Not Good Enough

Just like everyone else, I'm saddened and angered by the news about the shooting in Orlando, just like I have been about all the mass shootings I've heard about happening in the U.S. in the last several years. It has taken me a few days to decide whether or not I wanted to say anything about it. I think Conan summed it up pretty well...

Now that I hear about these shootings as I live overseas in a country very similar in many ways to the U.S, where shootings like this DO NOT HAPPEN, this is what I hear. A lot more of my international friends (those from and living outside the U.S.) have been posting about this issue lately as well. It echoes around the world. 

Thoughts and prayers are not good enough. Looking on the bright side about how love will conquer hate is not good enough. It's a good start at how people should be living, but it's not sufficient in making anyone feel better about the fact that these tragedies can be prevented. The American children trying to make sense of this are learning that adults who do bad things get attention, and adults who want to do good are helpless and only know how to pick up the broken pieces afterwards. That's not good enough. 

I have friends that have stopped watching the news because of the negativity. I suppose it might work for them. I try to limit how much I see, but cutting it out altogether doesn't work for me. I want to know what is happening around the world, especially when I live far away from many friends and family. I want the things happening around the world to not be awful.