How are you feeling about the increasing political violence, especially its impact on our young people and students? It’s a matter of concern that we can’t ignore.
For example, my 21-year-old grandson texted me saying he “wasn’t sure he wanted to live in a world where any and every politician can be killed by a nut job regardless of creed.” My high school civics students came into class wanting to discuss the events concerning the pager and walkie-talkie explosions in Lebanon. Business associates wonder if their cell phones are sitting targets. I can’t help but keep my cell phone away from my body as much as possible lately. These events cause fear, and fear has a funny way of causing us to make bad decisions. It can consume us.
How Political Violence Affects Us at Home
The rise in political violence has caused outdoor rallies to be canceled or restricted. This change, of course, restricts access by We the People. Political leaders around the globe must “beef up” their security. While this is necessary, we’ve been told there is a shortage of top-level security experts for this type of work.
You wonder how would-be assassins get such close access to their political targets. For that matter, who had access to make pagers and walkie-talkies explode? How did the parachutists fly into a rock concert venue? All of these domestic and global political violence acts affect all of us with:
Consuming fear
Rising costs for security and goods and services
Restricting our freedom
Political Violence and the Bigger Picture
When we look at the bigger picture, this is nothing but a form of bullying that aims to instill fear and control us. The most effective response is to stand up and be counted. Be bold, but also use your common sense. Be tactful, not careless, in your actions or words. And if you are a person of faith, pray for those who seek to harm us with their evil deeds.
This is Common Sense Civics and Citizenship. 🇺🇸
Join the conversation! https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1053422950124711&set=a.507545634712448
