Roger was shot outside a fast food restaurant after coming to the defense of a girl bothered by another man. He never fought with anything other than his fists, which proved useless against steel and gun powder at close range. Although surrounded by friends who tried to sustain him until rescue personnel arrived, his 21 years tragically came to an unexpected end. Now, nearly 25 years, later it continues to have a profound effect on me, and the memory of receiving the news is still vivid. Each time I hear or read of a shooting death, I am reminded of the pain, the sadness and the despair felt by those left behind. Today it has been quite difficult to concentrate on anything other than the terrible events that unfurled at the Sikh temple in Oak Creek. I am irritated I had to watch national cable networks for the press conference as the local NE Wisconsin stations must think I would not find the update more important than The View. I am constantly scouring news sites for new information. Call me simplistic but any time one person murders another I believe it is a hate crime and therefore all murders are hate crimes regardless of race, religion, gender or other differences. Following the recent Colorado shooting, this is a sad age in our lives. From these events, there may be a subtle or a bold shift in our perceptions that diminish faith and trust. Just as after the 9/11 events, no matter where each of us go – to church services or a movie premiere or an airport terminal – we may be looking more closely at those in our vicinity and wondering what kind of harm we hope to escape that day.
A Mourning Place
06 Monday Aug 2012
Posted Musings
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