portrait of this blog's author - by Stephen Blackman 2008

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Killings in Charleston, South Carolina

I need to write something about unfolding events in America as I understand a young man has been arrested for the shooting of nine innocent people. My thoughts go out to the people of Charleston, South Carolina and all its townsfolk and most especially the families and loved ones of the people so senselessly shot in the past hours. 

I am deeply troubled by a country that has shot and killed more of its own people than it has in wars it has waged elsewhere. I am deeply troubled by how many of these people shot in recent times may be people of colour. I am deeply troubled by the actions of someone seemingly given a firearm on their 21st birthday.  I was given a watch. 

I do not share the faith of those shot down in their church, I am an atheist. I do not share your culture and ethnic background, I am white and about as Caucasian as it is possible to be and from Britain. What I do share is your absolute right to be safe wherever you chose to bow your heads in prayer, to believe whatsoever you choose to believe and I will defend your right to do so with the very last breath in my body. I will not however take up arms against my enemy, that is his foolishness and clearly his gravest mistake for in killing others of whatever birthright or origin, he is unaware he is killing his brother, in the greatest ignorance imaginable he does not understand the truth that he is merely killing himself.

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