For all those who mock the theory of the end of the world, or those who actually believe it, let me say that the Mayans got it wrong anyway. The end of the world will not be on December 21st. The end of the world already happened, it was a couple days ago when a mentally ill psycho decided to go to a school and kill 20 innocent children. At least for me, the world as I conceived it before that is over. The world in which I woke up the next day was a very different place, full of anger, pain, and fear. A place that is no longer safe, which soul was tore apart with so much tragedy and death. Like many, this weekend I have experienced all kinds of emotions. And now with a little of more sense, I dare to write about it, not with the intention of venting, but with the purpose of asking for help.
I think there are moments in history that invite people to come together for a common cause. And I think this is one of those times. It is not enough to feel angry, sad, or express what we feel in social networks, if at the end of the day we are going to sit and wait for another tragedy to happen. I’m tired of seeing comments from people who support or not the arms issue. It is a fact that this has to change, but is also a fact that the problem goes beyond the use and procurement of weapons. Yesterday for example someone mentioned that television is evil. What I think is that mankind in every era, has had and will have access to numerous things that are turned or not, evil. We are the ones that are responsible for destroying the society in which we live and for turning those things that we have, in evil things; things we have for entertaining, “defending,” or simply for living, and I am not referring only to arms. We are the ones that have forgotten our values, we are neglecting the meaning of family by putting other priorities ahead, and our children are becoming spoil brats in this individualist and selfish society that we have constructed. An extremely violent society, in where media turns a murderer into a celebrity, where our children play war, where we have stopped fighting for family unity, where parents are more concerned about being friends to their children instead of educating them and being their guides, where there is not respect for adults, and where everyone pretends to be tolerant but inside rant about one another. United States for example, is a country in which all of us demand tolerance and respect, but ultimately no one tolerates or respects, because we’ve fed ourselves the idea that a person who does not think, act or is how we are, is offensive. That’s why many minorities have problems in this country, because that mentality leads us to focus on the position of victims and doesn’t allow us to move on. If we live in a world where we do not tolerate the opinions of others, what is left? And tolerating does not mean agreeing. We can disappear the weapons but that doesn’t mean that we will stop violence. And let’s face it. It will take a lot of time until the government decides to make radical changes on the subject. And in the meantime, what do we do? What is the next step? How can we prevent another tragedy like this or worse from happening again?
In my humble opinion, these 20 children who died in this cruel way must become a symbol for us as a society to change once and for all this world we live in. Let’s not wait for our leaders to make decisions. They are not our bosses. In fact if we chose them, they work for us. But if we don’t demand, if we don’t stand up, if we don’t come out to the streets to protest and demand a change, nobody and nothing will change. As a society we have to let the lives of those 20 children and others killed in that school, and all those who have died because of violence anywhere in the world, not only be remembered but also, become our engine of change, in that divine sign that we all seek.
What I have read over and over again in articles and comments of all kinds is “we need to do something” about weapons, about mental illnesses, about society. Then LET’S DO SOMETHING. I know I am a simple mother, no one knows me, but this situation can happen to anyone and as parent and member of society I have to try. I have created the group I Want a Change, Yo Quiero un Cambio you can follow on Facebook I Want a Change, Yo Quiero un Cambio and Twitter @Change_Cambio. My goal is the following and I need you to help me. The idea of this group is not to display messages on what we stand for and what we are against. For that there are other spaces. What I seek here is to create a space to share information and raise awareness of certain issues that we have forgotten, which has contributed to make this a violent society. It is a place of TOLERANCE ZONE where parents, teachers, or whoever wants to join, express ideas on how we can change this violent society, beyond the weapons issue; what can we do at home, in schools, in other organizations. It’s also about generating conversations about issues involving subjects such as values, peace, tolerance and respect. To share information, blogs, studies, useful things about mental illnesses, education, childcare, parenting, family relations, etc. And mostly, is not about criticizing others but offer solutions and advice instead. I am convinced that if we keep attacking each other we will not get anywhere. My goal is to raise awareness that our society has to change. It is a call to real tolerance, to leave the cult of violence, and promote changes in our society from its core. HELP ME TO SAY I WANT A CHANGE join my cause and let me know your ideas and how to promote them. Let the world end once again, yes. That world full of pain, violence and fear we awoke to on December 15th. And let’s build a new one, a world in which we can really live in peace. A world where going to school does not produce fear. Please help me to try.
