Shoot First, Ask Questions Later

I'd be remiss if I didn't comment on the shooting today outside of the Empire State Building. What kind of world do we live in today???  At what POINT did it become Coolio to shoot someone that pissed you off?  Fo real, no one likes getting fired/laid off, but does that give you every right to go and SHOOT someone you used to work with, because your oh-so-fragile ego can't handle rejection?  Uh, in my mind, the answer is a resounding NO.  I mean, grow the fuck up people.  Seriously.  You think a gun is going to solve your problems?  You think shooting your "perpetrator" who "hurt your feelings" is an appropriate answer to life's every day problems?  Think AGAIN.  Your missile couldn't be more misguided if you tried.
  
I mean, we've ALL been hurt.  We've ALL felt treated unjustly.   We've ALL felt misunderstood.  We've ALL had our egos bruised, time and time AGAIN.  But you know what REAL people do?  They get up the next day, keep calm, and carry on.  And maybe even LEARN something from the situation...about ourselves, about other people, about LIFE IN GENERAL.  We learn from our mistakes, we learn from others' mistakes, we learn from every goddamn thing that happens to us.  We learn what we do and do not like, and move on from there.  We learn what we are and are not willing to put up with.  WITHOUT INVOLVING A LOADED GUN.

My question is: at what point did we "learn" that firearms are the means to eternal redemption?  At what POINT did it become okay in our collective minds to plot a plan of revenge and carry it out so ruthlessly?  At what point did we lose our very souls??

Because, for real, if some dude in Colorado dresses up as Batman and goes into a movie theater to kill a bunch of innocent people cause he's got a bug up his ass about one thing or another....if some dude in New York got fired a year ago and is beyond disgruntled, hates his old boss, etc...AT WHAT POINT DID SHOOTING PEOPLE BECOME THE ONLY FEASIBLE RESPONSE??

I don't remember the point of no return that we as a collective society somehow crossed but apparently we have.  And it's no turning back.  Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.  Somehow it's become the status quo to not WORK OUT YOUR PROBLEMS BUT SHOOT THEM OUT.  Is this sane behavior?  Nope.  Not one bit.  It this rational?  Not at all.  Is it even doing ANYONE any bit of good by going out like a cowboy, guns a blazing?  Prolly not.  Does it EVEN MAKE THE SHOOTER FEEL BETTER?  My guess?  Not so much... 

Cause what did you solve?  What did you accomplish?  What was IT that you were looking to do?  Punish someone else for your mistreatment, eh?  SOME punishment.  They're now dead.  (And most likely you are too).  Perhaps the fact that their family is hurting beyond belief is some sort of reward....WHY?  What'd they ever do to you?  Perhaps the fact that this person can now no longer be a dick to anyone else, somehow you're saving humanity from this colossal douche...does that make it okay?? Not in MY book...nope not one bit, my friends, not one bit.
  
I'm beyond sad at our world's sorry state of affairs.  The tragedies facing our everyday life because for some reason people don't try to work shit out anymore...they shoot first, ask questions later.  Weapons of mass destruction...just waiting to be unleashed on the world at large.  Because your Starbucks barista didn't remember your 2% milk versus the half and half.  Because your dog walker didn't remember fluffy's favorite treat.  Because you're pretty much too much of a pussy to face your problems head on and prefer to use firearms in place of your bravery (too harsh?  Not really...)

Who knows why we've reached the point we have.  Who knows how.  The only question becomes this: since we're livin' on the edge, can we help ourselves from fallin'??

Aerosmith may very well have the answer.  Me?  Not one clue...