The shooting at the holocaust museum and the subsequent reactions have reverberated around the world and back again. I had some pretty strong feelings about it myself naturally; and I even chastized CNN for concentrating so much on the killer and notsomuch on the victim(s) and even the museum and what it stands for.
My buddy Rick Sanchez (who’s show on CNN coordinates nicely with my lunch hour) put forth the idea that we should at least focus a bit on the shooter, so that we could learn about what makes him tick, how he came to be able to do what he did etc whatever; I guess so we might educate ourselves?
Ok, no see. First of all. America has a pretty sick history with glorifying our bad guys. I just did not want to see this idjit getting equal press with the good guys. Especially because his life was initially saved by Black EMTs and though listed as being in critical condition, he just might pull through to reap the benefits of a higher public profile. I’m just sayin, like. When and where do we draw the line?
And you know what? I’ll fess up. I’m guilty of being fascinated with serial killers. Why? Not for the reasons you might think. What’s that saying? “Know Thy Enemy”. I would study their profiles and MOs and psychology so I wouldn’t end up being a victim of some wacko. Well hey, cuz back in the day I was young hottie out on the dating scene. Makes sense ya dig?
So I guess what I’m saying is this. Because I took apon myself to get to know what’s out there in the big bad world, I figured that if someone wants to know more about a baddie, hey nowadays there’s google. Just mention his name and move on. And really. There’s no reason to focus on this guy as an individual. If Rick and his crew want to get an education on the mind of a wacko: like I said there’s google. They could do an expose about a Type instead of a particular person.
We’ll take a brief interlude while I show you something that I’ve never ever forgotten:
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The Montel Williams Show. Early 90’s I believe. He was doing a followup show where some viewers who had strong feelings about certain guests he’d had on previously could come on the show and meet them, ask questions or whatever.
He had done a show (which I hadn’t seen) about the KKK, neo-nazis and so on. There was this woman who professed to be birthing babies left and right for the White power movement. A Black woman had seen that show and wanted to talk to her.
The scene:
Baby Maker on the couch, Interested Viewer on the other side of the couch. Montel mediating. Well I tell you what ensued was pretty interesting. There wasn’t any shouting or throwing of furniture. Questions were asked, and the Viewer seemed bent on trying to understand what all would make someone want to do what Baby Maker was doing. All very civilized.
Baby Maker made a bold statement that her kids just knew that Black people were inferior, different and not desirable to be around etc blah blah blah. Montel at that moment cut in and said he wanted to show everyone what was going on in the green room.
They got a camera in there and lo and behold Baby Maker’s little boy was playing happily with Interested Viewer’s little girl. So much for the natural inclinations to hate each other on sight theory.
Baby Maker was of course upset and went back stage to seperate her boy from his newfound playmate. What happened next was so touching. As she hauled her son away, he reached his hands back to his new friend, and she reached her hands to him. *sighs* I’ll never forget that.
Children do not hate. Children do not see color. Children do not base their choice of friendships criteria like that. They learn what we teach them. My parents taught me well. What are YOU teaching your children?
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True story:
I won’t go into the whole back story for this, but take it as a given you have siblings, two brothers one Black, the other White who are taking their bath. Their Mommy (White) is helping out with the shampooing and whatnot.
Jimmy (names have been changed of course) looks up from splashing around and mentions to Mommy that Johnny is brown! Mommy thinks to herself: oh no here comes the moment where I have to explain why brothers don’t look the same. The Talk she’s been dreading, thinking that at some point surely, it will have to happen. Before she can say anything, Jimmy continues saying, and I’m blue!
Mommy, amazed (and highly curious!), asks how so? Jimmy says with the wisdom of the ancients: I have blue eyes and Johnny has brown eyes!
Well there you go.
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Back To The Lecture At Hand:
My point is that there is a plethora of information already out there on what makes wackos tick. There is not hardly and equal amount of info out there about what makes heros and the good guys tick. I think we should be adding to that body of information first, before we go on and inadvertantly tip the scales so far that there is never any hope of a balance.
One of the guests on Rick’s show mentioned that what we teach our children is absolutely important. I completely agree.
Teach Your Children
by Graham Nash
You, who are on the road
Must have a code
That you can live by.
And so, become yourself
Because the past
Is just a goodbye.
Teach, your children well
Their father’s hell
Did slowly go by
And feed them on your dreams
The one they pick’s
The one you’ll know by.
Don’t you ever ask them why
If they told you, you would die
So just look at them and sigh
And know they love you.
And you (Can you hear and)
Of tender years (Do you care and)
Can’t know the fears (Can you see we)
That your elders grew by (Must be free to)
And so please help (Teach your children)
Them with your youth (You believe and)
They seek the truth (Make a world that)
Before they can die (We can live in)
Teach your parents well
Their children’s hell
Will slowly go by
And feed them on your dreams
The one they pick’s
The one you’ll know by.
Don’t you ever ask them why
If they told you, you would cry
So just look at them and sigh
And know they love you.
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