School shootings and the Disinterested Public by Matt O'Dell

Sin in modern times to mean an offense against God or a shameful act, but it is
also an ancient archery term that means to miss the mark or target. During target
practice, someone close to the target would shout sin if the archer missed the
bulls-eye.

74 school shootings since Newtown? Who, if not the shooters, is missing the
mark? If the average person says nothing about these events, is that missing the
mark?

The highest spiritual practice is self-observation without judgment, Swami Kripalu
once said. In this light, lets soberly consider several possible things that allow these
school shootings to continue without accusing people of evil or wrong-doing, but
rather, sinning in the sense of missing the target (perhaps to a varying degree):

Industries profit off of these events selling more guns, more magazines
and news stories, more security services, more self-defense products (even
bullet proof blankets), and political organizations use the event to bolster their
side of the argument and raise funds for it.
Mental health care is inaccessible as someone who has a relative with
schizophrenia, Ive seen first-hand the complications of getting help. Rather
than cost-cutting in this area and throwing up our hands, deeming the
mentally ill to be lost causes, we should be making sure there is adequate
access to counseling and medications. Society still views the need
for counseling to be a sign of weakness. It couldnt be further from the truth.
Violence and ideology permeate various media (Internet, news, movies,
and video games) You dont need to be a parent to realize the level of
violence and realism has increased in movies and video games in recent
years. Online shoot-em up games are played while immersed in a virtual
world and spending hours playing consequently forms deep seeded memories
and behavior. News doesnt sell unless someone in the story dies or goes to
prison. The Internet exposes young people to criminals and terrorists, and
their ideology, which can later be put into action in the physical
world. Religious leaders like Thich Nhat Hanh ask their followers to be careful
about what nutriments they put into their body meaning to avoid junk food,
violent and hateful speech, games, TV shows and the like.
Bullying and Physical Abuse Being bullied or physically abused leads to
more than bodily wounds: humiliation, one of the strongest and deepest of all
human emotions is the primary effect of bullying, and it is often
dangerous. To young people who experience its intensity, it can make them
feel their world is coming to an end, and it can make revenge seem like a
necessary action to correct what is wrong in life. Self-awareness of how our
own actions (or inaction) affects others is a foundational concept that seems
to be getting lost in standardized test-focused schools.

If all of this is allowed to continue as usual, how are we responsible?

According to historian Gordon S. Wood, the founding fathers of this country believed
in the virtue of disinterestedness. They wanted to form a country where an elite
class like themselves would no longer could have so much power given to so
few. Disinterestedness did not mean uninterested or un-engaged as it does
today. Disinterested meant putting the good of the whole above ones own self-
interest, or selflessness the kind often found in the military.

Disinterestedness has the power to subvert many social ills, including the things that
contribute to school shootings. It may be as simple as have some introspective self-
dialogue. No one could in good conscience answer no to all of these questions,
but disinterestedness starts with brutal honesty, so ask yourself the following:

Do I purchase or put goods (i.e., violent video games and unneeded guns)
that go into circulation that are not in the best interest for society? How do I
vote with my dollars?
Do I ignore those in society who dont have a voice (i.e., those with mental
illness, the poor) or look the other way when cuts are made to services they
need?
Do I recognize when I have (perhaps inadvertently) profited from
circumstances that were not entirely virtuous? How can I change those
circumstances to root out the negative effects of my actions?
Do I help mentor young people who may not otherwise have someone to talk
to about lifes difficulties?

These are challenging questions that, in my humble opinion (or, IMHO in Twitter-
speak), can have a profound effect on this societal problem because we can all act
on an individual level. Who is depending on you?
The mother who asked herself whether the effort she put into raising her slain
daughter was all for naught.
The kids who are tormented by the PTSD of these events and have trouble
studying because fear rather than kindness permeates the learning
environment.
The police officers first responding who wounded face years of painful
rehabilitation.
The doctors and nurses that are called to duty during mass casualty events.

It is the type of disinterested behavior that will make all of the difference.