Cooperation required for a wise, proactive nation
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Editor,
Look at the recent Seattle area school shooting, other shootings, the Ebola virus, the environment, border security, ISIS and international terrorism generally, and the many other problems facing America and the world these days. It seems to me that we are being urged to really look seriously, objectively and thoughtfully at the source of each problem rather than just immediately lashing out reactively. This reactive accusing and lashing out so often leads to very inappropriate actions; actions which avoid doing the sometimes harder proactive work of really identifying the source of each problem and designing measures to help solve the problem at its source.
Take the school shooting, for example. The source of the problem is not firearms themselves. The true source of the problem rests with us and the established guidelines, rules and laws. It is not about curtailing the important recreational and law enforcement activities, yet it is about recognizing the obvious dangers in these weapons falling into the hands of very irresponsible and/or deeply troubled persons.
Looking at the source of the problem, two areas of concern immediately come to mind: (1) Weapons control. (2) Identifying and helping people at risk of harming themselves and others.
Regarding these two sources mentioned, is America equipped to address then? If so, where do we start? Is this a federal, state or local responsibility? Or all three? Do we, as a nation, want to address the source? Will the NRA help if it does not feel threatened? Is there a meeting ground possible where the NRA and those who have so vigorously criticized our gun laws can come to sensible agreement? Are we to be a nation wisely planning proactively or a nation continuing to blunder along reactively?
I really like this quote by the 13th century Persian mystic, poet and theologian Rumi: “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there.”
Possibly that field would be a good place to mentally meet each other in addressing our many problems.
Bob McClellan
Polson
