Our Crazy World

This week has been eventful in the fact that there have been two shootings in the past two days. One was at a military base in Texas, and the shooter was a Arabic psychiatrist who worked on the base. Another was in an office building in Orlando, Florida, and the shooter was an ex-employee of the company that owned the building.
First, I feel a deep sense of irony when I consider the situation in Texas. It took place on a military base, a place that is supposed to be reserved for people who are willing to fight for our country at all costs. I see it as a place of brotherhood, patriotism, and safety. For that to be the site of something as traumatic as a mass shooting is alarming.
Also, for the shooter to be a psychiatrist is fairly disturbing. Again, it is ironic--the one who is supposed to be fundamental in helping everyone resolve their problems is the one who reaches his hand out in violence and anger.
I also feel bad for the implications this is going to have on the Arabic-American community. They already struggle with discrimination in our community and in our military, because of September 11, 2001. On CNN they interviewed a Arabic-American soldier who talked about how when he heard about the soldier, he was praying the shooter wasn't Arabic.
Secondly, having another major shooting a day later is also fairly scary. It reminds me of something we talked about in psychology regarding group mentality. When one person breaks a social norm, it paves the way for others to do the same.

All of this aside, I really struggle with the idea of people who are capable of walking into a building and taking the lives of other people, without being openly provoked. It is truly a tragedy--and a sad reflection on what our world has become.