Friday, July 8, 2016

Heartsick

I have very few words about the latest round of violence that broke out last night in Dallas. This is all sheer madness. Violence begetting more violence. Tragedy upon tragedy. A national shame and disgrace. I've moved on from being horrified about it all to merely being tired. Tired and heartsick.
The events themselves are terrible and tragic enough, but the way people act afterwards is a tragedy in itself. Instead of people treating each other with extra kindness and grace, and listening to each other, the divisions grow deeper and more bitter by the day.

I think I'm done with social media right now. I've reached the limits of my tolerance for victim blaming, race baiting, and evil, hateful talk. And if I see one more person jumping at the chance to use a tragedy for political talking points and ugly arguments, I just might get physically ill. 

What the hell has happened to my country? And where will this all end?


21 comments:

  1. It really frightens me when I see what is happening in the world today.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Me too. And I'm just feeling so sad about it all.

      Delete
  2. I agree with Sue, and you. As for social media, I also agree with you. I stopped looking at my Facebook page during the aftermath of our EU Referendum vote because of the horror and truly vile things being said by people that I thought I knew, and that made it, of course, even worse. I am only just beginning to take a peek at it again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I felt bad when I saw how people were treating each other over the Brexit thing. I expect nasty political bickering here in America, but always thought of the U.K. as a pocket of civility and reasoned discourse in the world and so I was shocked at how people acted. I hope things are improving in that regard for you all.

      Delete
  3. It's terrible. I've not watched the news at all yesterday, and generally do not follow social media all that much, but it is impossible (and probably not the right approach, either) to avoid such horrible news completely.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Social media in the U.S. is UGLY right now. Just awful. I'm seriously thinking of taking some time off from watching the news, and checking Facebook or Twitter, and aside from this blog just taking an internet break for the rest of the summer.

      Delete
  4. Tired and heartsick, so true. There is hope though.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I hope I am wrong but Orlando & Dallas could be the start of a forest fire that lasts right through to the presidential election in November. Where is God when you need him? Notable because of his cruel absence.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm also afraid that we're going to be seeing more and more terrible things happen between now and November. I hope we're both wrong.

      Delete
  6. This is horrible and I just turn the news off. Especially when hillary or trump talks.
    My brother was in Law Enforcement and violence was everyday.
    So heartsick.

    parsnip

    ReplyDelete
  7. So much tragedy and violence throughout the world.

    ReplyDelete
  8. When cops behave so unacceptably they must expect reprisals. They are just ordinary humans like the rest of us, but seem to think it's OK to hold someone down and shoot them. Are we really surprised when the shoe is on the other foot? US cops must change their ways or expect more; violence encourages violence. Send them all to the UK for re-training.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Some cops are bad. Most are not. I daresay a vast majority of them DONT'T think it's ok to hold someone down and shoot them. The officers that were gunned down in Dallas were there serving as security for a peaceful protest against the killing of two young black men elsewhere in the country. They were there to help keep everyone safe, and they were targeted and gunned down by a sniper. It was a truly despicable act, and their deaths are just as tragic as the deaths of the two unarmed black men. It's all senseless and terrible.

      Delete
  9. I am right there with you Jennifer.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I feel so powerless to do anything about any of it. We're supposed to be better than this.

      Delete
  10. It is heart-breaking.

    I live outside Cleveland. I think most of us (regardless of political party) were actually looking forward to the RNC coming to town. Even though it will indeed be a circus, with Trump leading the way, it was a chance to shine a light on this wonderful city that people outside this area know so little about. Now, most people think it will be a nightmare. It has become such a flashpoint and grows worse every day. I think everyone and their grandmother is planning on showing up with a gun...frightening times. I am hoping for peaceful protests and cool heads.

    Elle

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Elle,

      Thank you for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment! I can understand looking forward to a convention coming to town, and now your concern about what might happen in the current climate. I'd stay far away from any large gatherings during the convention if I lived there, just for safety's sake. Which is just a shame, isn't it?

      Delete