Modern Day Psycho

I don't want to hear any more about the Connecticut shooting tragedy.  I don't want to hear any more because it's not fair.  I don't know these people.  The more I listen to the story the more I feel a connection.  It's a false connection because it's completely one sided.  I'll never share a moment with the victims or the shooter.  People should care more about a person than just how they died.  

I picture that scared young man holding the gun and feeling in control.  For once he has the power.  He pointed his gun at those kids and pulled the trigger over and over again.  I picture the kids screaming as they watch their friends die.  Five minutes ago they were playing with crayons and now they're trying to climb a wall for their lives.

It's too horrible to think about.  I feel like I should cry.  

Some of my facebook friends are gun owners.  They didn't say anything about the victims.  They were talking about gun control.  Most of them are gun owners and they're worried about the government taking their rights.  Twenty kids lay dead at the hands of a madman and they're worried about their gun rights.  Here's a little advice.   If kids die because of a shooting then you aren't allowed to talk about how much you love your gun.  The same thing goes out to the politicians.  Don't make laws in the wake of horror.

Today they're talking about religion and how God didn't step in to save them or how God welcomed those kids into his arms.  How about you talk about football?  Stop obsessing over this because any attempt to rationalize it will make you insane.  

I found this short story when searching for an answer.  It's about a conversation a Zen teacher had with one of his students.  A student filled with emotion and crying, implored, "Why is there so much suffering?" Suzuki Roshi replied, "No reason."

That is the answer.  Something bad happened and there isn't a reason why.  He might have been sick or his parents may have beaten him every day of his life.  It doesn't matter because it doesn't change anything except our opinion.  Any attempt to rationalize the situation will lead to something not real.  Those children and teachers died.  May the friends and family find peace.  May we as a society give the story back to the family.  It's theirs not ours.