Several weeks, a 21-year-old man opened fire in a South Carolina church killing 9 innocent people. What kind of world do we live in? As far as we have come with medical science and technology, we are a world that hates more than ever before. Too much freedom breeds destruction. When people are allowed to do anything and say anything in any venue–without consequences, we all suffer. No need to worry about terrorist from abroad, we are destroying ourselves.
From young hackers who think nothing of destroying lives, to kids who shoot up schools and churches, to people who kill simply because someone has a different perspective on life, what has become of us? And yet, violence and hatred do not live in a vacuum. It grows and spreads in proportion to what it’s being fed. One of my favorite movies is South Pacific, and my favorite song from that movie is, “You Have to be Carefully Taught.” There is no truer statement.
Like most things, good and bad, kids start learning things from a very early age. They learn from their environment – from watching and listening. They are taught to hate through the music they hear, from the television shows & movies they watch, from the friends they hang with, and of course, from their parents. It’s so easy to say it is not the fault of the primary caretaker, yet, who else has the greatest influence on kids. If you don’t lead by example and don’t walk like you talk, kids will see right through that and not trust in you or believe you. Then they will get their instructions and values elsewhere.
Today is yet another sad day in our history. We are having way too many of them.
Until next time, I’m Attorney Francine Ward helping you protect what’s yours. Join my conversation on Facebook, Twitter, or in one of my LinkedIn groups, Google+ Circles.
