There has been a bit of an uproar/movement to take the Confederate flag down from the capitol of South Carolina in the wake of the church shootings and it has finally gotten me to the point that I have to voice my opinion. Gun control lobbyists are having a field day. There's an uproar over every angle of this except looking at the guy himself.
I understand mental health issues are a very real problem in our country (and beyond). Depression, anxiety, bipolar disease, and much more are very serious challenges in people's lives. While there are definitely some major resources available, not everyone can afford to partake in them. Some people struggle day in and day out and I truly feel utter and complete empathy for these souls. It's a hard way to live your life and I do not want to demoralize or downplay their struggles in the least.
I understand that gun laws could use some work. There are a whole lot of things in our country (and beyond) that could from schools to government to roads and everything in between. I am an AVID supporter of our second amendment rights, though, and I do believe that we have the right to own a gun in this country and to protect ourselves with it. I believe that background checks should be necessary BUT I also KNOW that criminals are generally not going into a gun store to get a background check to buy a gun. I understand that concealed weapons make people uncomfortable for a multitude of reasons including the fact that they worry that it okays criminals to have them. But I also KNOW that criminals that are going to carry a gun are going to do it whether it's legal or not. Other citizens should have the right to protect themselves, their families, or others in the case of someone using a weapon in public. Taking guns away from law-abiding citizens is NOT the answer. I've heard it said that a concealed weapon in that church would have saved everyone. There's no guarantee of that but it's a much better chance that some or all of those people might have survived because someone could have intervened in a real way.
I understand that people want to blame parents. It's always the parents' fault when there's some sort of major event like this. The fact is that MOST (not all but most) parents are just doing the best they can. Our culture has become a culture of spoiled, bratty, entitled kids who think that they can do whatever they want without consequences. Maybe the parents do have a part in some of these things and maybe they don't play a big part in others.
I understand that the inclination is to cite all of these law changes but, in my humble opinion, how we punish crimes is what needs to be changed. When there are heinous crimes like this one with such clear evidence, a fast track to the death penalty should be the solution. Decades of prison meals and citizens having to pay for these criminals' care is absurd. For other crimes, there need to be very real consequences instead of everyone getting off on an insanity plea or paying enough money to get themselves out of things. There are cameras everywhere in this country now and plenty of witnesses in a lot of cases. All of these ridiculous appeals going on and on and on is absurd. Real punishments. Period. If people don't think there are severe consequences for their actions or that they can just get off, they develop a superhero complex and think they can do whatever they want and get away with it.
I understand that the Confederate flag is sometimes thought to construe negativity and racism. Having lived in the south, I can honestly say that I encountered plenty of people that flew the Confederate flag proudly that were not in ANY way, shape or form racist. They flew it as a symbol of the South and their pride in their home states. To me, saying that this flag needs to be taken down is as ridiculous as those saying we can't display American flags in other public places. You're reading into it WAY too much and you need to remember that flags are designed to be symbolic of something great and something you're proud of. Are there negative flags to fly? Of course...I don't personally believe the Confederate flag to be one of them.
With all of that being said, here is the reality (in my opinion): This guy did not shoot people over a flag. He didn't shoot people because he was given a gun for his birthday. He didn't shoot people because his parents told him too. He didn't shoot people for any reason other than his own selfish and evil reasons. We need to stop thinking up all of these excuses and understand that sometimes there are REASONS for things that we will never understand but it is not an EXCUSE for someone to behave that way. A reason is an explanation; an excuse indicates that he will not be blamed. He absolutely should. What he did was unthinkable. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families grieving, to the gunman's family (who themselves are probably in a state of grief I hope that I never understand), and to the community in Charleston and all of those affected.
In a final side note (of sorts), I'd like to say the following: How the police handled this man (and I use that term loosely) was not a signal of the police treatment of black vs white. It is being compared to the teenage girl the media has absolutely skyrocketed at the party and other similar cases. Do you want to know the real difference in MOST cases? Resisting arrest. Cooperating with the police is the difference. Period. Most police are not corrupt and most police are not racists. Most police are simply there to do their job. How about we stop trying to incite some sort of race riot and just remember most of those officers risk their lives on a daily basis to protect the citizens of their community and acting a fool is an invitation to be handled in a fashion dictated by the law.
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