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by Jennifer Bowman
The recent school shooting in Minnesota has led me to feel shocked and bothered for the same obvious reasons as everyone else. I wonder what could have been done to prevent it and what can be done in the future. Just like everyone else.
But does it even matter? The case is similar to that of the infamous Columbine shooting. Signs of rebellion. Crazy neo-Nazism. People mentioning school shootings to their friends. It seems almost like a slap on a wrist to Americans for not learning their lesson the first time, right?
I just don't really see what true preventive measures can be taken, though. As horrible as it sounds, some friends - well, more like unfortunate acquaintances - also make mild, violent jokes about Nazism and racism and the other things that some people do but never really own up to. Would they actually come to school with a gun and shoot people? No, they'd run from the scary "gangsta" looking kids and apologize profusely.
Is there any sort of way to tell who's being serious, and who just doesn't get enough attention in their poor, pathetic lives? There really isn't. Of course, if anyone comes up to you and starts a lively discussion about their Hitler support group and the type of range missile they're going to use in their "removal" system, then it's time to alert someone in charge. If they're serious, well, they've got padded walls and medication for that. If they're not, someone's going to get in more trouble than they ever had before.
Everyone's answer to future prevention is more restrictions, more security. And that leaves an unfair set of rules for the 99.9999999% of us who don't have genocidal intentions. But still, that .0000001% cannot be ignored, can it?
It all ends up that life, every single aspect of it, is a game of luck. Or fate, whichever way you choose to look at it. Either way, you don't know what's going to happen next. And you can choose to live life happily and carelessly, or safely and soundly. Maybe a little of both. But please don't be paranoid amidst all the negative news and world events. Just because positive media doesn't sell, doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. Look no further than yourself and everything around you to find the beauty that is in this world.
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