I suspect that all of us (unless we’re not thinking properly) would not want such a tragedy as the VT Massacre on 04/16/07 to happen again. Is it possible that it would happen again? I heard a news story today about the man who said he was going to do something as bad or worse as Seung-Hui Cho did. I believe he has a trial date scheduled for May 6th. Others in the past week have threatened similar things at other campuses, and some were even shut down for a time. Violence continues in areas like Chicago, where they say 32 shootings took place over the weekend and several were killed.
We cannot stop violence from happening because we cannot control the mind of another person. You cannot make anyone do anything. You can and do have an influence on those around you! People try to make others do what they want them to do. Even judges sometimes rule according to what they want, or feel that others want, rather than according to objectivity, justice and law.
Since 04/16/07 I have had judges rule against me on at least 6 occasions. I just found out about one of those today. I have had judges rule for me on 2 occasions as well. Our country is a country of law and we should not take this for granted. Unfortunately, there are abuses and problems in our system. One such area is in the mental health system. There were 5 judgments against me to involuntarily commit me 2 times, keep me committed 2 times, and force me to take any number of a whole range of anti-psychotic medications while in the first mental health facility. This was against the facts of my behavior while there, against reason and objectivity, and largely because of my faith. The written medical records clearly show this.
Saturday, when I saw the movie, EXpelled, I saw how people were placed in mental facilities and killed because they were not deemed worthy to even be eating food by those in power. Thankfully, we are more civilized today. However, I am a living example of how the system can be used to silence and medicate someone who doesn’t fit in with the thinking of those in power, and quickly label them turning their life and relationships upside down. No wonder I have concerns about the expansion of the laws to involuntarily commit a person in the State of Virginia! That change in the law is not the answer to help prevent a tragedy like the VT Massacre again…I know this first hand from my experience in these facilities!
Could a Massacre like 04/16/07 happen again? Unfortunately, it could. It will be more likely if we don’t learn the lessons we should (like those I’m talking about on this website). Could there come a time when you are involuntarily committed against reason? Certainly there could, depending on who is in power and how fearful we become, giving up the rights we have enjoyed in this country.
Someone has said, “All it takes for evil to triumph is for people to do nothing.” May apathy in our culture and in our churches be eradicated through true love–action in service. What part will you have in seeing this is true with those around you?
Lessons To Learn Ministries 