Every time we turn on the television or glance at the newspapers, there has seemed to be a report of an act of violence; gunshots killing teenagers, a son stabbing his own mother to death, drive -by shootings, and mass killings in malls, theaters, schools and other places where people normally gather.
The headline or breaking news for today becomes history in a few days. The violence becomes taken for granted as if it were a way of life. What is often overlooked is the grief, the loss to the loved ones, the support and care of many dependents of victims that were breadwinners.
Government as well as non-government organizations have unceasingly tried to find ways of controlling if not completely preventing violence in our midst. Police chiefs have continuously begged for more money from local as well as provincial and federal governments to increase the police force.
Community groups keep on working on projects to help under privileged children and youth undertake wholesome and educational activities that would prevent them from joining questionable groups. But all these efforts seem to be in vain.
Reports of histories of men and women who had committed some of the most heinous crimes in our society show that many of these individuals come from families that are not wanting in material needs in life. In this part of the world wherein approximately one out of every three marriages ends in divorce and many relationships are impermanent, insecurity among the offsprings is often overlooked. These feelings of lack of care, abandonment and being an outside develop into anger and hostility against society. It is my belief that the continuous rebellions, civil wars and other hostilities around the world contribute to hidden anger in many individuals.
Several days ago, the news of a near tragedy, filled the airwaves for several hours. The incident was reported while it was actually happening. Like some of previous tragedies reported, the scene was a school. Unlike previous reports, this one ended with no casualties.
The school had an enrolment of 800. Just like that other school wherein 20 children and six adults were shot dead, the gunman was able to enter the door and gone to the front desk.
There sat a member of the school staff, a bookkeeper. She should not have been there; she should have been elsewhere, but she came late. She has some devastating news which she just received. And this young man came in.
I had the opportunity to listen to the narration of the incident through an interview the lady had with Anderson Cooper of CNN.
The woman saw the young man with the rifle, approach her. She was terribly scared. She talked with him. He told him that the police were after him. He did not care. He wanted to kill more policemen. He wanted to die.
The lady quivering inside continued to talk with the young man. She was able to call 911 and appraised them with what was going on.
The bookkeeper and the young man with the gun continued talking to each other talking about themselves. At the same time, she continues praying asking God to help her say the right things to this young man. During the conversation that lady started to feel a deep empathy and compassion for the young man.
The world outside knew what was happening through the 911 dispatcher who reported what the bookkeeper told her. At one time, police gunshots were heard and the young man moved towards the door. He also engaged in shooting back until all bullets were finished. The lady continuously begged him to go inside, out of the range of bullets.
The lady was terrified as she watched the young man put more bullets in his rifle. He reiterated that he was not afraid to die. The lady told him, “I also felt that way in my life. My husband left me. I wanted to commit suicide. I prayed to God. Look at me, I am still here working.
But she continued talking to him, convincing him to surrender. She talked with all the love and sincerity in her heart.
Eventually, the young man was convinced to lay down his rifle. The lady informed the 911 dispatcher about the situation. The police came in and surrounded the young man.
Antoinette Tuff is just one of us human beings with all the cares in the world and the worries that face all of us each day of our lives. And yet, that morning beset by her own problems, she was able to extend her hand and help that young man. She was also very unassuming and humble. She did not hide her pleasure and feeling of being greatly honoured when President Barack Obama gave her a call to express his and his wife Michele’s appreciation for her great accomplishments. She was beaming with pleasure and looking forward to her visit to the White House.
As I sit here mulling over this story that I just narrated, I keep wandering, how all of us can show concern, interest and love for those people who feel lost and later on, become anti-social.
We often worry terribly about little problems which actually get solved in a day or two.
We forget that some people have insurmountable problems that they carry all their lives.
