battle flag and revering Civil War monuments. The battle stems from the “perception” of what the objects mean. What offends one is a respected symbol to another.
If you can tolerate disrespecting the flag to make a point, then you better not be offended when someone else disrespects something you hold dear to make a point. “Freedom of speech and expression” cuts both ways. You cannot repress one expression while exercising another.
We have some “real” problems in our country. They include the health care crisis, the devastating budget and national debt debacle, North Korea’s insanity, Iran’s development of ICBM missiles coupled with their nuclear capacity, the immigrant crisis all over the world, etc. And our most pressing issue of the day is whether we stand or kneel and whether we respect and revere an old flag or statues of a defeated army? Surely we can expend a little of our energy on addressing real problems.
Stand, kneel, or sing. But then turn attention to the problems that threaten our country and indeed the entire world.
What embarrassed me was that during the British anthem you could hear the full throated participation of the crowd. It was nearly possible to decipher the words, a challenge for any choir. And for an impromptu, “volunteer” choir to do such a job was amazing.
But even more amazing was the participation. It was not the wimpy mouthing of the words that mark American fans at nearly every venue during the national anthem. A lot of the Brits were singing and they were singing loudly.
If we, as Americans, are put off by those protesting during the anthem, let’s let them know by an overwhelming participation in singing that song. Let your patriotism show or rather be heard. Can’t sing? Most of those around you can’t either, but when you all let ‘er rip, no one can tell.
Sing, America! Show your pride and respect.
And for those who deny that the protest should be considered an offense to the flag, consider this. A lot of the same crowd that praises the protests are the same ones who are offended by people flying the Confederate battle flag and revering Civil War monuments. The battle stems from the “perception” of what the objects mean. What offends one is a respected symbol to another.
If you can tolerate disrespecting the flag to make a point, then you better not be offended when someone else disrespects something you hold dear to make a point. “Freedom of speech and expression” cuts both ways. You cannot repress one expression while exercising another.
We have some “real” problems in our country. They include the health care crisis, the devastating budget and national debt debacle, North Korea’s insanity, Iran’s development of ICBM missiles coupled with their nuclear capacity, the immigrant crisis all over the world, etc. And our most pressing issue of the day is whether we stand or kneel and whether we respect and revere an old flag or statues of a defeated army? Surely we can expend a little of our energy on addressing real problems.
Stand, kneel, or sing. But then turn attention to the problems that threaten our country and indeed the entire world.
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