Colorado Tragedy



Pt. Adolphus



Pleasant Island





Looking up into Glacier Bay





Since the terrible night that the gunman in Colorado took it upon himself to murder and maim dozens of innocent people, it's been the focus of every news network. While I think it is of much more importance than the death of Michael Jackson or Anna Nicole Smith, and certainly more pressing than the political landscape, and the horror of what has happened has to be reported, my personal opinion is that it can't be allowed to dominate the news to the exclusion of almost everything else. I don't mean to be disrespectful to the family members who are left to deal with the aftermath. For all I know they may welcome a reprieve from the prying eyes of the cameras. As often happens in a situation like this, the reporters and anchormen start picking apart every detail, they interview every possible witness and friends or relatives of witnesses in hopes of finding something new to report on. The stations bring in experts on mental health and terrorism and crime and child psychologists. For me it all becomes too much- its no longer news, its opinion and sensationalism. Of course because guns were used there are new cries for stricter gun laws. However, laws don't change behavior. We have laws against child molestation and kidnapping too, but both are on the rise. I believe that what we have here is a nation that has relaxed its grip on what used to be common moral beliefs. We don't want God in our schools or public places and in many cases in our homes. Every one has rights and indecent behavior is flaunted and applauded. What was wrong is right and vice-a-versa. When I worked in the school some years back it wasn't uncommon for little kids to swear at each other and even at the teachers. There is no respect for authority and many who are in authority haven't earned respect. Self control is a dirty phrase it would seem. We don't lack laws, we lack the desire to do what we know is right. The government has more laws on the books than anyone, even  in congress, can recite. The health care law alone is 2700 pages long. If laws could regulate behavior, why, we should be the most righteous people to ever have walked the earth. I find it interesting that God Almighty laid out just ten commandments. Jesus summed it all up in one- love your neighbor as yourself. My apologies for the soapbox speech. Sometimes you just have to let er' rip. Meanwhile, not all is gloom and doom on planet earth. God is still on the throne.As my pastor said, He didn't go on vacation  and forget about us. Perhaps this latest tragedy is a wake up call. I hope we wake up soon. God bless you all.