African American Education-Raising the Benchmark
Home Invites Members Groups Events Directories Videos Marketplace News Photos Blogs Polls Forums Chat
Home > Blogs > Post Content

Colorado Mass Murder a Sign of the Times (9249 hits)


(Originally posted in the Black Man Survival Guide)

For no apparent reason 24 year-old James Holmes walked into a crowded theater in Aurora Colorado and shot 50 people, killing at least 12.

Reminiscent of Columbine, here we have another case of some disaffected young person taking out his frustration on the world by hurting and killing as many people as possible. Each time one of these incidents happens the talking heads of the media rush to talk about gun control and other tangential issues in an attempt to push a political agenda or boost ratings, but rarely do they address the real reasons for the tragedy.

The root cause of the Colorado massacre is the disintegration of civility, opportunity, morality and fairness in American society and if that doesn't change there will be many more James Holmes in our future.

James Holmes decided to go to the midnight screening of Batman Rises to perform his killing spree. Dressed in all black gear with a bullet-proof vest and a gas mask, Holmes probably looked like one of the characters in the film. He dropped a canister of tear gas in the theater, filling it with smoke and began shooting with shotguns and semi-automatic weapons. Some in the crowd thought that the smoke and gunshots were part of the show.

Part of the show?

I used to watch reruns of Batman as a child. How far Batman has come from the corny hero who used to CAPTURE villains to the brooding loner who lives in a dark and gloomy Gotham that no normal human being would want to inhabit. Today Batman and other heroes kill as many people as the bad guys. As menacing as the villain is in Batman Rises, it is a valid question whether Holmes identified more with Batman or Bane.

James Holmes was clearly a disaffected young person. Lonely and sociopathic, he represents many of our young people today who feel hopeless in a world that looks to them as dark and gloomy as the fictional Gotham City. Violence and killing is everywhere today; running 24-7 on news programs and the Internet. What is worst is that this violence is accepted and even glorified on screen and in real life.

How many millions of Americans cheered and celebrated when Osama Bin Laden was killed?

How many people watch without shedding a tear as thousands get killed in Egypt, Syria and other parts of the world on the news?

How many young people know a friend or a family member who has been the fatal victim of a gang shooting or some other senseless crime?

How many young people see friends and relatives hauled off to prison for years at a time only to return hardened and scarred for life, without possibility of a job and a return to a normal existence?

How many young people see parents and grandparents get sick, suffer and die in poverty because they have no insurance, a crappy job and no savings?

How many young people start their adult lives in debt, overwhelmed by the combination of student loans and joblessness or lack of education and minimum wage employment?

These realities bombard our youth everyday and have become a part of MAINSTREAM America. These images and situations used to affect "other people". In today's America joblessness, violence, death, suffering and poverty are in our lives everyday and are the root cause of much of the depression, despair, crime and violence that we see today.

We are advancing as a society in many ways. Technology is exploding and people can do things bigger, better and faster. The problem is that our morality is on the decline. Unfettered capitalism, the worship of celebrity and money, and the "me first and only" mentality undermines any sense of fairness and community that is required to keep us acting like civilized and compassionate human beings.

James Holmes was a frustrated and troubled young man. He had unrestrained access to semi-automatic weapons and in a morally bankrupt society he had no problem using them to kill a lot of people. He is just one of millions of troubled youth living in a troubled society and unless we change the nature and direction of our country we better get ready to see a lot more tragedies like the one that James Holmes perpetrated in Colorado.
Posted By: Darrell Garrett
Friday, July 20th 2012 at 6:47PM
You can also click here to view all posts by this author...

Report obscenity | post comment
Share |
Please Login To Post Comments...
Email:
Password:

 
The writer of this article is obviously disillusioned as well as a bit confused. I don't believe he knows the difference between bringing a known terrorist like bin Laden to justice and some lone psychotic maniac going to the movies to kill. Those are two separate issues. I cheered when bin Laden was eliminated and I will not apologize for that because bin Laden himself celebrated what he called a 'tremendous victory' that he'd not expected when the two Towers came plundering down with all the ppl in it. How dare the writer in the commentary try to tie this one incident to be likened unto loss of opportunities and whatknow. Who told him that?


Friday, July 20th 2012 at 10:33PM
Jen Fad
Darrell,

Firstly, it seems to me that the sentiments and perspective of your post came from a dissatisfied Black American, since you said in today's America joblessness, violence, death, suffering and poverty are in our lives everyday and are the root cause of much of the depression, despair, crime and violence that we see today are the things that Black Americans suffers from, am I right..

The bottom line of your post supports what I have been saying for the longest and that is Black Americans must desire your to become a sovereign people on a reasonable infertile portion of this continent that we could call our very own country with borders to worship God, pursue life, liberty, happiness and prosperity in our own way. Sovereignty is our only permanent solution and I got this from God's mouth if you will. If you all don't see it as I do you all will for ever be whining and complaining.

If you delete my comment I know that I have hit a good nerve in your brain.
Saturday, July 21st 2012 at 6:06AM
Harry Watley
@ Irma,

I suppose this is where your good ole' friend Rev. Wright's comment fits, "The Chickens Have Come Home to Roost", eh? Am I right about dis?


Saturday, July 21st 2012 at 1:04PM
Jen Fad
Jen stop buying into the Slavemaster's Three Card Molly, You talk a good game about Bin Laden being a terrorist...yet how do we know for sure if Bin Laden was responsible for 9/11? Was he ever brought to the US and given a (fair) trial to see whether or not he was guitly for the things America accused him of doing? No...he was not.

Osama Bin Laden Died of Marfan Sydrome, he had this disease in the mid 90’s, and one can only live 5 to 6 years with this deadly condition. This Dr. Steve Pieczenik met with Osama before the 9/11 attacks and Bin Laden was about dead then.


Saturday, July 21st 2012 at 5:24PM
Siebra Muhammad
Hello Siebra,

You have made a very good point United States accuse Osama bin Laden of masterminding 9/11. It has always been the policy of America that an accuse has the right to a trial.

You have impressed me with such analytical and intelligent thinking which now would obligate Ms. Jen to explain her position about the chickens coming home to roost In the case of Bin Laden as well as the tragedy in Aurora, Colorado.
Sunday, July 22nd 2012 at 7:09PM
Harry Watley
ME, "I" SEE GOD SENDING AMERICA(NS) A MESSAGE LOUD AND CLEAR. (S-M-I-L-E)

EVENTHOUGH I HAVE YET TO HEAR AN, "IT IS GOD'S WILL NOT MAN'S WILL"...
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
Please Login To Post Comments...
Email:
Password:

 
More From This Author
What Obama Has Done For America - The Final Argument
The Real Reason Why Democrats Don't Run America
Paul Ryan - A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
Handcuffed Man Shot Dead in Back of Police Car
Happy Father's Day!
Positive Black Men - Show Yourselves
Myths About Black People Debunked
Today's WTF Moment: Black Man With 30 Kids Wants a Break
Forward This Blog Entry!
Blogs Home

(Advertise Here)
Latest News
knowledge
>> more | add
Latest Photos
>> more | add
Latest Member Activity
the blog king david johnson sr just commented on a blog entitled ' jen fad dont run now ,,,,,what's good for the 'geese is good for the gander', eh.'. 12:26AM
c brewster just became a new member. 08:14PM
edc creations just posted a blog entitled 'sneak peek: passing love by jacqueline e. luckett '. 05:58AM
clear sea just became a new member. 03:28AM
william hanks just posted a blog entitled 'armani watch natural and unrestrained confident source'. 12:49AM
talibah bakhit just posted a blog entitled 'still the battle is not over——carmelite earls awaits the illinois supreme court ruling'. 04:13PM
talibah bakhit just posted a blog entitled 'students of the north lawndale community news journalism class visit abc 7 news'. 04:11PM
talibah bakhit just edited her profile. 04:09PM
okpara nosakhere just posted a blog entitled 'why teenagers appear to be lost and how we can save them'. 02:26AM
nasir muhammad just edited his profile. 12:34PM
okpara nosakhere just posted a blog entitled 'african american elders day'. 05:20PM
okpara nosakhere just invited 103 new member(s). 04:52PM
>> more | invite friends